“It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act.”- Dalai Lama
Lately, I have been reflecting on how I can focus on being more compassionate in my life. How can we, collectively, act more compassionately towards one another? What do I need to do in my life to inspire compassion?
It is important to think compassionately and empathically but it is equally, if not more important to act with compassion and empathy. Start practicing this by making a conscious decision to cultivate compassion and empathy in your everyday life. One way to start this is to reach out and check on those you care about. Talk about how you are feeling, how they are feeling, and what you can do to help each other get through rough times.
This month I challenge you to open up and act with compassion to others. Start with simple things to practice:
- Listen actively
- Engage in meaningful conversations
- Create commonalities
- Be kind and considerate
- Be aware
- Say thank you
Act compassionately towards others. Lend a helping hand and a listening ear. Be kind to each other. Small acts of compassion make a difference.
The Compassion Project: Let us be the ones who transform our world by allowing compassion to lead our action. Throughout the year, this column will feature the various ways to have compassion for others, for our specific organization, and for yourself.