Developing Selflessness to reduce stress and anxiety

Once one surrenders unto the service of a greater cause, or to the pure love for someone (just as a mother loves her child), such a soul is protected by the same force of pure love which it surrendered itself to.

Watch this video and try to imagine the warmth the giver feels:

Selfishness is responsible for most of our ills, including fear. When you live for someone you love or for a great cause, your fear goes away, as you will not be then concerned about your personal success or promoting your personal interests. Think of a mother, who prepares food for her child. She does it with a lot of love and care, and in doing it she is not worried about herself. She does not put her pride in it, nor does she worry about how people may think about her action. She does it out of pure love.

Therefore, if you want to overcome fear and anxiety, choose a cause or someone you love most in your life, and do it for the sake of that person, or the cause, as a sacrificial offering.

However, since people are unpredictable and when you sacrifice your life for others you may suffer from betrayal, heartbreak and emotional trauma, the following two conditions are important.  

1. You should not become attached to the persons or the causes, however strongly you may love them. 

2. You should not have expectations from them or from your actions because desires and expectations can lead to pain, suffering, and unhappiness.

It is much better if you do it for the God you love most, because He will never betray you, disappoint you or take advantage of you. However, if you cannot love or believe in God, you can do it for the people or the causes you love most, because serving others is another name of serving God.

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