self-centered altruism

Yesterday I told a man who works down the hall from me, “cool moustache.”

I then felt the need to write him an email, making sure he knew it was a genuine compliment, and not a joke. The whole experience made me feel really good. I’ve decided to continue handing out well-deserved, genuine compliments when I feel like feeling good.

I do this same thing only with volunteering. I volunteer and do altruistic-type things knowing it was going to make me feel great afterward. The self-centered knowledge has never instituted a feeling of guilt, only mutual, win-win feelings.