There are approximately 1,025,110 words in the English language. Out of these, there are good words and there are bad words. There are words that make people happy and there are words that make things beautiful. There are many words that people love being associated with. Others, not so much.
A good example of this is the word "selfish." From a very young age, we are taught to show empathy and compassion. Little kids are taught to be kind to others and inherently, to put others first; so much so that putting yourself before anyone else is considered selfish. Like I said before, there are words that people don’t want anywhere near them. I have found that this is the case with "selfish."
No one wants to be selfish. This fact is true simply because of this negative connotation the word carries. There seems to be this general idea that selfishness is somehow intertwined with complete moral indifference. I refuse to believe that you can’t be both selfish and a good person. Kindness is important, as is empathy and compassion. However, often we place others so much higher than ourselves, we completely forget, even ignore, our own needs. There’s no doubt about it: the world needs kindness and we should all aim to be kinder. However, do not confuse kindness with altruism.
Make no mistake; it’s hard. It shouldn’t be, but if you’re so used to putting others before yourself, it may very well be one of the hardest things you ever do. But it will definitely be one of those most rewarding. You must be selfish in order to learn and grow and most importantly: you must be selfish if you want to be happy. I think that’s the hardest concept for many to grasp, myself included.
People think being selfish, equates to greediness or egotism. We as a generation need to end this misconception. Being selfish is about knowing what you're worth and not settling for things (and people) that don’t meet your standards. No one should be forced to settle. The world is too small of a place to settle. There’s so much out there. So much you haven’t seen yet. So much you’re going to experience, one day. The only way you’re going to find what you wholeheartedly feel you deserve, and often what you didn’t even know you needed is by being selfish.
No one is going to love you the way you love you. And a lot of the time, all you have is yourself. So why do you put your needs second to those of others, time and time again? You need to be selfish. Selfish with your love, selfish with your time, selfish with your energy. Never pour so much of yourself into something or somebody else that you don’t have anything left for yourself. And next time someone calls you selfish, smile at them, and say, "Yes, I am." Take care of yourself and be proud that you are because no one is going to do it for you.
