Selflessness and selfishness are two states of mind in contrast with one another. People who tend to be selfless consider others needs while people who tend towards selfishness only consider their own needs. Selfish people are not inherently “bad”—there are many circumstances and situations when putting the self first is necessary or important. However, too much selfishness could negatively impact our interpersonal relationships and stunt our personal growth because we are unable to see any perspective other than our own.
Selfless people recognize the needs and feelings of others and try to show kindness in their actions while personal reflections speak to the wider importance of selflessness.
By nature, we as human beings carry out tremendously complex and full lives. Often so caught up in our own, it is easy for us to forget that there are nearly 8 billion people out there with lives equally as abstract as our own. Along life’s winding path we all face tremendous highs, but also crushing lows at times, and it is during these low periods that acts of selflessness can hold an especially powerful impact on a person.Colloquially labelled as ‘random acts of kindness’, small efforts like smiling at a stranger; offering to help someone with their shopping bags; or even paying someone a compliment are simple things we can all do that require minimal time and effort but may uplift a stranger’s day when they most need it.
We can all agree that small feats like this not only embolden our faith in humanity and others but are also great self-esteem boosters.
Various tragic stories around us reaffirm within us the importance of treating others with an unfailing level of respect and kindness because we never really know what someone might be going through.
Taking care of our own needs and well-being is important but considering the needs of others can also be beneficial to us. The consideration of others’ needs and feelings above our own is called being selfless.
Volunteering may be the first idea that comes to mind when we think about selflessness, and while this is a wonderful practice, it is only one of many ways we can be giving with our time, energy, and love. For example, learning to be more considerate of others can be helpful for many areas of our life including work, marriage, and everyday happiness. This article will present us with more examples of selflessness and give us suggestions about how we can incorporate more selfless acts into our life.
If anyone has ever said that you are a selfless person, consider it a compliment. Many great people throughout history have been described as selfless. They completely put the well-being of others above their own personal interests thereby ensuring the welfare of the humanity.
