Some level of selfishness is healthy, how else can you get what you want and need to remain happy if you don’t get what you want occasionally? There are right and wrong ways to go about it though.
- Try and develop empathy for other living things. Allow yourself to feel what they may be feeling and understand what they might be going through.
- Perform simple acts of kindness. Acts of kindness are intentional efforts to brighten someone’s day. Send someone flowers, help your neighbor carry groceries in, give someone a ride, pay for the next person in line’s coffee. All good and simple ways you can make someone happier.
- Listen. Really listen. There’s a difference between perceiving something and consciously listening to what they are saying.
- Volunteer to help others less fortunate. Sometimes it takes walking in someone else’s shoes to realize just how good your life is. Donate your time to a homeless shelter, nursing home or church fundraiser.
- Don’t rub your good deeds in other people’s faces. The point of doing the good dead isn’t recognition or to be better than someone else.
- Don’t interrupt people. Let someone finish their sentence first. If it is urgent, be polite and say “excuse me.”
- Forgive someone without being asked. Offering forgiveness before an apology is a huge selfless act.
- Be considerate to others. Keep your excess noise down, don’t crowd someone’s personal space, get off the phone when you are dealing with customer service personnel.
- Honor your vows. This means keeping your promises.
- Be on time. It is very disrespectful to take up someone else’s time waiting on you.
