As a society, we preach that selflessness is the key to being an ideal citizen, and to an extent, that’s the truth. We are taught to be kind, show compassion, help others and all that jazz. However, along the way, we sometimes forget that we need to be kind to and take care of ourselves. Oftentimes, we get so caught up thinking of what we could be doing for others that we forget about what we should be doing for ourselves.
Trying to put other people first all the time is exhausting.
Everyone has a story, so here’s mine: Recently, I found myself in a position where I knew that I was not happy with where I was going to school and I knew I had to make a change. Just a slight side-note, I hate change and avoid it whenever possibly I can. I was as ready as I would ever be to make this change but still, there was something holding me back. As it turns out, I was terrified of telling people at school. I went back and forth debating if I should even do this all because I was afraid of how they would react. Would they hate me? Would we remain friends? How would this decision affect their lives? All of these questions consumed my mind, and I instantly felt overwhelmed. As someone who doesn’t like to let other people down, having to tell everyone I was leaving was one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do. It took a while to realize, but in the end, the decision I made was to benefit me and not them.
I’ve learned that if you’re so concerned with letting other people down, you’ll only let yourself down in the process. Consistently compromising your happiness for other people will only allow you to grow resentful towards them. There is nothing wrong with being selfish if it means taking care of yourself and improving your happiness. There will always be people who don’t agree with what you do, so live for you. Do more of what you want to do, what you like to do and remember that your needs are just as important as anyone else’s.
It is your duty to live your happiest and fullest life.