Selfishness

"Those who are selfish seek their own interests and pleasure above all else. The central question for the selfish person is “What’s in it for me?”
.....
When we seek self-service over selfless-service, our priorities become centered on our own recognition and pleasure.

Past generations had their struggle with variations of egotism and narcissism, but I think today we are giving them serious competition. Is it any coincidence that the Oxford Dictionary recently proclaimed “selfie” as the word of the year?

Naturally, we all have a desire for recognition, and there is nothing wrong with relaxing and enjoying ourselves. But when seeking the “gain and praise of the world” is a central part of our motivation, we will miss the redemptive and joyful experiences that come when we give generously of ourselves to the work of the Lord."

I was listening to this talk this morning ("Are You Sleeping Through the Restoration?", Dieter F. Uchtdorf) in preparation for the Relief Society lesson I'll be giving in a few weeks. I really loved this part. Selfishness is a huge problem in our society. And believe me, I'm not pointing fingers - I can definitely see it in myself. Being single is a very selfish time of life. It's so important to look outside ourselves.

He goes on to talk about how we can overcome selfishness. It is by thinking of and serving others. I know from experience that that is true. We can find great joy in serving others. It's truly when we lose ourselves in the service of God that we find ourselves.