essay topics on compassion

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Essays on Compassion

Brief description of compassion.

Compassion is the ability to understand the suffering of others and to take action to help. It involves empathy, kindness, and a willingness to alleviate the pain and struggles of others. Compassion is a fundamental aspect of human connection and is essential for creating a more caring and inclusive society.

Importance of Writing Essays on This Topic

Essays on compassion are significant for both academic and personal exploration. They allow students to delve into the complexities of human emotions and relationships, fostering empathy and understanding. Additionally, writing about compassion can inspire personal growth and encourage readers to become more compassionate individuals.

Tips on Choosing a Good Topic

• Consider real-life experiences where compassion played a significant role.
• Explore different perspectives on compassion, such as cultural or historical contexts.
• Choose a topic that challenges common misconceptions about compassion.

Essay Topics

• The role of compassion in healthcare settings
• How does compassion contribute to effective leadership?
• Discuss the impact of compassion fatigue on healthcare professionals
• Exploring the relationship between compassion and forgiveness
• The portrayal of compassion in literature and film
• Analyze the role of compassion in social justice movements
• The importance of self-compassion for mental well-being
• Compare and contrast cultural perspectives on compassion
• The ethical implications of showing compassion towards animals
• How does compassion contribute to conflict resolution?

Concluding Thought

Writing essays about compassion offers an opportunity to deepen one's understanding of human emotions and relationships. Through critical engagement with this topic, individuals can cultivate empathy and contribute to creating a more compassionate society. Embracing compassion in writing can lead to personal growth and inspire positive change in the world.

Characteristics of Mother Teresa

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Understanding Compassion: a Defining Perspective

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The Role of Compassion and Teamwork in a Medical Setting

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The Role of Compassion in My Life

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Compassion - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

Compassion is the feeling of empathy or sympathy towards others, often coupled with a desire to help alleviate their suffering. Essays could discuss the psychological and social benefits of compassion, its role in moral and social development, or strategies for cultivating compassion in individuals and communities. We’ve gathered an extensive assortment of free essay samples on the topic of Compassion you can find at Papersowl. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

The Caring and Compassion

My personality and characteristics as a nurse can affect and influence my interaction between patient, family, and other healthcare members. Caring and compassion is an organic self-concept I, as a nurse, must exemplify to all my patients. It is an essential characteristic to have because I am the first point of contact in a healthcare environment. Enthusiastic and assertiveness are other personalities that I continue to cultivate for it can affect my patient’s overall outlook with their recovery. Last, being […]

The Compassion for Kids

Have you ever seen someone who was doing so well and was so proud of something that they have achieved and then you get that sad feeling inside. That feeling is called compassion. In the story Marigolds, they live in a very poor, run down town. The kids are always bored so sometimes they go mess with old Ms. Lottie. In this old dirty town Ms. Lottie plants marigolds which brings her happiness. One day they decide to go destroy […]

Marigolds by Eugenia Collier

In the short story “Marigolds” by Eugenia W. Collier is about a 14-year-old girl named Lizbeth that is living in the time of The Great Depression. Early in the story, she is being a child, naive to the world around her but later in the story, she begins to realize that she is living in poverty once she hears her father crying. This leads her to destroy the Mrs lotties symbolic marigolds as an act of anger and sadness which […]

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The is Compassion Definition

When Walter Williams, the founder of University of Missouri’s school of journalism wrote the famed Journalist’s Creed (1908), he mentioned that: “I believe that the journalism which succeeds best … is … constructive”, he had the idea of constructive journalism in mind. A story on CNN’s website on October 2018 read: “Tropical Storm Rosa is about to make landfall and drench the arid Southwest.” The story went ahead to highlight how the storm could “soak” the dry Southwest. A few […]

What is Self Compassion

In the essay “on compassion” (2017), Ascher narrates about On one side is a black man in very shabby clothes and long uncombed hair walking down the street of Manhattan, he stops next to a mother and baby?The mother became nervous and clutched the pram, and the pedestrians who were waiting for the lights to change turned their eyes away from the homeless black man. Finally the homeless man got the five dollars from the mother. On the other side […]

