The definition of modesty is the quality or state of being unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one’s abilities. It isn’t having a low opinion of yourself, but rather a way of being. For example, in a group project at work your teammates give you most of the credit because you worked really hard, and you modesty say it was a real team effort and success wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s help. You know you went over and beyond, but you don’t feel the need to state it to everyone else.
Having a low opinion of yourself on the other hand is an issue with how you see yourself. When you struggle with your self-image and whether or not you believe you are worthy, self-destruction is quick to follow. You see, if you come from a place of believing you are less than, you will always be seeking to prove to others that you are enough. Not only will you become overly dependent on external validation, but you will also lose yourself in the process as your soul erodes one compromise at a time.
Many times, people who struggle with believing in themselves fear becoming arrogant, full of themselves or a narcissist. And if you wonder about that about yourself, I have good news for you…The fact that you are worried about becoming that way tells me that you aren’t. But here are the key differences between being confident in yourself and arrogance:
1. You like to learn. A confident person knows they don’t know everything and look for opportunities to learn more about themselves and the world around them. They are open to new things. Arrogant people tend to be stuck in their lane and don’t like to be challenged.
2. You a strong sense of self-esteem. How you feel about yourself isn’t dependent on what others think of you. Arrogance is often a front people put up to mask some serious insecurity and low self-esteem. Confidence is silent and insecurities are loud.
3. You don’t feel the need to dimmish other people’s light to make yours brighter. People who are confident in themselves and where they are in their own journey, don’t feel the need to bring other people down so they look better. But arrogant people will seek to elevate their own stature by diminishing yours.