Compassion is the wholehearted desire to alleviate suffering. It is an active attempt to provide kindness and care to what hurts, with an understanding that not everything can be fixed. Whether you are feeling unsure how to help a loved one who is grieving, or navigating a challenging relationship, compassion allows you to tend to what hurts rather than avoiding it or drowning in sorrow.
More importantly, self-compassion is the ultimate act of self-care. Acknowledge the universality of love and loss, and joy and pain, and you will feel more connected to yourself and others while cultivating an internal resource that will not only help you survive grief, but it will also build resilience for all of life’s challenges.
- Explore the biological benefits and tendency toward compassion.
- Describe the three stages of compassion.
- Cultivate an attitude of compassion to alleviate suffering, anxiety, and stress.