This year, instead of making my standard list of New Year’s resolutions (you know the ones: lose those last 5 lbs., get more exercise and finally organize that storage room), I am only making one resolution — a higher resolution. My goal for 2017 is to practice compassion. It will require me to let go of pettiness, bi-partisanship, jealousy and anger and to embrace empathy and love. A lofty goal, I admit. But if our recent presidential election has shown me anything, it’s that our country and its people are way more divided than we are together. And it’s only by coming together that we can change the world.
Compassion, defined as “concern for the suffering or misfortunes of others”, may also be the key to a happy life. Researchers have found that money and things don’t make people happier. Lottery winners may experience an initial bump in their happy quotient, but it doesn’t last. However, people who consistently give their time, their love and themselves to others… they experience lasting happiness. Part of that could be due to the fact that the practice of compassion forces us to get out of our own heads. Which takes our focus away from the things in our lives that might not be going right and places our energy on, let’s say, helping a friend who’s feeling depressed. This not only makes our friend feel better and us feel better, but it also gives you a different perspective which engages the brain in new ways thus making you smarter.
And in case that wasn’t enough to get you on the compassion bandwagon, kindness is one of the traits that both men and women find most desirable. So, compassion also makes you sexy. And healthier. Extensive research has shown that people who live a life that’s less about satisfying themselves and is more focused on helping others have less inflammation. And since inflammation is at the root of every major life ending disease, lessening it is one of the keys to a longer, healthier life.
Bottom line, compassion is good for your soul, your waistline, and the state of the world. And here’s the great thing. It doesn’t require any equipment or expenditure of cash. It’s just an attitude shift. It’s being kind instead of judgmental. It’s trying to understand instead of slamming the door. And, most importantly, it’s being loving even when you don’t understand.
I leave you with this Jewish proverb that could be a nice mantra for the New Year:
We should bolster the light rather than fight the darkness.