Statement on the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Robert F. Kennedy shows his sympathy and shares his advice in this speech. He shows how instead of us all show hatred towards one another, we should all come together and do great things for this country. He talks about how Blacks should not hate whites for the death of Martin Luther King Jr., although they could, but they should come together and continue what Martin had started but didn't get the chance to finish. Use this time of mourning […]

Compassion Can Save Life

When it comes to being a nurse, professionalism can be defined in many different ways. Being a professional nurse takes one to be confident, compassionate and accountable, these are just a few examples. Webster Dictionary defines professionalism as; the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person. I feel it is also the ability to evaluate your own work and proactively take corrective action to improve your own performance. The first step into becoming […]

The Love and Compassion

My operational theology derives from my mental imaging of God, those dynamic pictures that are present in my reality, such as the tender look of Jesus when he was curing, healing or talking with love and compassion; all of those being part of the set of beliefs and values which in combination with the theological virtues are constantly forming my life experience toward holiness and getting me closer to be more like Jesus, more close to God, Who is the […]

Theme of Just Mercy

Justice is not about taking revenge; it is about equity. The purpose of this reflection is to present the thoughts and analysis of the Just Mercy book by Bryan Stevenson (2014). Stevenson is the main character of the book; it is about his journey from graduating Harvard Law School to being a civil rights fighter through his profession as a lawyer. It was after I read this book that I learned the real brutality of imprisonment in the United States. […]

Why is Compassion Important

Albert Schweitzer once said that “The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” Compassion is feeling sympathy, being kind, and caring for others. In William Shakespeare’s play King Lear, an important theme is that it’s important to show kindness to others, even in difficult times. Shakespeare demonstrates this theme through King Lear’s conversations with his daughters, especially the youngest, Cordelia, and his conversations with his friends. King Lear follows the […]

Compassion Fatigue Impact Nursing Job Satisfaction

Compassion Fatigue Among Nurses Multiple studies have been conducted on compassion fatigue among nurses and the ultimate effect it has on the patients under the nurse’s care. Nurses experiencing the issue of compassion fatigue exhibit physical and/or psychosocial problems that can be detrimental to the nurse and the patients under the care of the nurse. Compassion fatigue is, “the term used to describe the combination of burnout and secondary traumatic stress” (Kelly, Runge, & Spencer, 2015). Journal of Nursing Scholarship […]

My Personal Attitude to Religion

Growing up in a family who saw religion as not only priority, but a way of life is something I will always cherish. Ever since I can remember, my family and I had the same routine Sunday, after Sunday, after Sunday. Even though my parents were constantly busy with their jobs, I was always running around to attend my different sporting events while my brother and sister were vigorously training to improve their sound on the instruments they played in […]

The Tragic Legacy of Tyler Clementi: a Call for Change and Compassion

Tyler Clementi's story is one that resonates with heartbreaking clarity. A talented 18-year-old violinist at Rutgers University, his life was cut tragically short in 2010 in an incident that became a national talking point about bullying, cyber privacy, and LGBTQ+ rights. Clementi's story is not just a case study; it's a stark reminder of the consequences of intolerance and the urgent need for empathy and understanding in our digital age. Tyler's ordeal began when his roommate, Dharun Ravi, used a […]

Basic Values, Kindness, Compassion, Love and Respect

"I remember a grandmother clutching her grandson in his swaddling clothes, not knowing where the baby's next meal would come from," said Garret Hondronastas, Communications Manager at Infant Crisis Services. He was reminiscing about the time when he helped another family in their time of need (Garret Interview). In Oklahoma, one in four children live in poverty which means they lack access to clean diapers and daily food, putting them at risk for developmental delay (English). The demand grows stronger […]

