Calling For Compassion

Yesterday’s edition of “Becoming Today” had a tone different than any of the other nearly 600 conversations we have shared.

In “Life Happens”, I noted that at times when people are facing the most difficult days and catastrophic events of their life they are not greeted with compassion or treated with dignity and respect. In fact empathy does not even seem to enter the minds of the “gatekeepers” at all. 

Now we’ll undertake a discussion of why compassion is so important.

I shared that I have been disgusted by the behaviors of groups and organizations that promote and base their multi-million dollar fundraising efforts around providings services that they are not doing and their initial responses are ‘go ask someone else’. Many times even refusing to allow those seeking help to even enter the buildings that are designated and funded by donations allegedly offering aid and comfort to those in need.

Unfortunately I am left with the observation that if you believe a group is providing something they more than likely are not.

It is a sad state of affairs. 

Certainly there can be economic restrictions but none of that needs to also involve rudeness and downrIght ignorant behavior towards people who are hurting.

Several decades ago, when I also encountered individuals who were having doors slammed in their faces as they sought help I found myself filled with the Spirit and lecturing a trio of pretentious, non-empathetic psychiatrists on how every person on this planet deserves to be treated at all times with compassion, dignity and respect, I realized how important it was they hear this message.

After my “sermon’ they simply got up and walked out of the room. Without saying a word. They just ran away. I knew I had struck a chord.

In their eyes you could see they knew what I was saying was correct, but none would admit to it nor were they apparently willing to change their behaviors.

To me it’s like the old song, still sung in many spiritual settings. “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with” ME!

So it is true about the issues we’ll delve into this week. Compassion begins with each and every individual.

Our shared definition of becoming compassionate involves a developing of skills, levels and achievement. It also makes compassion an active action. Something we must not only understand and accept, but must also decide to give and receive freely.

I ask you to choose to accept this understanding that I have developed:

“Becoming compassionate is accepting the conscious process of showing kindness and sharing empathy with others, so that we may then decide to assist all those we can.”

In sharing compassion we do show kindness and empathy towards others (and hopefully ourselves) though empathy is used to describe a whole range of emotions. The primary difference is empathy is when you can accept the emotions of another in a given situation, while compassion also includes the desire to take action to aid the individual. 

A widely stated adage expresses, 

“A single act of compassion can change a person’s life forever.”Making it a very Becoming quality. Sharing compassion allows us to feel and assist. It motivates us to transform suffering, pain or injustice into healing, growth and change

Among those changes are empowering ourselves to be compassionate not only towards others but also adopting an overall principle of practicing compassion with ourselves. 

No more being your own worst critic or beating yourself up for past mistakes. Definitely no pity parties. 

To live an empowered, compassionate  life you must open yourself fully to “Becoming”. Be purposeful in living for great expectations, realizations and continued growth. 

Empowerment means that you are stronger, bolder, more secure. Better able to deal with those distractions, circumstances and moments of stress. Deciding to empower yourself allows for you to make superior decisions, including having the conscious  determination to be “Becoming”. By that action you are committing to continue evolving to the next higher level.

Yes you will still encounter delays, obstacles and troubles. However, accepting the responsibility for your own compassionate empowerment, by focusing on who you are and where you want to be, allows for you to live a life that is truly authentic, more rewarding and of significance. 

And if you encounter resistance, hold yourself with Grace. 

Haters will always hate. 

Gossips will run their mouths and the fearful will try to scare you. 

Hold your head high, shoulders back and nurture yourself in your new empowered confidence and in who you are “Becoming Today”.

When you have acknowledged and are accepting the improved vision of who you are, then you can shift towards where you want to be. Open yourself up to new possibilities. Dreams do come true. Trust yourself, do what you love and love who you are while doing it. 

Embrace your times of imperfection with grace and forgiveness and empower yourself to withhold self judgment and with compassion conquer any self limiting aspects. 

You can begin this step of fostering compassion by practicing affirmations.  

While daily affirmations are simple, positive statements which declare your specific goals as already behind achieved, they are very powerful tools. Tools of focus, strength and clarity. 

To prepare for honest, compassionate living, you need to be practicing Self-Care.

Be actively involved in gentle, healing Self-Talk and be fully accepting of who you are and where your momentum is aimed. As you may know by now, I believe that momentum always needs to be both forward and upward!

Let go of all negative thoughts and release your  subconscious to heal itself with new beliefs, foundations and visions which are positive and boldly declared as already taking place right here, right now

Therapists have found that using positive repetitions can reprogram thinking patterns and over time, those who affirm do  begin to think and act differently.

Reports also indicate the practice of daily affirmations have been used as clinical treatment for people suffering from low self-esteem and depression.

You can decide to use affirmations to improve any area of your life where you would  like to see positive change. These can include but are not necessarily limited to :

• Boosting your self confidence. 
• Overcoming negative emotions. 
• Improving your self-esteem.
• Finding a dedicated focus. 

The researchers agree that the power of affirmations comes from repeating them to yourself regularly.hem on a regular, consistent basis. Sometimes not only daily, but often several times each and every day.

Living within a covenant of being compassionate allows us to feel more, help others and embrace our vulnerability. That can transform our suffering, pain or injustice into healing, growth and change.

In addition to compassion, among the inalienable rights endowed upon us by our Creator is dignity. To be able to live a dignified life and to be treated with dignity at all times. That’s where we’ll pick up this conversation on Thursday.

Tomorrow, we contin ue our extended midweek odyssey. Our in depth search and rescue mission for wisdom, so make sure you choose to join us for that on our next edition of “Becoming Today”.