Why You Need to be Selfish

“I am teaching you to be selfish. Let me repeat it, because the word "selfishness" has been condemned so much that there is every possibility you will misunderstand me. But the word is really beautiful. To be selfish simply means to be yourself. I say to you: don't consider anybody else in the world, just consider yourself; and in that very consideration you will have considered the whole world.”  ~Osho

Osho is a hilarious wise teacher who eloquently speaks of why we need to be selfish. The word itself feels “bad,” and filled with guilt. If you have ever been told “You’re selfish!” it probably was not a compliment. However, if you do not take time to take care of yourself and to be true to yourself, in essence you help nobody in an authentic way.

When you are trying to please everyone at the detriment of your own health and life satisfaction, sooner or later, you will hit a wall, and your physical, mental and emotional health and happiness will pay the price.

Moreover, as Osho says "To be selfish simply means to be yourself." How often do you censor your true desires, and self expression? How often do you do what you think others want you to do and expect you to do? If you live your whole life trying to be somebody else, somebody that you think the world wants you to be, or to fit into the mold that people around you expect, your soul's spark will fade, and you will feel that loss on every level of your being. The magic of life happens when you allow yourself to be you, even if it is a little rough around the edges.

If you're not used to doing this, it can take practice. The beauty is, when you allow yourself to be who you are, you will have a lot more energy to enjoy life, which gives you the extra energy to support others. It's draining to spend all day being someone you're not, and its draining to constantly support others when you are not taking any time to make sure that your emotional tank is full.

The bottom line is this: take time every day to nurture and take care of yourself and within this make sure that you are allowing yourself to be free to simply be who you are. When you take time for yourself, coupled with being the authentic YOU, your light will shine brighter, you will have more energy and ultimately be more effective at supporting others.


Finally, if you are not taking the time to nurture yourself and your growth, you won’t have the pure energy to nurture others. Taking time out of your day to take care of yourself, through rest, relaxation, exercise, and meditation, gives you energy so that you can actually be of more service to everybody else.


Sometimes taking time for yourself can feel selfish, however it is the necessary step to truly be available and of service to others.

Take The Challenge:

What are you going to do for your self-care today to raise your energy, and spirit ? Report over in the comments, and let’s inspire each other to take care of ourselves so that we can have more energy to care for others.