Although some people might consider having an oversized ego to be a sign of confidence, it’s actually a sign of much deeper problems that the person might be having. Big egos cause people to waste their energy defending themselves, distort their sense of reality, make a person insecure and competitive, and may, in extreme circumstances, make them cold to the feelings of others.

A big ego can be toxic, so it’s important for all of us to make sure that we keep ours in check. A holiday that reminds us to do just that is known as World Ego Awareness Day. This holiday is observed annually on May 11th and encourages everyone to check their ego and make sure it’s not overinflated.

The History Of World Ego Day

Ego Awareness Day was first created in 2018, although we’re not sure exactly who invented it, we do know it was invented this year. We also know that this holiday was designed to help people rid themselves of egoism.

This is a philosophy that places self-interest as the foundation for morality — a position some people think can be extremely toxic. People with inflated egos tend to push people away, value themselves over everyone else, and tend to have a skewed view of the world.

Observing World Ego Day

Once a person understands ego and the role it plays in their lives, they can take a few moments to do self-reflection. After all, it was Socrates who uttered the dictum “The Unexamined life is not worth living.”

It’s only after a person has done some self-reflection that they can determine if they have a normal ego or if it’s out of control. If it’s the latter instead of the former, they can take some steps to rectify that situation.

A surefire way to get an overinflated ego under control is to seek therapy with a qualified professional. And while people began their journey to self-discovery, they can help others to do the same by using the hashtag #WorldEgoDay on social media.