Skin Deep

When we meet others we don’t like or understand, it’s tempting to be dismissive or spin a story about their weirdness or inferiority. This kind of characterization permits us to exclude them from consideration and kindness. But if instead we consciously...

Others’ Shoes

Because we all view the world through our own unique lens, it’s difficult to understand why some people act the way they do. We might get agitated or even angry seeing someone driving recklessly fast, while possibly endangering themselves and others. But if we...

Humility Begets Compassion

Most of us have been through some kind of hardship and loss to get to where we are now. Along with self-motivation and work, the success we experience is also partially due to grace. We’ve benefited from some combination of good timing and assistance from...

Judging and Compassion

When we think someone has made a poor choice, we need to remember that it probably seemed like the best option at the time. Whatever they learn from the experience could help them make better choices next time. We judge when we think that we could have done it better....

Resonance

Have you ever been in a really good mood and encountered someone grouchily spewing negativity? It’s amazing how quickly you can shift from a generally contented frame of mind to a critical one – about them! Your reaction shows up as an impulse to be...

Happy Childhood

It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. Since the one you remember is filtered through layer upon layer of beliefs that make-up your adult mind, what you innocently experienced as a child is now seen through a very different lens. If you’re burdened...