We live in a me, me, me world. Today's society promotes self-centeredness. Never has it been clearer that nobody is looking out for you but yourself. Children are encouraged at very young ages to win, whether on the soccer field or in the classroom. Stage parents now exist far beyond the stage, pushing their kids to develop as many extracurricular activities as possible and to excel in them. Discussions about getting into the best colleges start earlier than ever, and kids are learning to promote themselves and their achievements on social networking sites.

The college students of today also are highly self-centered, as they focus on what they want to do with their future lives and how they want to spend time off from school. Many now expect to travel abroad on breaks, or to live in condominiums versus slumming it in the campus dorms. College students focus on developing their mini-resumes so they can land a high paying job, in hopes of continuing the often extravagant lifestyle previously provided by their parents.

In the corporate world, professionals are told that they must look out for number one. As corporate greed continues to increase in leaps and bounds, employees feel no security from their companies as their perception is that they may be let go at any given time, if necessary to improve the bottom line. As a result, people become increasingly competitive and less helpful to their colleagues. Teamwork is becoming a thing of the past in many cases, especially as more and more people work virtual.

To add to it all, everyone feels time starved. As a result, soccer moms may not think twice about cutting in front of others in traffic or bothering to wave a hand when let out in traffic. After all, the kids must get to practice on time and ready to perform better than their team mates.

In this me, me, me world, the art of thoughtfulness is sadly becoming a true thing of the past. It's not that people are not trying to be thoughtful or taking the time to be; it's just that it does not even cross their minds, as they are so consumed with their needs being met.

It's rare these days that a man opens a door for a woman or that people willingly pull their cars over to the side of the road to let an ambulance pass by with ease. Thank-you notes are becoming less and less common. Homebaked goodies are forgotten treasures. Folks are too hassled or self-important to even smile or thank the person who is scanning their groceries.

What can you do? While this picture may sound dismal, it is mostly accurate. What will it take to brighten it? It just takes more people deciding to think a bit less about themselves and make an effort to be thoughtful to others, and making this decision on a daily basis.

Why don't you take a stab at it? Make a decision to be better to others and to get out of your head, even if just for a day. Consciously choose a few things to do that may no longer feel natural but that are less self-seeking. Here are some things you could consider doing:

* Let someone who needs to enter your lane of traffic do so.

* Thank a customer service provider, whether it be a wait staff person at a restaurant, a dry cleaner or a security guard. Make eye contact when doing so.

* Ask a harried fellow colleague or stay-at-home mom if there is something you can do to help.

* Bake a cake for a sick neighbor.

* Smile or nod your head when passing a person on the jogging trail.

* Donate to a favorite charity. * Make time to spend with your kids as a family.

* Write a hand written thank-you note for someone who deserves it.

* Answer your mobile phone when a friend calls, versus letting it always go straight to voice mail. If it's not an ideal time to talk, let the friend know and schedule a time to return the call.

These are just a few examples of thoughtful acts you can try on any given day. Once you have made a conscious effort, then try it for another day. Make a list of thoughtful things you can do. Ask yourself: How can I be of service to someone else today?

No matter how busy you are, there is always time to do something for someone else. A smile, or a simple nod of the head, instead of a cold stare, takes only seconds.

Make a decision to think less about yourself and more about your fellows. Practice. Remind yourself that it really is not all about you. Once you engage in these exercises for a few weeks, you will question why or how you ever got so selfish and vow never to go back.

And, for that, you can give yourself a pat on the back.