Be Inspired To: Show Compassion
Written by: Brady Johnson
Published: May 4th, 2022Lesson 11: Show Compassion
Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to help others. To understand why someone might be feeling a certain way and have a desire to help them. Being compassionate does not mean just feeling bad for those who are having a hard time. It’s more than that, it means treating people with kindness and wanting to help them to better themselves.
We all go through something. Some of us have it worse than others but it is important to not compare our experiences in life with others because that can come off as demeaning even if you do not mean it to. Living your own life and showing people that you care about them without bringing in what is going on in your own life is important. I for one love to talk about myself but one thing I have learned is being a pair of ears is very important to someone who is going through something. Just sitting there and listening to what someone needs to get off their chest can be beneficial for both parties.
I like to think that I am a compassionate and empathic person. Similar concepts but with a slight difference. I found this line summed it up well, “Empathy is an understanding of our shared humanity. It’s the ability to see yourself in another person’s shoes. Compassion adds another dimension of a desire to help.” (BetterUp). Empathy and compassion play off each other, most of the time if you are empathetic, the compassionate side will shine through.
As much as it is important to be compassionate towards others, it is just as important to be compassionate towards yourself. “Self-compassion involves acting the same way towards yourself when you are having a difficult time, fail, or notice something you don't like about yourself.” (Self Compassion). That’s hard to do for people like myself who sometimes have a tough time not criticizing and critiquing everyday actions. I am generally pretty hard on myself, sometimes that can be a good thing but a majority of the time it just puts me down. Understanding why I am not feeling good about myself is really important, it leads to more growth than just neglecting the fact that I am not feeling good about myself.
I thought this video was a very neat way of talking about compassion. Sometimes by just treating people like people and paying attention to everyday people you can enrich your own life with a sense of discovery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4a66aFaIME
Here are a couple small things you can do throughout your day to show compassion
- Practice acts of kindness
- Say encouraging words
- Listen actively
- Spend time throughout your day with family and friends
I guess to sum it up I would say to be nice to yourself and others, be understanding of why we are feeling the way we feel. Have that desire to help yourself and others, the world will be a better place if we all do this.
Peace and Love,
Brady Johnson
https://www.betterup.com/blog/compassion-vs-empathy
https://self-compassion.org/the-three-elements-of-self-compassion-2/
https://montessorirocks.org/10-ways-to-show-compassion/