In this world, where people often don’t even think to say “thanks,” letting go of things is the way to have peace in your mind. In this context, it doesn’t mean that being selfless is saying yes to everything—rather the opposite. It ensures that you give your energy and time to something that you decide yourself. If you do this, you will not have to carry the unnecessary burden that you don’t even want.
Firstly, let’s introduce “Frea” to demonstrate clearly the meaning of the sentences I mentioned. Frea is a student in high school, and, let’s say, she is asked for lots of favors by her peers. Here, she doesn’t accept all of the favors, of course, as she also has private activities (calculating her ability/availability before agreeing to help others). However, once she agrees to help someone, it is advised that she doesn’t expect the person she helps to return the favor to her, which is my definition of the word “letting go.”
What happens if you don’t let go? You will spend hours on end thinking about and working on things that originally have nothing to do with you. Decreased rest time and happiness would also be expected, as you are constantly chasing after a return. When this happens, you cannot take part in activities that you care about, due to being preoccupied with profiting from something you should not. As a result, social isolation, depression, and addiction are more likely to happen as ways to cope with the exhaustion.
One of overthinking’s panaceas is selflessness. Our desire for transactions of benefits sometimes is not fulfilled, and we end up ruminating over it. This could lead you into the notorious hole you never asked for: overthinking. As a solution, just let it go. When you do something, never think about getting a benefit from other people, as it would only hinder your progress on other activities. The advantages of applying this in your life are that you would be more satisfied and focused, leaving behind the cycle of endless thoughts that lead nowhere.
Do you notice people when they are doing tasks they don’t like? They look unwelcoming, right? This is probably how you look when you are doing anything without altruism. Naturally, those around you want to approach—and maybe help—the friendlier person. However, when you are irritated by something, perhaps you act a little harshly toward them. Realistically, whoever is treated harshly by you will regard you as a threat and avoid you.
Ironically, not being so calculated about your work span might enhance your performance (as long as you don’t overwork). When you are not so focused on measuring every single second that you spend, you are actually focusing entirely on the task you are working on. As a result, better ideas may emerge and your satisfaction may rise simultaneously.
If you think that being altruistic makes you miss out on wealth and social status, you are mistaken. Numerous successful people are actually involved in some kind of charity or non-profit foundation that helps less fortunate groups. As an example, Oprah Winfrey engages in charity—providing basic needs for those deprived of them—through her organization, the Oprah Winfrey Foundation. So far, the organization has donated $400 million, according to her website, and her net worth is $3.2 billion, according to Forbes. This shows that caring for and helping other people does not drag you down; instead, it produces the opposite result. If charity made people poor, they surely would not donate.
In conclusion, helping others and doing tasks without expecting a reward is a method of gaining peace in your life. Altruism can prevent decreases in happiness and satisfaction. Moreover, by doing this, we can lessen the negative impacts of overthinking by not occupying our minds with unnecessary things. People are also more likely to approach you if you keep a friendly face while doing tasks (by being sincere!). Not being so uptight about your work time also increases your performance, instead of reducing it. Ultimately, altruism is a behavior we need to nurture for a better individual life and society.
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Aryo Bontang is a student at SMA Kemala Taruna Bhayangkara. This article is a result of the Creative Writing CCA program, a collaboration between OM Institute and SMU Global Darussalam/SMU Kemala Taruna Bhayangkara for the 2025/2026 academic year.
