Having compassion for yourself is not is thought is basic, it is Staple. Compassion is when you are ready to give benefit of the doubt to anyone, this is not lack of judgment but because you have Love to Offer. No questions asked! No eligibility required!

Compassion doesn’t mean being nice or being good, it means understanding the pain areas of one’s life and working towards it to alleviate it. Sometimes it also means speaking up aggressively or violently to others (if you know deep down your loved one is being stupid) and for oneself. 

Compassion is a profound emotion that often goes unnoticed in our daily lives. It’s a force that binds families, friends, and even strangers together, making our world a kinder and more empathetic place. In this blog post, we’ll explore the aspect of compassion, how to recognise the heart of compassion, how to reciprocate it and also shedding light on the center of mindful self compassion.

Understanding True Compassion

1. Become an Observer of compassion:

To truly understand compassion, Start by noticing the person who makes your life feel seamless, smoother who ensures there are no roadblocks in your journey. They are the unsung heroes, the ones who put your needs ahead of their own. 

 “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” – Charles Dickens

2. Family is a compassion bond

Family is often the cornerstone of our support system. They are the unsung heroes who make our lives easier, smoother, and more enjoyable. Think about the last time a family member selflessly supported you. Whether it was your mom tackling laundry or your sibling helping you unclog a drain, these acts are the heartbeat of compassion. They don’t seek applause; they seek to make your life better. These efforts often go unnoticed. It’s essential to recognise that compassion isn’t just about feeling empathy; it’s about actively acknowledging the sacrifices made on our behalf. Remember we discussed in the beginning finding a pain area and trying to reduce it. Family members are usually thr first to do that for you. Appreciate it.

3. Unseen Acts of Kindness and compassion

Compassion isn’t confined to grand gestures; it’s present in the everyday acts of kindness. It doesn’t doesn’t need a stage; it thrives in the backstage moments of life. Picture the friend who serves you dinner before themselves, the coworker who arranges your workday, or your partner who brews your morning coffee before taking their own sip or doing their morning routine. These small but mighty actions embody compassion. Always putting you first. These seemingly small actions speak volumes. It’s time to acknowledge it.

How to become compassionate? 

“Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another.” – Alfred Adler

Compassion is infectious

When you meet someone who is vibing really strong do you feel it? Yes we all do. That is a transformative moment for that day. Because it makes us awake from a habitual pattern of thoughts. The resistance of negative emotions (like boredom, apprehension, sadness, feelings of being inadequate) we have been carrying gets dissolved at that moment.

Dissolving resistance doesn’t mean going into the bottom of a situation and wrestling at the ground and killing it. There is no need for explanations or justification required at that moment. It’s just having a different viewpoint that feels better to you. It means focusing on different perspectives that align with you, it also means focusing on the subject that is riding high in your life- career, relationships, money, personal and spiritual growth. 

Everyone around benefits from this kind of compassion. It feels good when someone compliments us unexpectedly. We think about it, rethink about it, recall it, identify it, reclaiming the feeling of goosebumps several times a day, you practice recognising it with external stimuli or words or gestures. Remember it hundreds and thousands of time, milk that delicious moment when you are by yourself and by explaining it to others to give it more and more energy. Keep it active until you do own it, until it is you, until you become that viber. 

Wherever your attention goes your energy follows” – Dr Joe Dispenza

Since you are reminiscing that memory you are reliving the emotions of appreciation and compassion. These strong emotions have the ability to influence the world and you are the carrier of it. You have the privilege of passing it on, and you do it without even registering it. 

Others reaction are irrelevant to this as long as you carry the torch of compassion in your aura 

Acknowledging Compassion Matters a lot 

Compassion flourishes when we acknowledge it. A simple word of appreciation, a pat on the back, or a genuine interest in their dreams can go a long way in nurturing compassion. These compassionate individuals often believe they are in a supporting role, so it’s our responsibility to make them feel valued and wanted. Few compassion examples:

A heartfelt “thank you,” for the attendant who put in an effort to find a perfect gift for a friend, sending a warm soup to a neighbor, who gave you a lift on a rainy day, or just for saying good morning everyday; an appropriate compliment to a coworker for finishing a mammoth new task. All these and many more small gestures can make someone’s day not to mention your own as well. 

