5 Ways to Bring Compassion to Your Working Life
Do you feel disconnected from your highest self at work? Do you wish you handled conflict better? Have you felt burnt out by others’ stress or emotions? Do you wish you could bring more warmth and connection into your daily life?
Practicing more compassion—for yourself and for others—may not only help in these situations, but might also make you more effective at your job.
Practice: Remind People of Their Goodness
In The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace, Jack Kornfield describes an African forgiveness ritual: "In the Babemba tribe of South Africa, when a person acts irresponsibly or unjustly, he is placed in the center of the village, alone and unfettered. All work ceases, and every man, woman, and child in the village gathers in a large circle around the accused individual.
Forgive the Unforgivable?
This article, a revised version of an essay from our free, downloadable Conversations About Forgiveness guide, ponders what, if anything, is unforgivable.
Practice: Another Point of View
Think of an incident in your life for which you would like to be forgiven or for which you would like to forgive another.
Write or record a short description of the situation from your perspective. Now imagine that you are the other person in the situation and write or record a short description from that person's perspective. How are the two stories different? Have you ever thought about the situation from the other person's perspective? Does it make you more willing to consider forgiveness in this situation?
Practice: A Beauty Stroll
A beauty stroll can be taken any day of the year, but its appeal is most obvious in spring. Each green bud emerging after a hard winter is a tiny wave of relief and anticipation, each sign of new life as welcome as the moist, refreshing air.
Practice: Be Open to Wonder
There is something about love that just can't be put into words. Like a gorgeous sunset or the smile of a young child, it takes your breath away. Love is characterized by moments of wonder. We reinforce this feeling when we are mindful of surprises, awe-inspiring sights and situations, and other daily wonders of our lives.
Wise Women Among Us
March 8 is International Women’s Day, a day to honor women’s economic, political, and social contributions and achievements. When I think about the women who have helped shape my life, there are many who come to mind, which prompted me to ask my workmates about the wise women in their lives. Here are a few we have to thank for offering their love, kindness, wisdom, and steadfast sense of self that encourage us to be better people.
Practice: Simple Changes
Author Sam Keen, reminds us that "the great metaphors from all spiritual traditions—grace, liberation, being born again, awakening from illusions—testify that it is possible to transcend the conditioning of the past and do a new thing.”
Compassion Meditation
Listen to a 13-minute guided meditation on compassion by author, translator, researcher, and Buddhist practitioner Alan Wallace.