Compassion in the face of challenge or hurt

Compassion is… connection with kindness and understanding

Compassion is often misunderstood.

The concept itself is easy enough to understand… “care for others suffering with a desire to help.”

The application can be challenging.

In the broad strokes, having compassion can look like giving to charity, helping someone in a bind, taking care of another when they’re not feeling well.

But, things get sticky when we turn it around and look for compassion around something we dislike or have a challenge with or history of hurt or abuse.

In this case, think of it more in the capacity that the connection is with yourself. Connecting with yourself with kindness and understanding around the hurt, the dislike or the challenge.

You are surely worthy of kindness and understanding.

It doesn’t have to mean that you connect kindly and with understanding towards the individual or situation that did the hurting.

Maybe in that case, it’s you who deserves to receive kindness and understanding from yourself.