Compassion can make you happy as well as enhance the lives of others. Yet many people forget about being compassionate or they do not have a clue as to how to develop compassion. Society has been quickly developing into the “me” generation and many people have been forgetting to be considerate of others and exercising compassion and understanding for situations of others.
As a result, some people have lost sight of their compassion or they never had the chance to develop it in the first place.Compassion will bring you and others lasting happiness if you know how to go about it correctly. First, you must understand that if you are trying to develop compassion or rediscover it this will only happen as a result of practicing it on a regular basis with the proper techniques. It is not something that can be developed overnight but if you are willing and determined, you can change your life by developing compassion for yourself and others.
1Make a Commitment to Yourself
Make a commitment to yourself to start each day by promising yourself not to think critically of anyone, to practice acts of kindness, and develop yourself into a better human being. Promise yourself that you will reverse your thoughts each time you start to get angry or think negatively toward another and then make a conscious decision to change your behavior. Decide how you are going to accomplish this and then start moving forward in small steps.
2Put Yourself in the Shoes of Another
You have heard the age-old adage, “Never criticize another until you have walked a mile in their shoes.” You can develop compassion by making a habit of placing yourself in the shoes of another before you jump to conclusions. If you find yourself getting impatient with someone or upset at someone for hurting you, stop for a minute and really place yourself in their situation. Perhaps they are having a hard day, perhaps they say mean things because they do not feel good about themselves, or perhaps they just went through or are going through a painful situation. You just never know until you try to put yourself in their situation and really identify with what they may be feeling.
3Everyone is Trying to Be Happy
Everyone is trying to be happy however some have different ways of showing it. If it seems like someone is intentionally trying to hurt you it may help you to remember that they are usually doing it because they are hurting inside. In a way it is making them feel better to make negative comments. If someone treats you badly try to think about why they are exhibiting this behavior. Did something happen to them in their past? Is something happening to them now? Is it something you said? When you look at it this way it will help you to develop compassion for the other person and the hurt they may be feeling inside.
4Measure Relationships by Things You Have in Common
Instead of finding differences between you and the other person try to determine some of the things you may have in common and then focus on this instead. Most all people are seeking happiness in some way and trying to avoid suffering and if you view others as having similar needs to your own this can help you to develop compassion and relate to others on a higher level.
5Practice Acts of Kindness
Try to place yourself in the shoes of another that is suffering and then ask yourself what you would like others to do when you are going through a hard time. Turn the tables on the person who is feeling pain and make a point of doing something nice to help them to feel better. Start out with one or two acts of kindness every day, stay consistent, and then allow it to turn into part of your whole being for an entire lifetime.
6Have Compassion for Yourself
Many people grow up with negative feelings that originate from childhood and are ingrained at an early age. Remember that you have the power to reverse negative messages from your childhood by having compassion for yourself. If you understand where these feelings come from then it gives you the power to change it. If you have compassion for yourself you will have the capacity to better understand the suffering of others.
7Reflect on Yourself Each Day
When you make a commitment to yourself to practice compassion toward yourself and others take a moment at the end of each day to reflect on how well you did in advancing toward your goals of becoming a better human being. Take note of each interaction with another and then decide how well you did, what you think you can improve on, and if you were genuinely compassionate toward others. There are many ways that you can practice compassion during the day so try to come up with different ways as you begin each day and then find a way to fit each one into your day, then spend time at the end of the day assessing your steps toward developing compassion toward others. Do this often and you will eventually transform your life as well as the lives of others.
