But humility is something that you cannot seek. When you think you are humble, then your really not. When others say you are humble, then you immediately become proud and lose it. Humility is a very fleeting thing. It is there when you are most unaware of it and when no one around you recognizes it. It disappears when you recognize it or others remark about it. You can't fast your way to humility and expect it to POP up. It won't happen simply because you want it to happen.
Litany of Humility
O Jesus meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
Deliver me, Jesus:
From the desire of being esteemed,
From the desire of being loved,
From the desire of being extolled,
From the desire of being honored,
From the desire of being praised,
From the desire of being preferred to others,
From the desire of being consulted,
From the desire of being approved,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated,
From the fear of being despised,
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
From the fear of being calumniated,
From the fear of being forgotten,
From the fear of being ridiculed,
From the fear of being wronged,
From the fear of being suspected,
Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I,
That others may be esteemed more than I,
That in the opinion of the world, others may increase, and I may decrease,
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
That others may become holier than I, provided that I become as holy as I should,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. Amen.
It is true that one cannot just decide to be humble, and that ostentation destroys humility. It has to be a work of prayer as well as fasting. It can also be gained without fasting (sort of like weight can be gained without eating more), but fasting, if undertaken with proper mental attitude, helps. This is why we recommend fasting, and we have examples of Jesus and many saints who also fasted. Seek! I have it on good authority that you shall find.