Awakening Your Compassion Giant

To awaken your own compassion, begin by observing and appreciating the support you receive. It doesn’t require grand gestures or long-distance communication. It’s about seeing the person who makes your life better right in front of you. Start by hugging for no reason, complimenting them when they are not expecting it at all, and showing them that their efforts do not go unnoticed by small gestures that show you thought of them. 

Your acts of kindness are the keys to unlocking your compassion.

Increasing Your Compassion Quotient

Your compassion quotient can grow by actively reciprocating the kindness and support you receive. It’s about creating a cycle of compassion, where you become the unsung hero in someone else’s life. Remember that compassion isn’t a finite resource; the more you give, the more you receive. Compassion multiplies when you pay it forward. 

As Maya Angelou wisely noted, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Embrace this timeless wisdom and become the unsung hero in someone else’s life.

Self Compassion

When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” – Maya Angelou

Self compassion is a practice of treating oneself with the same kindness, understanding failure, missing imaginary deadlines, and care that one would offer to closed friends or loved ones. It would involve recognising one’s own struggle in perfection with you without judgment and self criticism. 

Cultivating kindness is a daily practice and not a one time thing, like giving money to a beggar. It starts with

1. Self Forgiveness is beginning of self compassion for yourself

You can’t heal what you don’t feel. Anger, sadness, no smiling face, contentment in nothing is a sign of something wrong. Sometimes we don’t know why we are feeling these emotions as we become habitual. That feels familiar but that’s not the way we came into this world. Ho’oponopono prayers help a lot for healing oneself and others too. 

2. Self Acceptance is 2nd step towards self compassion for yourself

Everyone has flaws, shortcomings  and limitations. Accepting it lets you move forward and open a new chapter in your life, instead of dwelling on the same emotions of lack. 

3. Positive self talk is easiest way to quickly feel compassion for yourself

Replacing self criticism about the way you look, your body, your communication with words of encouragement and Self- compassion is the next step after self acceptance. For example, instead of saying “I’m such a failure, try saying, “ I did my best, and that’s something to be proud of, because I attempted something new or different. 

4. Self love is act of compassion for yourself

Taking breaks when needed is a sign of self love, it is ok to step away from responsibility to recharge physically and mentally is so essential. 

5. Self care is lingering in compassion for yourself

Going for long drives, taking your pet for a walk, getting a massage or pampering yourself with a pedicure are signs of self care. This comes so easy to us when we plan for someone else but seldom do it for ourselves. Pampering makes you look good from inside and you can establish many transformative moments when you are mentally, physically and emotionally ready. 

6. Mindfulness holds compassion for yourself

This is a crucial step no matter what your emotions are. This is the only sure short way of connecting with your higher self quickly. 

7. Seeking help is asking respectfully compassion for self

Ask for support when you can gauge that the situation requires help. Just because you think you are a perfectionist and can’t ask for help, you are less compassionate towards yourself. Perfectionism and compassion are anti, remember that. 

8. Understanding boundaries is continuous compassion for yourself

Saying No to that extra serving, one more drink, involving gossip about a coworker, recognizing jealousy is a contrasting emotion that someone has something you want or like and don’t have it at that moment. These set Boundaries allow and restrict people in your life to push their opinions on you and it is easier for you to listen to your own inner voice. Eventually you understand how to deal with this in a more compassionate way. 

Compassion in a Relationship 

“Compassion is 2 becoming 1. Like the clouds coming together to rain or make the sky clearer” – Lakshi

This analogy beautifully captures the essence of compassion in relationships. Just like clouds coming together to create a clearer sky, compassion in human relationships involves two individuals uniting their emotions, aspirations, goals, and plans to support and uplift each other. It’s about sharing responsibilities and creating an environment where both individuals can grow and thrive independently while nurturing their connection. In this way, compassion becomes the foundation for harmonious and mutually beneficial alliances. 

“Compassion is not just feeling with someone, but seeking to change the situation.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Compassion is the heartbeat of our humanity, and it thrives in everyday moments. It’s not a distant star but a guiding light in the relationships we cherish. Being Compassionate is a powerful force that can transform lives. It’s not an extraordinary act but it thrives in the everyday gestures of love and support.

By recognising the overlooked heroes in our lives and nurturing this beautiful virtue, we can make the world a more compassionate place, one small act of kindness at a time, guided by the wisdom of those who understood the power of empathy and compassion. Check out compassion international website to donate for the underprivileged kids. Also Compassion Sunday is a day when people speak up in their churches on behalf of children living in poverty.