One of the most outstanding human attributes is selflessness. It shows what human beings can do to the extent of sacrificing their own lives to give life to others. Yet many a time, we end up being selfish and self-centred. Seldom do we look beyond our needs and interests and seldom do the needs and plight of others bother us. Living for others is now the motto of only a few noble souls.

Here are some suggestions that may help us in this regard.

Firstly We can begin by just looking around our house to find things which will never be needed by us and which are totally redundant. Experience shows that if one looks with such an eye, one ends up with loads and loads of such things. Parting ways with them should not be very difficult as these things have little or no use for us in the first place.

Secondly, if we ponder on mother-nature, it teaches us to be selfless. Each and every object and element of mother-nature seems to be functioning selflessly. It never reaps for itself the benefits it gives to others: the sun does not dazzle for its own self; the stars do not shine because they need light; flowers do not give fragrance to satisfy their own selves; trees do not provide shade to themselves; rivers do not benefit from their own water.

Thirdly, we should take up some voluntary work and try to spend time, effort and our skills for others. Community service induces us to look beyond our selves.

Fourthly, a selfish motive may be of help here: we can forget our own pain if we become selfless. When we live and work for others, it makes us see how better off we are than so many others and this makes us thankful and satisfied souls.