Balance

When in your life is it okay to be selfish and when is it not? I don't think I've fully figured out that system yet. And I think truthfully it's because there is no system. (How unfortunate, I know). But there are times in my life when I just want to do everything for everyone regardless of how it affects me in the end, and I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I will many times take all others' feelings into consideration over my own. And then I get online and read articles about how "these are your selfish years" blah blah. But then, other than that, I've never really heard the term selfish used in a positive connotation. You never hear things like, "Aw she was just being selfish, good for her, I'm proud of her." No because I don't feel like there is a good way of being selfish.

Now on the other hand, how can you ever be happy if you put everyone else in your life before yours and never do anything that solely benefits you? Is your unhappiness (in some cases, but not all) worth everyone else's happiness?

I think figuring out when it's okay and when it's not okay to be selfish is one of life's more difficult dilemmas. 

And I think it also depends on the kind of person you are. Some people sway more in the way of caring only about pleasing themselves because I mean why shouldn't they? It's their life right? They should do what makes them happy. And then there's others who tend to be more people pleasers and are just happy mostly if the people around them and people they care about are happy. I'm more of the latter. I can't help it. I like seeing people be happy. Especially if I can be part of the reason that they are so happy. It makes me feel good. But then sometimes in doing so I kind of forget about needing to do what's best for me. Not even in a selfish manner. 

So I guess like anything in life, it's all about balance. 

Now the only trouble is, figuring out how to balance it...