How to Start a Compassion

Similarly, According to the article, the author has stated that Turgenev saw human beings as creatures bestowed with awareness, realization, feelings, and capable of finding the difference right and wrong. They have their own moral values and norms. While, Marx saw them always as “snowflakes in an avalanche, as instances of general forces, as not yet fully human because utterly conditioned by their circumstances” (Dalrymple,page 2 How and How Not to Love Mankind 2.pdf).Turgenev and Marx both of the great […]

The Care and Compassion

Counselors are recognized in communities as the healers to people who come to them in distress from problems in their current lives, previous severe trauma, or behaviors they’re not proud of, all in hopes that their counselor will do the healing process. When the workload of typical cases of huge distress or trauma start to accumulate during their careers, counselors may start facing burnout, or exhaustion from excessive amount of work handed to them. It should be noted that burnout […]

My Imaginary City

My "imaginary" city. The utility I would suggest it as an ideal imaginary city as close as conceivable to Eco City, despite the fact that there are a few contrasts. For instance, because of force interest, I suggest that the city have a photovoltaic force station, however in such frantic occasions, energy will come from close by towns and other force plants in the state It is bought from. To give spotless and solid water to residents and sightseers, we […]

Risk of Developing Compassion Fatigue in Refugee Service Workers

The Social Work Grand Challenge that this problem is addressing is Close the Health Gap. Refugee Service Workers of the Consulate of El Salvador are at the frontline witnessing survivors recount heart-wrenching stories of trauma (Lusck and Terrazazs, 2015). These Refugee Service Workers are at risk of developing compassion fatigue (Hu, 2018). Charles Figley coined the term Compassion Fatigue which is defined as “the suffering of clients and the natural consequence resulting from knowing about a traumatizing event experienced or […]

Traumatic Compassion Fatigue

Masters' counseling programs promote continual self-improvement to become a more competent practitioner. However, that growth sometimes originates from difficult experiences, rather than learning new techniques. When a counselor engages daily with clients dealing with traumatic events, they can rapidly become influenced by the conversation to the point it starts to affect them personally. Figley (1995) coined the term 'compassion fatigue' to describe the process of being influenced by a traumatic event from being secondarily exposed to the mere knowledge of […]

Compassion Fatigue

Working in an emergency department can be extremely stressful for nurses. Seeing a high volume of patients with potentially high acuity shift after shift exposes nurses to stress and puts them at risk for compassion fatigue. Having worked as a registered nurse in a Level II trauma center, I have witnessed first-hand the amount of stress that takes a toll on nurses. “Nurses who provide care to traumatized individuals can have intense and painful emotional responses” (Schmidt & Haglund, 2017). […]

Compassion in School Curriculum

 Research has revealed that early childhood is an important developmental time where changes are happening that shapes a child’s future. As soon as a child enters school, they are building foundational skills in literacy, math and other abilities but sometimes, the social emotional skills are neglected. Schools often do not teach children how to be kind and mindful of others when that is what holds the key to their future and makes lasting consequences. (Flook, L., Goldberg, 2015) The purpose […]

All Summer in a Day Theme

In “All Summer in a Day,” a gathering of schoolchildren live in a world of Venus with their families. The children are nine years of age, anxiously anticipating a groundbreaking event. Following five years of constant downpours, the researchers on Venus have anticipated that the sun will come out today, signaling an extremely rare event. The kids remember seeing the sun when they were two; however, they do not recall what the giant body looks or feels like. To plan […]

The Analysis of Man in the Mirror

Man in the Mirror is about a lone man by changing himself can he change the world. The main focal point of the melody is a man's battle to work on himself ethically in the wake of witnessing his inability to affect the existences of those out of luck. Michael Jackson thinks about how his general surroundings is suffering while he carries on with an existence of solace, and the blame triggers his choice to change himself so he can […]

Am i Blue by Alice Walker Summary Analysis

Walker opens her well known paper with an epigraph from the melody that additionally gives its title. "Ain't these tears in these eyes tellin' you?" asked Harry Akst and Grant Clarke, who protected the tune in 1929, just as each craftsman who performed "Am I Blue?" consistently, including African American jazz legends Ethel Waters and Billie Holiday. It is a melody about discovering one's sweetheart gone one day "without a notice," a tune about depression and distress, about adoration, misfortune […]

