The Power of Compassion in Dealing with Your Worst Enemy

I've been feeling overwhelmed lately. The news, the stress of work and personal life, it's all getting to me. But then I started thinking about how we're all connected; how when one person stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. And when you read about the goodness of others, it helps you create the goodness in yourself.

You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.

The power of choice is yours. The power of the mind, positive thinking and self-talk are also yours. You have the ability to choose how you respond to each situation in life by your thoughts and words.

You can talk yourself into being angry or sad if you want to, but why would you? There is nothing wrong with feeling sad or angry on occasion when things really go wrong in our lives, but it's important not let these emotions define us or keep us stuck where we don't want to be any longer!

Every time someone stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.

Every time someone stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. The ripples are weakened by the violence of those who oppose him. But it is these ripples that change the world. It is these ripples that spread and grow and strengthen through sheer persistence and numbers until one day they become a tidal wave which washes away the status quo.

When you read about the goodness of others, it helps you create the goodness in yourself.

You don't have to look far for examples of people who are good and kind, or at least try to be. Surely you've read about the selfless acts by celebrities, politicians and ordinary citizens alike. But did you know that just being exposed to the goodness of others can actually help you become a better person?

In a study published in Psychological Science, researchers found that seeing an act of altruism made participants more likely to perform their own altruistic acts - even when they weren't given any specific goal or expectation. In their experiment, participants were asked how much time they would spend helping someone else and how willing they would be to give up some personal time for another person's benefit after watching a video showing generous behavior (this might include giving money away). Those who watched videos depicting generous behaviors were more likely than those who did not watch such videos to want to engage in similar behavior themselves. The researchers concluded that our brains are wired with an innate desire to imitate each other's positive behaviors because such imitation helps create what we call "social norms."

The ultimate source of peace is that quality which we find in our own hearts and minds.

Peace is the ultimate source of peace. You don't have to go very far in your own heart and mind to find it. It's just there, waiting for you to accept it and embrace it.

It's a choice that we make, every day, every moment of our lives. We can choose peace or discord; love or hate; forgiveness or violence; kindness or cruelty; joyfulness or sorrowfulness; hope or despair…but most importantly: WE CAN CHOOSE TO CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT OURSELVES THAT ISN'T WORKING!

Peace begins with a smile.

A smile is the most common sign of happiness, but it also shows kindness, friendliness and openness to new experiences. By smiling as you approach someone you're feeling animosity towards, you are showing that you want to connect with them on a more positive level. This will help make them feel more comfortable around you and may even lead them towards making amends!

Compassion is contagious!

Introducing a new way of thinking into your life can be challenging, especially when it involves being compassionate toward someone who has hurt you. But if you can find the courage to work on this with your enemy, compassion will help you gain inner peace and make friends in unexpected places. It will also allow you to become a better leader by listening with empathy instead of reacting defensively. As an added bonus, practicing compassion toward others may help improve self-compassion as well!

Conclusion

The next time you feel yourself being pulled down by the trials and tribulations of life, remember that compassion can be your saving grace. It's contagious, and it doesn't just affect those around us - it also strengthens our own hearts and minds. You can start right now by smiling at someone or doing something kind for another person! The world needs all the compassion it can get these days.