Become "Obsessed" with Other People's Welfare
When we become anxious or stressed, we automatically become very focused on our own discomfort. Part of that is caused by the discomfort of the physical symptoms. You can't NOT focus on the knot in your chest, the "rock" in your stomach, your headache, your back pain, or whatever else is out of whack. But the reverse is true - it's not just that anxiety causes self-centeredness; it's that there's a certain hidden self-centeredness behind the anxiety. Now please don't interpret this as an accusation. I'm not saying you're a "bad" person. You're simply someone whose inner being isn't functioning right (and you know that or you wouldn't be reading this). So it's not a matter of being "guilty" but a matter of fixing what's not working. The fact is that our approach to life as a civilization is what creates this problem on the individual level. The Rock Solid Tranquility course goes into this in detail and shows you how to verify it in your own body. The point right now, though, is that you can use this knowledge to your advantage right away. How? By reversing this tendency in yourself. All you have to do is to become properly obsessed with the welfare of others. Since you can't concentrate on others' welfare and your own at the same time, this practice will cancel your egocentric tendency. In Tibetan Buddhism, this is called "Exchanging self with others". Just choose one person every day and determine that you'll act with their welfare in mind. Pray for them, think of them, ask them how they're doing, do something nice for them without expecting a reward. A more advanced method is to make sure that everyone you talk to today leaves your presence feeling better about themselves and their life than they did when the conversation started. You have all the light and love in you that you need. You just need to allow it to shine through. This practice by itself can revolutionize your life, so don't underestimate it. At the same time, it's not as easy as it sounds - but nothing worthwhile ever is!
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