Looking in the Mirror

Many of us start our day looking in the mirror. Your morning routine might begin with brushing your teeth, washing your face, shaving, or - like me - putting in your contacts so you can actually see what’s going on in that mirror. In any case, we start the day with a view of ourselves.

There are many analogies and lessons one could draw from that statement, but I want to spend a little time on one that I struggle with. When looking in a mirror, I am focusing on me and I have less attention and concern for others. If I am “looking in the mirror” metaphorically, I am concentrating on my needs and how I can benefit rather than looking out a window seeking to serve others and meet the needs of those around me.

I love this quote from C.S. Lewis on humility, “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” Lewis encourages us to have an others-centric view of the world to have the greatest impact. It doesn’t mean we ignore or downplay our own abilities and contributions; we just view them through a lens of how our unique strengths can benefit others.

While most of us will still need to keep the physical mirror in our morning routine, we should begin our day looking out the metaphorical window to view the needs of others and seek out avenues to impact the lives of those around us. It’s something worth thinking about tomorrow morning when you’re staring in the mirror.

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