Week 4 Compassion

 “Extending yourself in compassion to another human being changes the nature of your relationship—the acknowledgment of one human being to another is what bonds, strengthens, and expands the human connection.”

— Oprah

Over this past month the goal was to establish self-compassion and to recognize that it is a system process. System process means that we don’t just show self-compassion for a week or for the month it’s the focus. It becomes a part of our daily action and how we respond to ourselves. So, when life seems to be going our way, we respond by thinking why is this happening for me and reflecting on what are some system practices I can continue? The same action occurs when life throws us a tsunami, pause and reflect on your own actions. What can you do differently or think differently about what is happening? What practices do you need now? When we practice self-compassion, we are always kind to ourselves, seeking solutions instead of becoming self-critical.

Once we find ourselves being kinder and adapting a more solution focused mindset of self-compassion, we will notice ourselves being kinder to others. Then we may begin to turn that attitude of kindness into action. It can be compared to building blocks, kinder to self is the base. Then comes the next block of extending yourself as Oprah writes about in her quote. Then we begin to feel that human connection to others, the third building block.