Pride

“Pride is either the reason you fall or the reason you are still standing.”

Pride is a very complicated trait. Some people believe that  pride is the downfall of man...the root of all evil. Yet, others scream for us to have pride in ourselves and equate it with confidence. 

So whose right? Do we need pride? 

I guess, to me, it depends on how much pride you have and what it’s rooted in. If your pride is rooted in your worth and how amazing you think you are, it may not be the best. Because you can either form a huge ego or you can self destruct anytime anyone hurts your pride. So where is the balance?

One thing I’m trying to understand… is pride equivalent to confidence? Do you need to be proud of yourself to be confident. Honestly, even though this may sound like heresy, I think we do. Why do we want our parents to tell us they are proud of us? Why does it feel so satisfying to hear your coach tell you that you did well? We want people to be proud of us, so because of that I don’t think pride in yourself is bad. But it has it’s limits.

If you are so proud of yourself and your abilities that you cannot have an open mind, you have missed the virtue of pride. If you are so consumed with your own knowledge and are too proud to admit that you are wrong, then pride has become a fault. Humility is your ally. With humility, you can lower your pride and learn something. Humility is the antidote to a egotistical heart. And we all have our moments of prideful ignorance and can all use a dose of humility.

However, on the other side of the coin, if you are constantly seeking praise because you need validation, you need to find some pride in who you are. We need to have pride in who we are made to be. We are meant to be confident in our purpose here. Whether your pride resides in your faith in God (which is where I strive to keep mine), love for your family, or hope for the future. Pride in those things is what holds us together when we feel like everything else is falling apart.

In some of my worst moments, I remember that even though I am not a perfect person I am here for a purpose and I am proud of that. I am too proud to let life beat me. I am too proud to let others tell me my worth. I am too proud to fail and give up. And maybe that can be a fault at times, but I always try to stay humble and kind. So have pride in what you do and who you are, that is okay. Pride is not the devil, just remember to have balance. Always be ready to learn and understand.

You only get one life, live one that you are proud of.

Stay Excellent,

Megan