This is my opinion and from my findings. You may find this post too simple to believe, but it is true from my experience.
As simple as I can put it is it's better to give than to receive. The reason is when we seek to live for ourselves, we become focused on ourselves, our lives revolve around ourselves and we don't notice what those around us may be going through.
For most of my life I operated without even knowing it as a victim. My life was terrible and it was everyone else's fault. I'd just think if only I had that or had this then I would be happy.
I've come to realise though that life isn't all about me. Yes having a job, car, house, wife, kids possessions is all good and there's nothing wrong with it. We can't let the possessions possess us.
I often put it like, what is freedom? Is freedom the ability to do whatever you want? It might be, but often the very thing we try and find freedom in is the thing we become a slave to. For example to get rich we could invest in cryptocurrency and spend hours monitoring and watching it glued to the computer screen. There's nothing wrong with that, but what can happen as we get obsessed we can become self focused. If successful we could see others as lower than ourselves and have our ego start to inflate.
I believe money is a tool, but the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil and it's easy to become a slave.
From the heart the mouth speaks. What we love we talk about. If we love our family we'll talk about them. I think it's a good balance to look at ourself and go what do I talk about? What comes out of my mouth when I'm around people? Am I negative and complain all the time? As like a magnet people don't want to be around someone who's negative and draining all the time. If in this situation it might be time to re-evaluate what matters most in our lives.
For me I was negative all the time, constantly complaining about everything. Until I realised that I no longer care what people think about me if they like me or not. To treat others how's I'd like to be treated. I found that my life goal is not to just have a job and work, but to help people and especially those in need, such as the poor, cripple, widows and orphans. I do have a job, but in all honesty I just want to help more people and find more financial freedom to do so.
I know that life is short and no one will care if you die with 1 millions dollars in the bank, except maybe those in laws possible fighting over it. What will matter is who's lives we've managed to impact.
With the bombardment of magazines, TV and everything promoting self it's hard not to become focused on self, but it's only when we lose sight of ourselves that we are truly free.
I just wrote this on my phone it's pretty late and it's my first Steemit post. I absolutely love the concept of Steemit and am already encouraging everyone I know to start mowing towards it.
I am just a very average guy in country Australia. If you can help support my dream and my little family to make a difference in someone's life it would be appreciated.
Excellent write!