The Passuks says חָ אֱ מֵ בוֹ בָ ם לְ י רתּוִּ לְ בִ לְ ים מִ יך יָ רִ אַ ן יַ ﬠַ מַ וגו' לְ יו . An Anav lives long, as it says: וַﬠֲנָוִים יִירְ וּשׁ אָרֶ ץתהלים לז יא the humble will inherit the earth (and delight in abundant peace). Look what happened to Rechavam ben Shlomo when he spoke arrogantly. He lost the ten Shevotim. The big thing in Novardok was being Anavim and an Eidele Yid. Teshuva and Hachna'a go together. (Rambam). By them, their Hachna'a wasn’t being a piece of butter; i.e., since everyone scares you. It was real! Speaking softly is true Yiddishkeit, like it says: הַוֹקּל קוֹל יַﬠֲקֹב תולדות כז כב the voice is the (distinctive) voice of Yaakov.
When R’ Ahron Belzer Zatzal found out about the high level of Tz'niyus of Hungarian Jews, he said that as soon as the war is over, he’ll try very hard to bring those Madregos to his own Chasidim. Instead of being “Shtoltz” (high-headed) and playing down the accomplishments of those Yidden, and being boisterous over his own accomplishments, he was Mach'nia (humbled himself)! Novardok admired such type of Hachna'a. A famous Novardoker Rosh Kollel was overheard saying: “I need to improve myself!”