“It is sheer nonsense on the part of any man to think he’s born to help the world; it is simply pride, it is selfishness insinuating itself in the form of virtue. When you have trained your mind and your nerves to realize this idea of the world’s non-dependence on you or on anybody, there will be no reaction in the form of pain resulting from work.”
— Swami Vivekananda
When a friend doesn’t state how grateful they are that we were there for them, we seethe. When a family member doesn’t heed our advice, we feel stung. When a stranger doesn’t thank us for helping them, we quietly whisper, “You’re welcome,” before walking away.
Do you notice a pattern? Many times, we like helping others in exchange for something. Or we want to play savior because we think things will fall apart without us. And when the world goes on just fine (as it always does) we feel miserable.
Don’t be a savior. Be a supporter, like Krishna was to the Pāndavas. Help people fight their battles instead of trying to win their wars for them. Like a dog’s tail that never straightens, the world will be the way it is. It doesn’t need you.
Rather than preaching to and expecting from others, be useful to them. Helping others helps you uplift yourself.