COMPASSIONMarch 2016 Character Education Lesson #1

DRSL’S

What: Showing Compassion

Why: Critical Thinking/Problem Solving, Lifelong Learning, Responsible Citizen

SHOW COMPASSION

What is compassion? A deep awareness of the suffering of another, accompanied by

an emotional response of caring and wanting to help when encountering a person’s suffering.

SHOW COMPASSION

There are many traits associated with compassion: Kindness, Empathy, Helping, Generosity.

HOW CAN I BE MORE COMPASSIONATE?

Scientific evidence shows that we can teach our brains to feel more compassion, both for ourselves and others. Imagine how the world might be different if we all learned this skill.

HOW CAN I BE MORE COMPASSIONATE?

If we want to become more physically healthy, we can exercise. Using the same concept, we can train our emotional “muscles” such as compassion.

It’s a little like weight training - practice showing compassion for people in your life that you love, and for those in your life that are more difficult.

It can be hard to show compassion for those who are difficult, but when you choose to help the person instead of lashing out or getting angry with them, you are rewiring your brain. The more practice that pathway gets… the easier it becomes to respond positively.

HOW CAN I BE MORE COMPASSIONATE?

This carries over to people we dislike or to strangers.

MAKE IT A POINT TO BE MORE KIND…

It’s easier to show compassion when you come to realize you don’t know what is actually going on behind the scenes. There is always more than meets the eye…