This is a question that no one really wants to answer. We all basically like to think that we are wonderful people, and that everyone else thinks of us in this way also. However, sometimes this way of thinking can be far from the truth – which is something that not many of us want to think about! Maybe instead of trying to evaluate how selfish we are, we should instead, think about how rewarding our lives are. This way, we will make it easier on our egos…
How rewarding is your life? This doesn’t mean, how many “toys” you have, or how many vacations you take each year, but it means how often do you get that great, irreplaceable feeling of helping someone in need? Don’t misunderstand me here; there is nothing wrong with having nice things and taking care of yourself, but if “you” is all you think about, you may have a problem with selfishness, and you will be missing out on a lot that life has to offer.
There are 3 basic kinds of people in this world: people who live for themselves, people who live for others, and people who have found a healthy balance between the 2. I am sure you have all heard the saying, “everything in moderation.” Usually, we hear this in regards to food, but it applies to everything in life. If you are living only for yourself, you may find yourself without many friends after a while, and you will start to become discontented with your life – it is hard to find meaning in selfishness. If you live entirely for others, you will get extremely worn out very quickly, and soon become discontented with your life, easily irritated, and you will most likely start resenting everyone around you. On the other hand, the person who helps others, while making sure to take care of themselves in between, will be the one with the most rewarding life.
If you have been noticing that your life is lacking in meaning, or you have become a bit unhappy with how your life is turning out, I would recommend thinking about yourself and your needs less, and thinking about the needs of others more. You don’t have to rush out and spend your mortgage payment on every needy person you can find; in fact, you don’t even have to spend money to help others out. Sometimes, when money is desperately needed, it is good to give, but most of the time, you can help by doing little things that can mean the world to people.
Try visiting a friend who you know is having a hard time right now. You don’t need to say the right thing – just being there is enough. The next time you are in the Starbucks drive thru, pay for the order of the person behind you – it will most likely be under $2 or $3 dollars, so it shouldn’t break the bank! When you go through your day, make sure you are not only thinking about yourself, and how things affect you. Instead, put some thought into how your decisions will affect those around you. Take notice of the people you see everyday, and you will start to sense when they aren’t quite themselves, and then you can do something to make them feel better.