Gender Roles in Mrs. Doubtfire

As far back as Americans can remember gender roles have had their place in society. The most argued place of gender roles is within the household. The conservative side viewed men as the main or only “breadwinners” in household, while women were the considered “caretakers” or “homemakers”. Whereas the liberal side viewed the mother and fathers as equal sharing the responsibility of work and home. Mrs. Doubtfire challenges these stereotypes by portraying a man showing care and affection to his […]

What i Learned in my Ethics Class: Transformative Lessons

My Initial Perception of Ethics When I first came to dental school, I hadn’t thought much of ethics. Of course, I remember it being asked during two of my interviews and me having to define what I think it means to be ethical. My response was always very textbook-like: “Being ethical requires one to behave morally, respect others, and treat everyone as if they were your equal.” Although I still believe this definition fits, I don’t think I really knew […]

The Pathophysiology of Burnout

Introduction  Many people get into the nursing profession with the impression that they are going to make a difference in the world by getting people better. Unfortunately, it is not always that black and white, nurses do not always have the privilege of experiencing events to their moral, emotional, or spiritual ideations of patient outcome and treatment. Those that work in locations with regular exposure to trauma, death, and dying face greater emotional distress than those that do not. Facing […]

Gandhi: One of the Strongest Politicians Known

Who is the man that saved India from British rule¹3, influenced MLK², and who still today causes a difference in people? Gandhi is that man, and he was a hero. To be a hero, you need to be wise, courageous, and compassionate. Gandhi is a great hero, and always will be. Gandhi’s amazingly strong universal love brought a lot of the world together². Gandhi fasted for 21 days simply to get people to stop fighting over the cost in a […]

Consider the Lobster Analysis

David Foster Wallace's 2004 article "Think about the Lobster," initially distributed in Gourmet magazine, explores a point, not for the most part covered by such distributions—the vibes of one of the creatures who turn into our food. Wallace, an American writer, author, and English educator, names himself as perusers' "allowed reporter" of the 56th Annual Maine Lobster Festival (236). Bragging 25,000 pounds new got lobster, cooking rivalries, thrill rides, unrecorded music, and a wonderful show, the MLF draws 100,000 guests […]

The Heartbeat of Humanity: Deciphering the Essence of Empathy

Empathy, akin to a subtle melody woven into the fabric of human existence, reveals itself as a beacon illuminating the pathways of connection and understanding. Its essence, akin to a delicate dance of emotions, transcends the confines of language, culture, and circumstance. To unravel the intricacies of empathy is to embark on a journey of profound discovery, one that unveils the depths of human consciousness and the power of compassionate resonance. At its core, empathy emerges as a radiant force, […]

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Essay Samples on Compassion

What is the difference between sympathy and empathy.

From time to time, we all experience various hardships throughout our lives. Whether these are minor incidents, or prolonged and profound difficulties that take a little longer to overcome, it’s important that we all support one another in the appropriate way. Understanding that everyone is...

Expression of Sympathy in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley’s gothic novel Frankenstein (1818) is set in Switzerland, Germany, France, England, and Scotland. It tells the story of a wicked creation of a monster. The two main characters, Victor and the creature, both endure many struggles which cause them to do irrational things....

• Frankenstein

"Marigolds" by Eugenia Collier: The Impact of Compassion on People

As a famous actress and activist, Susan Sarandon, once said, “ When you start to develop your powers of empathy and imagination, the whole world opens up to you”. This meaning that through experience, humans can gain empathy to learn many important and beneficial lessons...

How the Compassion Can Improve the Relationships with Others

A lack of compassion can either make the world a little bit better, or it could make the world worse than it already is. There are times it is easy to be compassionate to others, but there are times it is difficult to show compassion...

