28 February 2014 - QA 15

Gurudev, is it more important to keep oneself happy or others around happy?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, both are important. If you have become a saint or a sanyasi (one who has renounced everything), then you need to keep others happy, but if you are a samsari (one leading a worldly life), then you need to keep yourself and others happy.
Like a cycle has two wheels, you need to balance both. If you are only trying to make others happy, then you yourself will become sad and if you are sad, then how will you keep others happy?

If you are only interested in keeping yourself happy, then the people around you will be sad and if they are sad, how can you stay happy? Both are dependent on each other, so take the middle path and be happy and keep others happy.

Take time out for yourself. Take care of your own health too and then you can keep others happy. You mustn’t be adamant to always get your way. Sometimes you need to give in and keep others happy too. You must not always insist that only what you say or believe should be followed. No, adopt the middle path. Sometimes listen to others, and sometimes also follow what you feel.