An octogenarian tells you why your ego is at the root of most of your problems.
In the garb of ‘self-esteem’ most people have inflated egos. The first casualty as a result of high ego is your peace of mind. Here’s how ego, your false self, destroys it.
The illusion of superiority
Ego makes you feel superior to others. Can anyone become superior to any other person in every respect of life? It is impossible. Everyone is unique. God or Nature does not create duplicates of anyone. So ideally the feeling of superiority should not arise. You might say, “I have more wealth or more qualifications than others.” But even that does not mean you are superior to others, because they may have more of something else that you do not have, but wish for. One way to reduce your ego is to accept your own uniqueness and also appreciate the uniqueness of others.
The need to dominate and control
Ego fights with other egos. As soon as you try to dominate or control others, the other person’s ego resists, revolts and reacts. As a result, the other tries to get back at you or sabotage your efforts at the first opportunity. If you give up your need to dominate and control others, your ego is out and the other’s ego has no one left to fight. Peace and happiness prevail.
Blocked rational thinking
Our ego o en comes in the way of us accepting the reality of situations and looking at things rationally. When something that we don’t like happens, we resist it. If you keep your ego out of the picture and ask yourself two questions, you will be in a better situation.
Can I do anything about what has happened? If yes, do it. If nothing can be done, accept the situation as soon as you can.
This story is from the May 2016 edition of Complete Wellbeing.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2016 edition of Complete Wellbeing.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
10 Checkpoints To Know What You Value The Most
Your road to success can be paved with your values, says Louise Altman.
6 Lessons Of Life, From A Toddler
A father accompanied his toddler son to the playground and came back learning these lessons for life.
Kalimpong: An Unusual Hill Station
Sakshi Nanda takes you to explore an unusual hill station overlooking the Teesta River in West Bengal
Is Constant Social Media Updating Healthy?
At this very moment, as you read this, millions of people have just shared some minute detail about their life with millions of others. Every second of every day there are Tweets, Facebook updates, Instagram images and a host of other social media activities that document our daily lives. But is all this constant updating healthy?
9 Most Common Dreams And Their Meanings
Presenting the nine most common dreams and what they are trying to tell you.
Why Cinnamon Is An Ideal Superfood?
A dietician and nutrition educator walks us through the many health benefits of cinnamon.
How To Make Your Hands And Feet Look Sexy
A skin specialist offers tips to care for your hands and feet.
18 Most Common Mistakes People Do While Travelling Abroad
Two seasoned travellers give you a heads up on the common blunders we tend to make while vacationing abroad.
24 Most Common Myths About Sleep
By the time you’re done reading this article, you’ll be surprised at the number of misconceptions you held about sleep.
Building A Right Connections
Business networking is not just about making introductions and pocketing business cards. If done right, it could be the key factor that can help your business take off.
