Yogi: I have a good education and a good job. I don’t have to work too much and have more time for retreats. But now a career opportunity is available.

I’m happy as I am, but friends encourage me to take the new job and use the extra money for charity. I don’t want to – is this selfish?

Sayadaw: When you make the choices that make your mind happy, that is a gift you give to others because when this mind is happy it, it gives happiness all around. 

Choosing happiness not at the cost of harming others is not a selfish choice.

Because you’re in a positive state of mind, you can spread that where you go.

If you take a job that you’re unhappy, that you don’t want, you’ll also make the people working with you unhappy.

If you look at the world now, people are unhappy and they go around hurting other people – all sorts of things happen when the mind is unhappy.

It is a good choice to keep the mind in the best possible state.