Someone gave me some good news about their life yesterday.

It made me happy because I knew how much that news meant to them. I knew the work they had put in to get that good news. And I want the best for them.

I was also happy to feel that way. If you happen to be like I have been for much of my life, and I hope that in this sense you are not, I have often been more likely to be discouraged by someone else’s successes.

”Why them, not me?”. “When will THAT happen for me?”. Blah, blah, blah.

It’s a very ego-centric and sad point of view. It’s self defeating. It’s shallow. And it’s tight and withholding. I’m glad to be rid of it (most of the time at least).

The truth is that your happiness has value in itself, and if I’m happy for you, it has double the value.

Your happiness really is in My Best Interest.