Stop Thinking About Yourself
Stop Thinking About Yourself
The key is to stop thinking about what you want so much and start focusing on how you can help others to get what they want. This begins with the simple practice of compassion. When you try being compassionate each day you will be kinder, happier and more popular, a better team player, a better leader and more effective and fulfilled in everything that you do.
If we are not careful, we can get caught up in a never-ending cycle of self-absorption and
rumination. And it can make us anxious and lower our mood.
As an antidote to all this self-centeredness, we recommend that you develop your capacity for
compassion by spending one minute each day thinking about someone else with genuine
empathy. It may be your spouse or child, a friend or colleague. It may be someone you like
or don’t like. Often, thinking of people you are in conflict with can be healing. Once you have
decided, follow these steps.
1. Close your eyes and picture the person for whom you want to feel compassion.
2. Think of them as a person with the same hopes, dreams, worries and challenges that
you have.
3. Imagine waves of affection and compassion radiating from you towards them. Smile
and imagine them smiling. Send nothing but positive feelings to them.
If you can forgive people and feel more compassion for others, you will be more joyful than
you can imagine. Letting go of negative emotions and focusing on compassion is hard, yet so
very rewarding!