Embracing Compassion

The emotion that I feel most often is compassion. It also moves frequently into empathy. I find myself trying to read others to identify what they are feeling. I have been told that I am too sensitive and yet, it is part of my emotional attachment to the compassion that I feel toward others. 

This emotion shows up most strongly with those I care deeply about. Sometimes my compassion swings into overdrive and I can drive people crazy by asking “What’s wrong?” “What’s the matter” and the real doozy is “Why are you mad at me?”. I find it almost impossible to go on until I find the answers to these questions. 

On the other hand, my compassion has aided me in caring for those in my family who are ill or going through a bad time. My sister and I have actually experienced telepathic moments. Several years ago, she was very sick. She kept wishing that someone would come and take care of her. I had the overwhelming feeling that something was wrong and I went to her home only to find that she needed help. I wrapped her in a blanket and took her home to nurse her back to health. 

I enjoy being a caregiver. It is gratifying to help with the needs of others and to pay attention to them. Most recently, I helped my husband through his final days. I found it to be like a gift I could give to him to make his final days comfortable and to show him the love he so much deserved. 

When I am with a group of people, I will be drawn to the person who seems to be the most needy. Sometimes it is a pleasure to help them. I must be careful because some people will take advantage of my compassionate nature. 

Empathy is a bit like a sixth sense that draws me into the minds of others. Sometimes they enjoy this intervention of their privacy and sometimes it can feel like an invasion of their privacy. This most positive trait can be a negative trait. Compassion can be wanted or unwanted and even misunderstood.

When I was working as a trainer in the banking industry I noticed the benefits of feeling empathy the most. I started out being self-conscious and thinking about how I looked and thinking about what my students thought of me. This didn’t last long. My greatest shift was when I realized I was more concerned with what my students were getting out of my teaching. I could read body language and facial expressions to learn how effectively my messages were being received. 

I enjoyed seeing the positive results of turning my attention to my students and away from myself. This was when I became an effective trainer and helped people learn at a deeper level. 

Being empathic is not for the weak of heart. Sometimes it can lead to knowing things about others that I would just as well not know. The empathy I feel for the world situation right now keeps me awake at night. That is when this emotion can become a curse. I can only do what I can do. I would rather be empathetic than uncaring. I love people and enjoy connecting with people of all shapes and sizes. I hear them with all of my senses and serve them when I can.

Click here to check out other Sidetracked opinions

Click here to listen to the Overcoming Writer’s Block podcast

Want to create your own legacy? Join the Sidetracked Sisters and start now!

Ever thought about working with a Life Coach? Are you creative or a writer who is frustrated with your inability to do the work you so desperately feel called to do? Check out Lisa Hoffman Coaching.

#sidetrackedsisters #sidetrackedjudy #sidetrackedlegacies #legacywriting #legacystories #writeyourownlegacy #LisaHoffmanCoaching #empathy #compassion #PositiveEmotions #caringaboutothers