Don't Sweat the Little Things 003

Afternoon my dear Steemians :)

I'm in the writing mood today, so I thought I would put in another installment. I've really enjoyed writing these to you guys. It puts me in a sense of calmness, and if I can make just one other person feel that way it was well worth writing these posts!
If you haven't checked out my first two posts on not sweating the little things, check 'em out :)

Making Peace with Imperfection

https://steemit.com/philosophy/@cryptonewb/don-t-sweat-the-little-things-1

Being Aware of the Snowball Effect of Ones Own Thinking

https://steemit.com/philosophy/@cryptonewb/don-t-sweat-the-little-things-2

So, without further adiou, I thought I would make my next installment based on something I believe EVERYONE can use more of in their lives. I'm taking about Compassion. "How do I practice compassion?", you might ask. Well my friends, keep reading and you shall soon find out.

Developing Your Compassion

Nothing helps us build out perspective more than developing compssion for others. Compassion is a sympathetic feeling. It involves the willingness to put yourself in someone else's shoes, to take the focus off yourself and to imagine what it's like to be in someone else's predicament, and simultaneously, to feel love for that person. It's the recognition that other people's problems, their pain and frustrations, are every bit as real as our own; often far worse. In recognizing this fact and trying to offer some assistance, we open our own hearts and greatly enhance our sense of gratitude.

Compassion is something you can develop with practice. It involves two things: intention and action.

Intention simply means you remember to open your heart to others; you expand what and who matters, from yourself to other people. Action is simply the "what you do about it." You might donate a little money or time (or both) on a regular basis to a cause near to your heart. Or perhaps you'll offer a beautiful smile and genuine "hello" to the people you meet on the street. It's not so important what you do, just that you do something.
As Mother Teresa reminds us,

"We cannot do great things on this earth. We can only do small things with great love."

Compassion develops your sense of gratitude by taking your attention off all the little things that most of us have learned to take too seriously. When you take time, often, to reflect on the miracle of life, the gift of sight, of love, and all the rest, it can help to remind you that many of the things that you think of as "big stuff" are really just "small stuff" that you are turning into big stuff.

Share this with friends and family! Upvotes appreciated ;)

As always, stay classy Steemians