Self-Discovery: Compassion and Empathy

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Self-Discovery: Compassion and Empathy

I usually stray away from holiday themed, or related, content because I feel it is saturated within almost every genre, or topic, in blogs and Youtube videos. So, it seemed like there was nothing new I could really contribute. But, since February is approaching us, I thought it would be a fun and inspiring idea to post on “love” related topics such as compassion, kindness, and empathy among others.

If you read my previous post, then you know I have gone through some challenging times and had to overcome some tough obstacles life has thrown in my direction. (If you have not read the previous post and want to catch up, click here.) So, I want to take this opportunity to explain why it is important to be compassionate and empathetic towards others and yourself:

Intro

In life, there is an abundance of groups that house a collection of people. These groups can be divided based on cultures, likes, sports, niches, jobs, social status, and so on. But, the one key factor that plays a huge role in which group we all choose to participate is acceptance. We all want to be accepted, but sometimes people reject others and are not compassionate or empathetic.

I know life can become stressful at times, but it is important to continually strive for the positive, or the bright side. Everyone, especially in stressful times, wants to see a rainbow. So, show some kindness, compassion, and empathy in their life. Who knows? You might make someone’s day. If so, you will leave a lasting impression.

The Importance of Showing Compassion

According to the Merriam Webster’s dictionary, compassion is a “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” Basically, you are aware of others’ stress with the intention of diminishing whatever stress the person is feeling. I will share a personal example:

During the last semester, I had three classes and a part time job which became a full time job for a couple of weeks because I was offered more hours and couldn’t turn them down. In one of my science courses, I had to complete two essays and a couple of projects along with other assignments. And, one or two assignments provoked a couple of questions for my professor.

So, I quickly emailed him in hopes of gaining a quick response. I had forgotten to include my course number and one or two other details, but I was unaware of this until I read his response. His initial response was demeaning because I did not give him the information he needed to look it up, and he was stressed out himself as he had many students and taught several courses. I quickly responded that I apologized and somewhat aggressively inserted I had a job and was taking three courses then gave him the information he needed below this.

His response to my somewhat aggressive reply was quite surprising. He basically said he apologized for responding the way he did and said we were in this together.

He could have increased my stress (and his stress) by responding negatively, but he apologized and gave me a reassuring and comforting response.

This person showed compassion by simply showing I could rely on him to understand my stress and to help me through the semester. In contrast, I had a professor when I first started my college journey in an English course who made this experience difficult.

I had to complete a rough draft paragraph as well as a final paragraph. After she graded both, I noticed she graded the first paragraph twice for some reason on one of the sets. I presented this to her, and she completely denied it! This resulted in built up resentment in her through the rest of the semester which resulted in bias toward my grade.

So, as you can see, the person with the most compassion provided a wonderful experience when it could have been negative and a complete disaster as it was with my English professor. Compassion made the difference in my grade, my outlook on the course, and it made my day.

Compassion Exercise

I have two challenges for you. The first task I challenge you to do is to think of a situation where someone might have shown you compassion. And, think about how you felt after someone showed you compassion. In fact, write down as many situations as you can where someone has shown you compassion and kindness.

The second task I challenge you to do is to think of a situation where you helped someone yourself and showed compassion. It doesn’t have to involve money. It could be a kind gesture, a piece of information you shared to help them out, a thoughtful statement, or something else. And, I would recommend to focus on where you can show your compassion. Look for an opportunity to show someone your compassion because I’m sure they will be forever grateful.

The Importance of Showing Empathy

According to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, the definition of empathy is “the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present…” Basically, you have the ability to understand and feel what others are feeling. Again, I will share a personal example. In the last example, I showed how one person showed compassion; but, in this example, I will share the reciprocal with empathy:

While I was attending school in my teen years, I continually felt like an outcast. I had moved, so I was the “new kid” at a new school. Everyone there knew each other fairly well and had built relationships, and I was the new face seated in class.

I attempted to connect with some people and make friends, and some girls seemed receptive to me. However, a couple of weeks later their attitudes had changed, and the girls were suddenly not interested in conversing with me anymore. I became more enclosed and crawled back into my “shell.”

Another new face appeared a few months into my time attending this new school. In the Physical Education class, I noticed she was walking by herself. I felt bad she did not have anyone to speak with as I had pretty much experienced the same. So, I decided to approach her and started talking. Soon after, we became best friends!

So, this struggle I perceived as negative actually helped me make a friend, and I probably brightened up her day. By showing empathy, you might make a friend, lift someone’s spirit, help someone in need, and just feel good about yourself! It’s essentially the same idea as being healthy by eating healthy foods and exercising. If you eat the chocolate cake or splurge on takeout or pasta more times than you originally planned, then you feel guilty. But, if you choose to eat the apple or the organic soup, you will feel so much better about your choice, your body, and your spirit!

Empathy Exercise

I have two challenges for you. The first task I challenge you to do is to think of a situation where someone might have shown empathy. And, think about how you felt when someone was showing you empathy. In fact, write down as many situations as you can where someone has demonstrated empathy.

The second task I challenge you to do is to think of a situation where you helped someone yourself and showed empathy. Again, it doesn’t have to involve money. It could be a kind statement, a helping hand, a thoughtful gesture, or something else. And, I would recommend to focus on where you can show others you can be empathetic towards them. No one wants to be around a selfish person! So, look for an opportunity to show someone empathy because I’m sure they will be appreciative.

Conclusion

I hope this helped you think more about the good people have done in your life, and the good you have shown others. I think we sometimes focus our thoughts on all of the negative events that happen. Don’t let drama rule your life. Let your compassion, kindness, and empathy shine to show how beautiful you are on the inside. True beauty comes from the heart and soul. So, when was the last time you showed someone compassion or empathy?

I hope you found this post to be helpful and uplifting! Leave a comment below and share your compassion or empathy story. I would love to read them!

 

Let Your Soul Shine,

Daphne Heathers