How do you love yourself without being egotistical and selfish?

Question

I mean like an inward peace with yourself where it doesnt matter if your on your own or with someone - you'll always be happy.....or try to be

put another way - loneliness vs solitude? are they the same?

Answer 1

No, loneliness and solitude are not the same thing. The old cliche about feeling loneliest when in a crowd is very true. It's also possible to feel crowded when alone - with our thoughts and feelings jostling for attention and making us feel overwhelmed and 'got at'.

In spite of being very sociable and liking my fellow human beings immensely, I like to be alone a lot. Personally, I think solitude (when we're at peace with ourselves) is one of the most beautiful and uplifting experiences we can have - certainly the closest I've ever come to feeling the presence of 'God'.

However, I also think that inward peace gives us the love and beauty of solitude even when we're in a crowd. With it, we can then find peace anywhere.

As for loving ourselves without being egotistical and selfish - well, I think we have to give up being egotistical and selfish first. I think that learning to accept others and love them with all their faults makes it possible to love ourselves with all of ours.

Answer 2

First, you are asking multiple questions here. Let's stick to your first one.

Loving yourself and being conceited or selfish are two totally different things. To be conceited is to ONLY recognize your most appealing characteristics and to completely disregard the ones that you are ashamed of. To love yourself is to recognize BOTH your flawed and flawless aspects and be at a balance with them. It is when you can say, "I am smart, but I am not good at mathematics" It's also when you can say, "I am decent looking, but not the most beautiful." I hope you understand what I'm meaning by this.

Then, you say "put another way - loneliness vs solitude? are they the same?" Well, they are alike. If you take a single meaning of each word, they can be synonymous, but there are multiple meanings for loneliness.

"lone‧ly  /ˈloʊnli/
–adjective, -li‧er, -li‧est.
1. affected with, characterized by, or causing a depressing feeling of being alone; lonesome.
2. destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship, intercourse, support, etc.: a lonely exile.
3. lone; solitary; without company; companionless.
4. remote from places of human habitation; desolate; unfrequented; bleak: a lonely road.
5. standing apart; isolated: a lonely tower."

"sol‧i‧tude  /ˈsɒlɪˌtud, -ˌtyud/
–noun
1. the state of being or living alone; seclusion: to enjoy one's solitude.
2. remoteness from habitations, as of a place; absence of human activity: the solitude of the mountains.
3. a lonely, unfrequented place: a solitude in the mountains."

Okay. Reading the two dictionary definitions sheds some light on their differences. Definition numbers three, four, and five for "loneliness" ARE synonymous with "solitude", but the other definitions are not quite. Do you see the contrast? They are not the same, but very similar.

Answer 3

You create a life for youreself that feels secure, that is the first step. You have to know that you can make it on your own. Then you set out to find your interests and get over going to do things alone, you do this by making yourself go alone. Then hopefully you have created a life that your happy in and then if you choose to include other people, it will be for the right reasons.
Loneliness is painful, solitude is content so no they are not the same things.

Answer 4

To love yourself is to be happy with who you are and were you are going. You are the sum total of everything you have done and everyone you have met. Each has contributed to you as a whole. If you do not love yourself, then you need to change. Continuing to do the same things and expecting something to change is a good definition of insanity. Change what you do not like, and become the person you want to be. IF you find you do not love that person, change again. It's how we mature and grow. It's a journey that can last a lifetime.

Answer 5

Loneliness is missing another wanting a companion.

Solitude is enjoying the quietness of your own thoughts,

When your alone, there will always be moments when you wish that you had someone to share something with. But if you are able to have interests that interests you, like clubs you have joined, taking trips to see things you always wanted to see, regular socializing of some sort then the periods of loneliness will not some so often.

Answer 6

Do things you love. I don't think you can spend extended periods of time sitting around trying to love yourself w/o being selfish and egotistical. Love what you do

Lonliness and solitude are different by definition. Solitude is sought while lonliness is usually put into life because of negative events.

Answer 7

Every character should develop from within and then only we can give others. Love, it should flow from us first. People many times say, there is no one who loves me. But at the same time, there is no flow of love from within.

Within us there is a mountain of peace. Most of us do not discover it.

Loneliness is solitude of a person who doesn't like loneliness. Or he/she desires a companion.

Solitude is the loneliness of a person who like to be alone for many reason. Especially when it helps his/her thoughts.

Answer 8

You've already answered your own question by asking. Rid yourself of selfishness, and egotistical by doing for others without thinking of getting anything in return. You'd be really happy and content with your own life whether solitude or not.

Answer 9

Loneliness is a feeling of isolation from people and needing their companionship whereas solitude is a state of being alone without feeling lonely and not needing people to fill in that void. It is also a good time to be aware of yourself so...

for me, loving myself without being egotistical and selfish has to start with self awareness and acceptance of who I am, what I can and can't do. It is making peace with one's self.

Answer 10

3. egotism; conceit; self-importance: Her ego becomes more unbearable each day. from dictionary.com. One can easily love oneself without being selfish or egotistical. All one has to do is to be content with their current relationship with the world and to not have egotistical or selfish tendencies.

as for the lonliness vs solitude- loneliness is where one is searching for a partner and cannot find one, and solitude is being alone without any qualifier for needing a companion.