• Individual Identity

The Importance of Self-Comprassion to Mental Health

With the mental health crisis that is currently sweeping the nation and rising to epic proportions, people need to begin making different choices. As defined by Kristin Neff, self-compassion is choosing Self-Kindness rather than Self-Judgement, Common Humanity over Isolation and Mindfulness rather than Over-Identification. Choosing...

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How Self-Compassion Influences the Ability to be Comprassionate to Others

Self-compassion is the ability to be compassionate and understanding to oneself. Similarly, self-compassion may influence an individual’s compassion towards others as well. Compassion is an important characteristic of the mental health profession. Bowen & Moore (2014) stated that counselor functioning may be impaired due to...

Compassion and Mindfulness in Social Representation Theory

About in 1998-1999, there was a company, named Central Model Agency in Bratislava; they were approaching young “good-looking” people to become models. It was by pure choice of agent to choose someone who would look good on screen. If an approached individual has been accompanied...

• Mindfulness

Balance of Compassion and Effective Healthcare Leadership

This assignment will evaluate the current literature to identify the impact of compassion and compassion fatigue on efficiency. Consideration will be given to the direction and impact of the dark side of leadership, as Schantz (2007) highlighted that for nurses (leaders) to powerfully impact the...

Recovery from Eating Disorder Fueled by Compassion

Compassion is the ability to show empathy, love, and concern for other people with a desire to help reduce their suffering. It is often confused with empathy, and although the two share similar qualities, empathy refers to our ability to feel the emotions another person...

• Eating Disorders

The Significance of Compassion in Nursing: Connecting with Patients

The nursing profession is unique in that it requires practitioners to connect with patients on a deep and meaningful level. Compassion is a vital aspect of nursing practice, requiring nurses to demonstrate empathy and kindness to patients. In this essay, we will explore the meaning...

How To Go Through Life Without Fighting

With all the joyful information there is always a lot of compassion. The festive moments have their share of instant despair. That's life. The encouraging exchange of a pregnancy and the hope of a new life that must be born have an effect that causes...

• Ethics in Everyday Life
• Personal Philosophy

Best topics on Compassion

1. What is the Difference Between Sympathy and Empathy

2. Expression of Sympathy in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

3. “Marigolds” by Eugenia Collier: The Impact of Compassion on People

4. How the Compassion Can Improve the Relationships with Others

5. The Importance of Self-Comprassion to Mental Health

6. How Self-Compassion Influences the Ability to be Comprassionate to Others

7. Compassion and Mindfulness in Social Representation Theory

8. Balance of Compassion and Effective Healthcare Leadership

9. Recovery from Eating Disorder Fueled by Compassion

10. The Significance of Compassion in Nursing: Connecting with Patients

11. How To Go Through Life Without Fighting

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Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

Compassion Defined

What is compassion.

Compassion literally means “to suffer together.” Among emotion researchers, it is defined as the feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.

Compassion is not the same as empathy or altruism , though the concepts are related. While empathy refers more generally to our ability to take the perspective of and feel the emotions of another person, compassion is when those feelings and thoughts include the desire to help. Altruism, in turn, is the kind, selfless behavior often prompted by feelings of compassion, though one can feel compassion without acting on it, and altruism isn’t always motivated by compassion.

While cynics may dismiss compassion as touchy-feely or irrational, scientists have started to map the biological basis of compassion, suggesting its deep evolutionary purpose . This research has shown that when we feel compassion, our heart rate slows down, we secrete the “bonding hormone” oxytocin, and regions of the brain linked to empathy , caregiving , and feelings of pleasure light up, which often results in our wanting to approach and care for other people.

For more: Learn about self-compassion and compassion fatigue . Read Dacher Keltner’s essay on “The Compassionate Instinct” and Paul Ekman’s “Taxonomy of Compassion ,” which reviews different types of compassion.

What are the Limitations?

Does Wealth Reduce Compassion?

Dacher Keltner discusses his lab's research into the effect that wealth has on people's…

Are Women More Compassionate than Men?

The Dalai Lama recently argued that women have more biological potential for compassion…

Can Patriotism Be Compassionate?

