Absolutely Authentic from A to Z: Humble

Humbleness is something that I think my generation ( boy I sound old when I say that) grew up with.  I was taught from an early age that I wasn't really good enough.  But it wasn't people putting me down, it was just a different way of life.  It was okay for teachers to put up star charts, and some kids to have 20 stars while others only had one or two.  It was okay for the reading groups to be leveled and for you to know exactly who was in the low group, and who of course was in the high group.  You knew that you weren't perfect at anything, that you were okay at some things, and that you were good at other things.  You also knew that there was always going to be someone just a little bit better. 

I feel like in today's culture we don't want kids to think that anyone is better then them.  We want them to value themselves and think highly of themselves.  I am all for this type of thinking.  I wish I had valued myself from an early age, instead of just figuring it out as an adult.  My life would have been completely different if I had seen my value early on. 

What we are lacking though is authentic humbleness.  This idea that it is okay to know that you are a valuable person, to know that you are great at certain things, but to be humble in how you present yourself.  Aren't the best leaders out there humble?  Don't we all strive to be leaders in some way or another? 

To me being authentically humble means being real in my strengths and weaknesses.  It means allowing people to see me for who I am.  To speak up when I don't have the answers and to open the door for help when I need it.  I am not perfect, but I am perfect at being me.  My flaws, my apprehensions are part of who I am.  In order for my life to mean something I need to be able to admit that there are things I don't know.  I need to be able to come in second sometimes and not beat myself up over it. 

How do you view authentic humbleness? Maybe it is different then me?