Log 6

It’s been quite a long time since I last posted my blog. For log six, which is probably the last reading blog for this semester, I decided to write down the chapter that impressed me the most as my reading reflection. That chapter is called “focus less on yourself.” Before I delved into the content, I was thinking, “Why should we focus less on ourselves? Shouldn’t we focus more on ourselves rather than others’ life trivia? If we put our focus on other people, would we be happier?” With those doubts in mind, I felt more and more curious about what this chapter wants to teach us, so I started my reading journey right after I saw the title. The author began this chapter by giving scientific research showing people focusing on others created more happiness than those who put the main focus on themselves. It divided hundreds of participants into three groups, which were moral deeds group, moral thoughts group, treat yourself group, respectively. The final result demonstrated that focusing less on yourself and your desires will make you happier. It’s because if you care more about others, you will feel greater purpose in life and a sense of belonging that all human beings need. After showing the opinion that people get happier if they care more about others, the author then pointed out three ways to be less focused on our own, including avoid your own reflection, stop judging things around you so much, and spend more time marveling at the world around you. These methods help us put less of our own subjective ideas on outward things and thus achieve the core goal of “focus less on ourselves.” Finally, the author also provided three ways to lower our extent of envy to manageable levels, focus on the ordinary parts of others’ lives, turn off the envy machine, reveal your unenviable self included. Though the last part seems meaningless to the concept of focusing less on ourselves, it actually has a correlation to that concept since when we do those things above, we will naturally lessen the emphasis on ourselves and thus be more interested in others’ lives in a genuine way. 

As I grow older, I’ve become more focused on my own needs than on what others think, especially at the stage of college. It’s probably because in college, we spend most of our time alone, which makes many people seem cold and detached, and I’m no exception. I just want to take care of my own college life and schoolwork rather than concern about others’ daily life. But sometimes, when I take a moment to reflect on my recent life, I realize there’s something missing, which is “human connection.” Although people often chat with each other in class, they usually don’t interact much after class. This limits our ability to truly get to know our classmates, let alone show care for their lives. I think it’s a pity, even though it’s quite common in college. Sometimes, we still need to spend quality time outside the classroom with friends and classmates. After all, we are social beings, and connection and warmth from others are essential in our lives. So, as college students, we should be more proactive in caring for those around us. After reading this chapter, I feel more aware of this need in myself and realize that I should take the initiative to show more kindness to the people around me.

After reading this chapter, I made up my mind to put more focus on the world around me instead of just on myself, just like what the author said in the chapter. It doesn’t mean I don’t care about my feelings or my own needs; instead, it means I will be more open to the outside world and care for people around me rather than just taking care of myself. With that idea in mind, I plan to take small steps by paying more attention to how my friends and classmates are doing. Like if they confront difficulties with which are hard to deal, maybe I can actively help them by providing some suggestions or giving my sentimental support to let them know they’re not alone. By doing so, they’ll feel supported and I’ll get a sense of satisfaction. It’s like the meaning of “killing two birds with one stone.” In addition to caring for people around me, I even plan to take a volunteer job in my winter vacation. Now I’ve got some ideas in my mind, such as being a volunteer in a hospital, taking part in a winter service camp to be a volunteer in rural areas, cleaning the beach, etc. Perhaps I’ll choose to join the winter service club to serve in rural areas, for some of my former classmates have that experience and I’m somehow attracted by that kind of fresh experience! To conclude, while it’s important to take care of ourselves, we should also look out for those around us. When caring for others, it’s important not to be too envious of the positive aspects of their lives or to project our own thoughts onto them. Instead, we should focus on the everyday parts of their lives and try to observe from an objective perspective. Achieving this balance can ultimately lead to greater happiness.