I've been sitting in a bathtub of Empathy, Compassion, Emotions, and Grief.

When we share our stories, we have personally experienced the details, and the more we tell the story, the easier it may become.

As I dig deeper into learning the story of my Project Empathy [*1] partner, I am practicing self-compassion to acknowledge that my body feels every emotion as my brain processes what their experience felt like.

Telling someone else's story carries a different weight. I'm purposely putting myself in this person's state of mind to understand their point of view with their past experiences, not mine.

Empathy

With empathy, I want to take action to soothe this incredible human sitting across from me. But with compassion, I pause and sit in the uncomfortable of wanting to ease this person's pain from their experience.

I'm mindful of the sensitivity to the topic in asking difficult questions to gain a deeper understanding of their experience. 

Let’s sweep the brain…

Last week I had the opportunity to complete a three-day Brain Gym class with Pam Formosa of Brain Fit Academy. This movement-based tool helps you recognize that if you can:

• Change your state of mind

• That can lead to changing the story you tell yourself

• Which in turn can change your life.

After this experience, I gained a deeper awareness of my state of mind and more clarity about the story I tell myself. For the second time, Brain Gym has changed my life. [*2]

But Jamie, what does all of this have to do with MY BUSINESS!?!

Everything.

We could take several focal points when discussing compassion in our business.

• Self - Compassion

• Compassionate listening

• Compassionate speaking

• Compassionate emails

• Compassion for the business/buyer/seller

• And so much more!

It may be more effortless for you to be compassionate to others or it may be what you have been taught to do by being polite. When that same person turns to look inward, they may feel more challenged to be compassionate to themselves, and their inner voice may not be kind.

Some may find it more difficult to be compassionate to others. As a result, they feel challenged to step outside of their black-and-white thinking and realize that the story they tell themselves about someone else is typically not based on factual evidence. It's natural for our brains to make 

up stories to keep us safe. [*3] 

When a human struggles to have compassion for others, they too might experience negative emotions and self-talk. Coming from that perspective, this week, I'd like to focus on self-compassion in business. 

At its core, self-compassion is the foundation of where genuine compassion for others comes from. 

When you think about your business, how are YOU showing up for yourself? Do you:

• Get enough sleep?

• Move your body?

• Communicate healthy boundaries of your services or products and how they are being presented and executed.

• Aware of how you speak to yourself?

• Intentionally set time for reflection, creativity, and prioritization?

When you think about your business, how are YOU showing up for your client or customer?

• Are you listening to them with intention, eye contact, and asking clarifying questions?

• Can you pause and practice empathy for where they are coming from? 

• Are you coming from a collaborative approach?

• Do you have an awareness of their needs, boundaries, and expectations?

• When there is conflict, are you pausing before responding and considering what might need to be an in-person conversation?

You can learn and rewire your brain for empathy and compassion with practice.

As Thich Nhất Hạnh writes in The Art of Living, "When we can generate understanding and compassion in our way of being and working together, everyone we interact with feels that energy right away and is able to profit from it."

Making the time to care for ourselves can help us show up more intentionally and build deeper relationships with colleagues, customers, and friends.

Compassion is a win-win approach for yourself and others. 

What are you doing this week to practice self-compassion?

This has become a new space for my digressions.

[*1] If you are local and interested in attending Project Empathy's performance, there will be two opportunities. 

• Friday, September 29th  https://bit.ly/929ProjectEmpathy

• Saturday, September 3oth https://bit.ly/930ProjectEmpathy

[*2] If you want to hear about the first time Brain Gym saved my life, see #1 above.

[*3] Manage your Mind; Compassion. Week 3 of each month brings our topic to the brain, and we learn more about the neuroscience of it. Stick around, and we'll dig deeper into self-compassion and our brains!

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