The Difference Between Kindness & Compassion
Jun 28, 2020
Kindness and compassion are similar concepts. They’re both positive assets that contribute to human growth and the betterment of the world. However, they do have some slight differences in meaning. Since this is a course in kindness, it’s important to thoroughly understand what it means to be kind. Let’s take some time today to explore the nuanced differences between these terms.
About Compassion
Compassion is a feeling. Moreover, it’s a deep understanding of what others might be experiencing at a given moment. It’s putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and being able to practically feel what they themselves are feeling. Compassion is having a deep sense of empathy for what someone is going through that leads you to want to do something to alleviate their suffering.
How Kindness Differs
While compassion is a feeling or emotion, kindness is an act. You can perform a kindness without feeling compassion. We’re socialized to do nice things for others. That’s not to take away from the importance of being kind. I simply wish to point out that an act of good will doesn’t necessarily need to have deep feeling behind it. Kindness can be interconnected with compassion, though. Having more of one can lead to having more of the other.
The Relationship Between Kindness and Compassion
Kindness and compassion can work in tandem. It’s okay if compassion doesn’t come naturally to you. That doesn’t necessarily reflect poorly on your character. With practice, you can up your levels of compassion. By doing generous acts, you’ll be able to see the effects each brings. This insight can help you to better understand the experiences of others, leading to increased compassion. The act of performing a kindness regularly often results in gaining compassion or a deep sense of what others are going through. As with any habit or practice, learning to incorporate acts of kindness and compassion into your life will take time and effort. Hopefully, these two interwoven ideas will function in a way that motivates you to continue on the path toward doing good for the people around you and gaining a better understanding of them.
Kindness and compassion are definitely similar in their meaning. They create a complementary effect that can benefit both you and those around you. However, they are separate terms with unique meanings. While this course focuses on kindness, it’s my belief that you’ll notice your compassion increase by the end of our 30 days together.
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