Some may recognize the headline, “Believe in something bigger than yourself.” I am borrowing it — stole it — from the cover of the Dec. 15 issue of People magazine.
From a story on Dolly Parton, that headline hit me as relevant.
Of course, this is not the first time I’ve heard this phrase. Both former First Lady Barbara Bush and TV personality Oprah have made similar comments.
Oprah talked about how she learned at a young age to believe in “something bigger than yourself and not your own power.” She says she learned this from bible stories.
For children, that something bigger than themselves is naturally their parents. With the passing of each birthday, the child grows in maturity to eventually leave their parents.
Organized sports and other school activities help children learn that the team is more significant than each individual player.
Parents who have instilled in their children the belief in God — so once they have grown up — give them something to believe in bigger than themselves.
It’s easy to recognize those in society who only believe in themselves. They have no empathy for others and are very narcissistic.
Take, for instance, Jeffery Epstein. Connie and I have been watching Nexflix’s docuseries on him, “Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich.” He is accused of using his wealth and power to abuse girls as young as 12-years-old sexually. It’s easy to see that this convicted sex offender believed only in himself.
Another example of a narcissist personality who believe only in themselves is one of Epstein’s friends, film producer Harvey Weinstein. More than 80 women have accused him of sexual abuse.
This category would also include most murderers.
Historical figures who fit this description are dictators Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin.
As writer and poet Nikita Mor says, “The most evil people use domination, abuse, and manipulation to get their own way and win at any cost.”
Truly successful and happy people care about something other than themselves.
These people give of themselves like Mother Theresa, who dedicated her life to the poor in Calcutta, India.
Andrew Shatté, Ph.D., a leading expert on resilience, explains, “If you feel connected to something larger than yourself, you’re driven by the very highest level of achievement, greater than the people around you, whether that means God, spirituality, or a set of values you live by. In short, something that will outlast and outlive you.”
Shatté lists four levels of something larger than ourselves. The higher the level you reach, the greater your satisfaction and happiness.
The most basic level is having individual goals in life. From there, the next level is family. When your motivation is your family, you sacrifice as an individual for them.
Level three is community. This is why people volunteer their time for charitable organizations. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves.
Shatté’s highest level is religion, spirituality and God.
If you think about it, many Christmas movies we watched as children — and now watch with our children and grandchildren — are about believing in something bigger than ourselves: It’s a Wonderful Life, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, Miracle on 34th Street, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and A Christmas Carol.
That’s what Christmas is all about — believing in something bigger than ourselves.
