Lessons 101: Self-Centered

To My Nieces:

You are the most amazing bunch of princesses an aunt could ever have. You are all so beautiful, talented and wonderfully unique. This comes from a friend telling me I was "other-centered" and as I am told by the same friend means the opposite of self-centered. I could get into a long conversation around that last sentence but we will save that for another time. As I have been watching you all grow and trying to take part in your lives as much as possible I have been proud of the character you all have. As we journey through life we run across many different types of people and sometimes we can become like them. So let me tell you about the self-centered person. 

Self-Centered Characteristics

• Puts themselves first
• Only caring about their own wants and needs
• Being unable to see another's perspective
• Being uncaring to others
• Lying or manipulating to get their own way or make things work out in their favor
• Are arrogant and will go to any measure to protect their self-image
• Their friendships are superficial and those who will feed their egos
• They devalue others and put them at a lesser position
• They blame others and do not take accountability
• They maximize their contributions and minimize that of others

In this there are two lessons. Do not become a self-centered person and do not get sucked in by a self-centered person. That type of person always has a void they are trying to fill but will never be able to. It would pain me to see you living life with a bottomless void or becoming the thing someone is using to try to fill theirs. A self-centered person will always hurt others to get what they want and it is not okay to hurt others or to be hurt by them. This in no way means judge others or live like a hermit in fear of turning out this way. Instead always take an assessment of yourself. Are you putting others before yourself (in a healthy way)? Are you keeping an open mind to the views of others? Are you taking responsibility for your own actions? Make sure you ask this of yourself constantly and on occasion look at your peers. At the end of the day you and you alone have to live with your actions and the actions of your peers that you condone.

Love You All,
Auntie Barbara