The Dalai Lama once said: “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
“We all think that we want to be loved, but what really feels good for us is to feel that we love and part of what makes us feel more love for others is doing caring things for them.”
The good news is that if you don’t often identify yourself as being overly empathetic, studies show that it’s a habit that can be cultivated. So How can you know if you are or not? Below are eight signs that you are a truly compassionate person.
You find things in common with other people
In a small study, researchers found that human beings’ sense of compassion actually increases when there is a common connection with the other person.
Compassionate people are very outwardly focused, as they think and feel about other people. They have that ability to feel the feelings of others, so they are very socially connected.
You don’t put emphasis on money
In one study, researchers found that as a person grows up in social classes, their compassion for others decreases. The findings, published in the journal Scientific American, support previous research that showed higher social class also negatively influences a person’s ability to pay attention in interactions with other people.
You act with empathy
When we have actions in which we give love, we feel more love in return”, he explains. This is why compassionate people act out of their kindness, whether through volunteering or just being a shoulder to support others, and are generally much happier for it.
you are kind to yourself
Practicing self-love, which is a bit different from self-esteem, is also a crucial activity to overcome bad habits in other aspects of our lives. We often think that changing bad behaviors is defeating ourselves. But self-compassion is actually the first step in changing whatever behavior you want to change. And there’s the science to back it up: According to a study from the University of California at Berkeley, people who practice self-compassion are more motivated to improve themselves and strive for their goals.
you teach others
“There is true compassion when you give your strength, guidance and wisdom to empower others so you can see who you really are and expect nothing in return.” «There is real grace when teachers realize that the gift was really for themselves, to be able to teach others.»
You are aware
When you are doing compassion exercises, you are putting yourself in the moment. Compassionate people are not listening and looking at their cell phones at the same time, they are present, offering their empathic response to whatever story they are hearing at that very moment.
You have high emotional intelligence
Individuals who are more compassionate also appear to be more emotional. Part of it is… being able to see what’s going on in your mind and the minds of other people.
express gratitude
Empathetic people not only acknowledge acts of kindness done to them, but also express a lot of gratitude for them.
Source: Upsocl