New psychological research points to how we can feel authentic pride in our country—and…

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How Often Do Couples Express Compassion to Each Other?

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Why Practice It?

Scientific research into the measurable benefits of compassion is young. Preliminary findings suggest, however, that being compassionate can improve health, well-being, and relationships. Many scientists believe that compassion may even be vital to the survival of our species , and they’re finding that its advantages can be increased through targeted exercises and practice. Here are some of the most exciting findings from this research so far.

• Compassion makes us feel good: Compassionate action (e.g., giving to charity) activates pleasure circuits in the brain, and compassion training programs, even very brief ones, strengthen brain circuits for pleasure and reward and lead to lasting increases in self-reported happiness .
• Being compassionate—tuning in to other people in a kind and loving manner—can reduce risk of heart disease by boosting the positive effects of the Vagus Nerve , which helps to slow our heart rate .
• One compassion training program has found that it makes people more resilient to stress; it lowers stress hormones in the blood and saliva and strengthens the immune response. Compassion training may also help us worry less and be more open to our negative emotions. 
• Compassion could improve our mental health : One research review found that practicing compassion meditation improved participants’ emotional life, positive thinking, relationships, and empathy.
• Brain scans during loving-kindness meditation, which directs compassion toward suffering, suggest that, on average, compassionate people’s minds wander less about what has gone wrong in their lives, or might go wrong in the future; as a result, they’re happier.
• Practicing compassion could make us more altruistic . In turn, it may also help us overcome empathic distress and become more resilient in the face of others’ suffering.
• Compassion helps make caring parents: Brain scans show that when people experience compassion, their brains activate in neural systems known to support parental nurturance and other caregiving behaviors.
• Compassion helps make better spouses: Compassionate people are more optimistic and supportive when communicating with others.
• Compassion helps make better friends: Studies of college friendships show that when one friend sets the goal to support the other compassionately, both friends experience greater satisfaction and growth in the relationship.
• Compassion helps make better doctors: Medical students who train in compassion feel less depressed and lonely, and avoid the typical declines in compassion that happen during medical school.
• Feeling compassion for one person makes us less vindictive toward others .
• Restraining feelings of compassion chips away at our commitment to moral principles.
• Employees who receive more compassion in their workplace see themselves, their co-workers, and their organization in a more positive light, report feeling more positive emotions like joy and contentment, and are more committed to their jobs. A compassionate workplace culture is linked to less burnout, greater teamwork, and higher job satisfaction.
• More compassionate societies —those that take care of their most vulnerable members, assist other nations in need, and have children who perform more acts of kindness—are the happier ones .
• Compassionate people are more socially adept, making them less vulnerable to loneliness; loneliness has been shown to cause stress and harm the immune system .

How Do I Cultivate It?

We often talk about some people as being more compassionate than others, but research suggests compassion isn’t something you’re born with or not. Instead, it can be strengthened through targeted exercises and practice. Here are some specific, science-based activities for cultivating compassion from our new site Greater Good in Action :

• Feeling supported: Think about the people you turn to when you’re distressed and recall times when you’ve felt comforted by them, which research says can help us to feel more compassionate toward others.
• Compassion meditation: Cultivate compassion toward a loved one, yourself, a neutral person, and even an enemy.
• Put a human face on suffering: When reading the news, look for profiles of specific individuals and try to imagine what their lives have been like.
• Eliciting altruism: Create reminders of connectedness.

Compassion training programs , such as those out of Emory University and Stanford University , are revealing how we can boost feelings of compassion in ourselves and others. Here are some of the best tips to emerge out of those programs, as well as other research.

