Aren't we just focused on ourselves?

[brugluiz]

All this content about self-development is amazing, but I have the impression we focus too much on ourselves. I don't know if I'm being too much Green, but isn't life purpose more about helping others than just working on ourselves?

I just watched a documentary about children slavery and it made me question it. I spend too much time reading about self-development and how to heal my emotions but, suddenly, I burst with tears while watching a documentary with children being used as machines for the capitalist system.

Maybe a better way of finding our life purpose is by paying attention to what makes us cry. I heard I should have tears of joy and excitement, but I have tears of compassion and willingness of helping those children. I have the will of having them near to me just for them to hear that they deserve an awesome life and not those brutal stuff they were doing.

It's not tears of joy and excitement, but tears of compassion. Isn't it also important for our life purpose? Or is it all about excitement, joy and self-development?

I read somewhere that the best way to overcome depression is by getting out of the bubble and starting helping others. I also heard from a therapist that I need to help myself before helping others (I heard it from the whole psychiatric system). I'm a bit confused now because I do have emotional stuff and depression to heal, but at the same time I want to help the world.

[Joseph Maynor]

This is another example of the "exclusive or" tendency.  Why can't you help yourself and help others simultaneously?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_or

Edited December 28, 2018 by Joseph Maynor

[Leo Gura]

In practice it's hard to help the world when you are underdeveloped and struggling to meet your basic needs.

The point of developing yourself is so that you can become a better tool for helping uplift the world.

But also, don't wait to be perfect before you help the world. You can work on both simultaneously. Help out in whichever ways you're able. Don't bite off more than you can chew.

The greatest thing you will ever do for the world is to awaken yourself.

[VioletFlame]

If anyone ever tries to tell you that it is "selfish" or "self-absorbed" to practice self-love or self-acceptance or any other spiritual practice this is used to help strengthen your relationship with yourself but also, just as importantly, your relationship with the entire world around you, they are usually the selfish ones who are not well educated enough to even understand why we pursue these practices in the first place.

How can one ever truly give happiness to the world if they are not truly happy within? 

Of course you don't want to be so focused on yourself that you ignore or neglect the world around you. But every moment is a waking beautiful opportunity for us to be as spiritual and as helpful as possible, whether it's for ourselves or for the ones included in our lives. 

See every moment as a spiritual blessing you can use to your greatest advantage. 

Edited December 28, 2018 by VioletFlame

[brugluiz]

1 hour ago, Leo Gura said:

In practice it's hard to help the world when you are underdeveloped and struggling to meet your basic needs.

The point of developing yourself is so that you can become a better tool for helping uplift the world.

But also, don't wait to be perfect before you help the world. You can work on both simultaneously. Help out in whichever ways you're able. Don't bite off more than you can chew.

The greatest thing you will ever do for the world is to awaken yourself.

Thank you, @Leo Gura!

I still can't meet my basic needs, but I have an inner desire of helping people. Actually, I'm a college student and I generally help people with my own college works (I study Graphic Design, a very Green course here in Brazil).

I'm taking baby-steps towards my development. It's baby-steps, but at least I'm evolving.

1 hour ago, VioletFlame said:

If anyone ever tries to tell you that it is "selfish" or "self-absorbed" to practice self-love or self-acceptance or any other spiritual practice this is used to help strengthen your relationship with yourself but also, just as importantly, your relationship with the entire world around you, they are usually the selfish ones who are not well educated enough to even understand why we pursue these practices in the first place.

How can one ever truly give happiness to the world if they are not truly happy within? 

Of course you don't want to be so focused on yourself that you ignore or neglect the world around you. But every moment is a waking beautiful opportunity for us to be as spiritual and as helpful as possible, whether it's for ourselves or for the ones included in our lives. 

See every moment as a spiritual blessing you can use to your greatest advantage. 

During a healing session I had with some people, a guy told us that, when we heal ourselves, we're healing the entire world.

I'm not happy within, but I'm working on this happiness. I don't think it means I can't help people at all, but, as Leo said, I shouldn't bite off more than I can chew.