Compassion For Others (Part 1)

I have been working my way up to this post since 11/5/24. I am seeking to be able to have compassion for anyone and everyone. Most of the time, this is the default mode for me. On occasion, it’s a challenge. And I’ve taken on this challenge with one particular person in mind. I’m not fully there yet, but I’m still trying. Which is why this is part 1. ​
​
Patience.
In this project of mine, I have come to notice that an important factor in building compassion for others is patience. I had hoped to write this article demonstrating how I found compassion for someone by 1/20/25. As the date approached I began to notice the pressure intensifying. Which was tightening up my heart and shutting down compassion. However, it all shifted when I decided to write this post from the perspective of being in the process of moving towards compassion for another. My heart and my nervous system relaxed. So a key lesson that I’ve learned is don’t put yourself on a deadline for reaching compassion. It is not a task you power through, it is an act requiring gentle patience for yourself and the process. So when we’re feeling stuck, it’s a great reminder to practice self-compassion.

Self-Compassion Practices.
If you’ve not witnessed self-compassion or been offered frequent compassion, you may not know how to get started. For step by step instructions to get started, I’d turn to Dr. Kristin Neff. She offers guided meditations, self-compassion exercises, and tips on her website. I am no expert by far, so I defer to her expertise which offers research findings, tracking methods, and tools to grow self-compassion. For my compassion for others project, I’ve been using her ‘what would you tell a friend’ exercise to help me awaken a kinder perspective.

Resource: https://self-compassion.org/