Your or Them?

I used to think a lot about when to do what's right for someone else rather than what's right for yourself. Because sometimes the things that you need to do or change or say or choose are ideal for you but not for the other people involved. Sometimes, in order to do what's right for the other person, you must sacrifice what you need. But should you always do that?

All my life I've learned that it's more than just important to put others before yourself, it is basically essential to a truly happy life. Loving and serving others, no matter who they are, what they've done to you, or how busy you are, is a way to find peace and joy in your life. Being selfless is a good thing. But is there a point where selflessness can be distorted and changed to something less virtuous?

When is it not okay to do what's right for someone else instead of for yourself? When should you put yourself first? Or is there really no line to cross at all? Is there no such thing as being too selfless? Every single person is important and worthy of happiness. And everyone should feel that way about themself. They should believe that they have the right to be happy. They should know that they aren't inferior to everyone else. So where is the line that separates being humble and selfless from having low self-esteem and letting yourself be taken advantage of or used or broken at the expense of another's happiness? How can one really tell?

So I ask myself again, do I do what's right for me? Or do I do what's right for them and wrong for me? How much am I supposed to sacrifice? Everything? It doesn't seem right to be selfish but it doesn't seem right to sell myself short. Or am I missing the point altogether of selflessness? It seems as though one could never be too selfless.

So is there really any question here at all?