8 Ways a HERO Shows Compassion in Everyday Life
Compassion is a non-judgmental emotion that we practice to ease pain and show genuine love to one another.
Here are 8 ways you can positively impact someone’s day using skills like empathy, patience and understanding.
1. Be considerate
Be equally considerate to friends, family and strangers. Listen fully without judgment and give each person your full attention (no texting, no phone calls, no seeming to be bored!)– use direct eye contact and keep your ears open to their needs.
2. Be affectionate
Sometimes all people really need is a loving touch, a sincere hug, or a warm smile. Simple gestures of affection, even a pat on the hand, help ease strain and show your genuine compassion.
3. Communicate in a warm way
Let your genuine interest in helping the other person show through heartfelt communication. You can make a world of difference by simply listening and talking in a warm, patient manner. Use encouraging vocabulary, be optimistic and concentrate on showing complete understanding.
4. Show Empathy
Empathy is showing that you understand another’s feelings or emotions; you identify with the situation and care enough to place yourself in another’s shoes. “I understand” is a great way to communicate this.
5. Be selfless
To help someone else you must take your own needs out of the equation. Put your focus and energy on the other person, be selfless, and limit any distractions or personal goals if you are committed to the needs of another.
6. Practice acts of kindness
Go out of your way to be kind. You can treat someone to small things like a new book, frozen yogurt, or just a laugh to brighten even the toughest of days. You can also volunteer your time, offering to babysit, run errands, etc. for anyone with a lot of weight on their shoulders.
7. Send a meaningful message
Send compassionate feelings via a simple text message to someone you care about. Just tell them you were thinking of them, and you love them. A simple way to show they matter to you.
8. Show unconditional love
This is a total approach towards showing compassion in every area of life. Don’t just hear, but listen without judgment, be extremely present in the conversation, give sound advice, offer your hugs and love freely. Be understanding and above all, love unconditionally.
While compassionate action is second nature to some, anyone can learn to use these skills to make family, friends and strangers feel a little happier and feel a little more loved each day.