• Look for commonalities: Seeing yourself as similar to others increases feelings of compassion. A recent study shows that something as simple as tapping your fingers to the same rhythm with a stranger increases compassionate behavior.
• Calm your inner worrier: When we let our mind run wild with fear in response to someone else’s pain (e.g., What if that happens to me?), we inhibit the biological systems that enable compassion. The practice of mindfulness can help us feel safer in these situations, facilitating compassion .
• Encourage cooperation, not competition, even through subtle cues: A seminal study showed that describing a game as a “Community Game” led players to cooperate and share a reward evenly; describing the same game as a “Wall Street Game” made the players more cutthroat and less honest. This is a valuable lesson for teachers, who can promote cooperative learning in the classroom.
• See people as individuals (not abstractions) : When presented with an appeal from an anti-hunger charity, people were more likely to give money after reading about a starving girl than after reading statistics on starvation—even when those statistics were combined with the girl’s story.
• Don’t play the blame game: When we blame others for their misfortune, we feel less tenderness and concern toward them.
• Respect your inner hero: When we think we’re capable of making a difference , we’re less likely to curb our compassion.
• Notice and savor how good it feels to be compassionate. Studies have shown that practicing compassion and engaging in compassionate action bolsters brain activity in areas that signal reward .
• To cultivate compassion in kids, start by modeling kindness: Research suggests compassion is contagious , so if you want to help compassion spread in the next generation of young men and women, lead by example.
• Curb inequality: Research suggests that as people feel a greater sense of status over others , they feel less compassion.
• Don’t be a sponge : When we completely take on other people’s suffering as our own, we risk feeling personally distressed, threatened, and overwhelmed; in some cases, this can even lead to burnout . Instead, try to be receptive to other people’s feelings without adopting those feelings as your own.

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What Is Compassion?

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

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Signs of Compassion

Types of compassion, how to practice compassion, impact of compassion, how to be more compassionate, potential pitfalls of compassion.

Compassion involves feeling another person's pain and wanting to take steps to help relieve their suffering. The word compassion itself derives from Latin and means "to suffer together."

It is related to other emotions such as sympathy, empathy , and altruism , although the concepts have some key differences. Empathy refers more to the general ability to take another person's perspective and feel the emotions of others. Compassion, on the other hand, is what happens when those feelings of empathy are accompanied by the desire to help.

This article discusses the definition of compassion and how to recognize this emotion. It also covers some of the benefits of compassion and what you can do to become a more compassionate person.

Some signs that you have compassion for others include:

• Feeling like you have a great deal in common with other people, even if you are very different in many ways.
• Being able to understand what other people are going through and feeling their pain.
• Being mindful of other people's emotions, thoughts, and experiences.
• Taking action when you see that someone else is suffering.
• Having a high level of emotional intelligence so that you are able to understand, manage, and act on your own emotions as well as the emotions of others.
• Feeling gratitude when other people express compassion for your own hardships.

Compassion often comes in one of two forms, which vary depending on where these feelings are directed. Your experience of compassion may be either directed toward other people, or it may be directed inwardly toward yourself:

• Compassion for others : When you experience compassion for other people, you feel their pain and want to find a way to relieve their suffering. These feelings compel you to take action to do what you can to make the situation better.
• Self-compassion : This involves treating yourself with the same compassion and kindness that you would show to others. Rather than beating yourself up over mistakes you may have made in the past, you feel understanding, mindful, and accepting of yourself and your imperfections.

There are a number of different steps you can take to show compassion to others. 

• Speak with kindness
• Apologize when you've made a mistake
• Listen carefully and without judgment
• Encourage other people
• Offer to help someone with a task
• Be happy for someone else's success
• Accept people for who they are
• Forgive people for making mistakes
• Show respect
• Express gratitude and appreciation

When you practice compassion, you start by empathizing with another person's situation. You look at what they are going through without judgment and imagine how you might feel in their situation.

Compassion and empathy share common elements, but compassion goes a step beyond. Rather than just imagining yourself in their shoes, compassion drives you to take action to help that person. Because you are able to feel those emotions so keenly—almost as if it is happening to you—there is a strong motivation to find a way to change the situation or ease the other person's pain.

