You're Wired for Compassion
The element for this episode is compassion. Given everything that’s going on in the world today, it’s more important than ever. Despite this growing need for compassion, it’s often confusing and misunderstood. In this episode, we’ll clarify what compassion is, the many ways it can take shape, and how we’re all wired for it. Join us in this episode of Joy Lab, as we examine the science of compassion and how you can bring more of it into your life.
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In This Episode:
- [01:36] What compassion can do for us when we take the time to cultivate it
- [05:10] The biology and healing nature of compassion
- [10:02] The why and how of practicing compassion
- [15:19] The relationship between current events and compassion fatigue
- [18:40] An example of what simple genuine compassion can look like
- [23:18] Examining common obstacles for compassion
- [27:46] The difficulties of moving from a place of compassion in the face of evil and the importance of compassion superheroes
Key Takeaways:
- We all experience pain and suffering. And while we can’t escape it, we can build a larger container to hold it in. We can do that by cultivating a good heart by opening ourselves up again and again and creating genuine connections.
- Compassion is something we can train ourselves and get better at through practice.
- Compassion offers us a different choice when we feel as if we want to close up in response to pain and suffering. With genuine compassion, there is an acknowledgment that this is how things are, and this is what happened, without the need to fix it or make someone feel better.
- We can build a bigger container for our pain and suffering by giving out compassion and also letting more compassion in. We need it. We are wired for it.
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On Jan 1st, 2025, the Joy Lab Podcast and Program moved from Natural Mental Health to the nonprofit Pathways North.
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