20 ways to become more compassionate

Compassion can be described as a response to the suffering of others that inspires and motivates another to offer help or assistance. Compassion can move a person to offer emotional, spiritual or physical help to the struggle or pain of another.

As economies, governments and people’s mindsets change, practising compassion in the world today is critically important for creating a sustainable future for the generations to come.

Here are a number of ways that we can practise compassion on a daily basis:

• Treat all fellow humans with dignity and respect.
• Help other people.
• Immerse yourself in nature.
• Practise meditation.
• Be mindful – focus on breathing.
• Focus on the commonalities with others.
• See the similarity in difference.
• Try to avoid judging people who have a different opinion to yours.
• Allow people to be themselves.
• Smile more.
• If you give money to a homeless person, don’t question them about what they are going to use the money for.
• Spend your money with ethical businesses.
• Be thankful – express appreciation if you get the chance to.
• Be generous and charitable.
• Hug people!
• Be understanding and forgiving.
• Use affirmative language – convince yourself that you are a compassionate person.
• Relieve yourself of any self-sabotaging beliefs.
• Make informed, compassionate choices on what food you purchase and eat.
• Include more people in conversations.

Hopefully this has triggered a thought or two on how you can become more compassionate. Consider how you can make the world a better place through compassionate living.