Men are not against you; they are merely for themselves.
—Gene Fowler
The only way to entertain some folks is to listen to them.
—Kin Hubbard
Selfishness is one of the qualities apt to inspire love.
—Nathaniel Hawthorne
The more we take the welfare of others to heart and work for their benefit, the more benefit we derive for ourselves. This is a fact we can see. And the more selfish we remain and self-centered, the more selfish our way of life is, the lonelier we feel and the more miserable. This is also a fact we can see.
—14th Dalai Lama
To be stupid, selfish, and have good health are three requirements for happiness, though if stupidity is lacking, all is lost.
—Gustave Flaubert
Self-love, self-respect, self-approval, and self-worth do not equal self-ish.
—Mandy Hale in The Single Woman
The belief that unhappiness is selfless and happiness is selfish is misguided. It's more selfless to act happy. It takes energy, generosity, and discipline to be unfailingly lighthearted, yet everyone takes the happy person for granted. No one is careful of his feelings or tries to keep his spirits high. He seems self-sufficient; he becomes a cushion for others. And because happiness seems unforced, that person usually gets no credit.
—Gretchen Rubin in The Happiness Project
Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live.
—Oscar Wilde
I'm being very selfish with myself right now. Taking care of me, feeding my own soul.
—Debbie Macomber in A Girl's Guide to Moving On
I believe in love. I believe in hard times and love winning. I believe marriage is hard. I believe people make mistakes. I believe people can want two things at once. I believe people are selfish and generous at the same time. I believe very few people want to hurt others. I believe that you can be surprised by life. I believe in happy endings.
—Isabel Gillies in Happens Every Day