Compassion can have a positive impact on your life, ranging from improving your relationships to boosting your overall happiness. Some of the positive effects of compassion:

• Giving feels good : One of the reasons why compassion can be so effective is that both giving and receiving can improve your psychological well-being. Being the recipient of compassion can help you get the support you need to carry you through a difficult time. But giving compassion to others can be just as rewarding. For example, researchers have found that giving money to others who need it actually produces greater happiness rewards than spending it on ourselves.
• Compassionate people live longer : Engaging in activities such as volunteering to help those you feel compassion for can improve your longevity. One study found that people who volunteer out of concern for others tend to live longer than people who do not volunteer.
• Compassion contributes to a life of purpose : One study found that the happiness that comes from living a life of purpose and meaning—one that is fueled by kindness and compassion—can play a role in better health. In the study, participants who experience what is known as eudaimonic happiness—or the kind of happiness that comes from living a meaningful life that involves helping others—experienced lower levels of depression, stronger immunity, and less inflammation.
• Compassion improves relationships : Compassion can also help you build the social support and connections that are important for mental well-being. It can also protect your interpersonal relationships . Research suggests that compassion is a key predictor of the success and satisfaction of relationships.

According to one study published in the journal Emotion , compassion is the single most important predictor of a happy relationship. Interestingly, the study found that while people tend to gain the greatest benefits when their partner notices their acts of kindness, they actually experience benefits whether their partner notices or not. These findings suggest that compassion itself can be its own reward.

Compassion is good for both your physical and mental health. Not only that, it feels good to help others and can contribute to a greater sense of purpose and meaning in your life.

While some people tend to be more compassionate by nature, experts also suggest that there are steps you can take to cultivate a greater sense of compassion for both yourself and others:

• Bring your attention to the situation : The first component of compassion is to become more aware of what other people are experiencing. Imagine yourself in their shoes. Being able to see things from another person’s perspective can help you gain a sense of compassion for their situation. Practice putting yourself in someone else’s place and imagine how you might feel. Focus on feeling how they might be feeling.
• Let go of judgment : Accepting people as they are and avoiding judgment is important. Focus on accepting people for who they are without criticizing or blaming the victim .
• Practice mindfulness : Mindfulness is a practice of focusing on the present, becoming more aware of your own thoughts, and observing these thoughts without judging them. Research suggests that mindfulness-based interventions can be effective for improving self-compassion.
• Try loving-kindness meditation : This form of meditation, also known as compassion meditation, involves meditating while directing kind, compassionate thoughts toward yourself or others. Research suggests that this form of meditation can help people improve their connection to others and boost well-being.

One potential pitfall of compassion is that constant exposure to the distress of others may contribute to what is known as compassion fatigue.

What Is Compassion Fatigue?

Compassion fatigue involves feelings of physical and emotional exhaustion as well as a mental withdrawal from traumatized individuals. It can reduce feelings of empathy and compassion for people who are in need of help.

People who work in helping or caregiving roles (such as nurses, doctors, or emergency care workers) often experience an extreme state of tension as well as a preoccupation with those they are helping. Because of this, helpers can experience symptoms of trauma themselves, and this can potentially dampen their feelings of compassion.

Finding ways to combat compassion fatigue is particularly important in healthcare and other helping professions. Research suggests that interventions that involve mindfulness meditation can help people in these roles experience greater compassion for others, improve positive feelings, and reduce distress.

While it's good to have compassion for others, it's also crucial that you take the time you need for self-care.

A Word From Verywell

Compassion allows you to feel what others are feeling and motivates prosocial behaviors that can improve the well-being of others as well as improve your own physical and mental wellness. While some people experience compassion more often by nature, there are things that you can do to help improve your own ability to feel compassion for others.

Learning this ability takes some time and practice, but it's worth it to keep working on flexing your compassion skills. Being open to feeling what others are feeling can help you create deeper, more meaningful connections. Acting on these feelings of compassion can benefit others, but as the research suggests, sometimes compassion is its own reward.

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By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Essays on Compassion

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Practicing Compassion: Its Role in Everyday Life - Personal Reflection

• Category: Life
• Topic: Compassion , Feeling , Personal Experience

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