Tag Archives: empathy

“What gets better as we age?”

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“What gets better as we age?”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Dmitry Mashkin

In the years following my dad’s passing, I’ve developed a far greater interest in the subject of aging.

Although there are many reasons to see these years as ones of decline from our younger selves, there is still plenty of evidence that numerous areas of life tend to improve, including:

  • Happiness and Well-Being: older adults often experience greater life satisfaction and emotional stability, with reduced stress from the responsibilities of raising children and work.
  • Self Confidence: many older individuals become more comfortable in their own skin, embracing their true selves without the need for external validation.
  • Wisdom and Decision-Making: tend to improve through the accumulation of life experiences and more thoughtful informed choices.
  • Empathy and the ability to more deeply understand the emotions and experiences of others tend to improve, like a fine wine with time.

EXERCISE:

How can you see yourself as getting better — not just older — with each passing day?  How might greater mindfulness and self-awareness of the aging process help you experience a richer, more fulfilling life?

“A level-headed person is one who doesn’t get dizzy doing good turns.”

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“A level-headed person is one who doesn’t get dizzy doing good turns.”

—O.A. Battista, 20th Century Canadian-American chemist and author

Image from Unsplash by Dayne Topkin

There is no question that the world is a dizzying place these days. What has recently changed in your personal and professional communities that has turned your life upside down?

To help you stabilize your world and regain some footing, many folks are bringing new levels of empathy, compassion, and generosity to those around them. What good turns are you observing these days in your various communities?

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you both acknowledge and actively participate in these efforts to realize a more level-headed world?

Please reply to this post with some examples of the good turns you are seeing and doing to regain your footing.

Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting

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“Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting.”

—William Arthur Ward, 20th Century inspirational author

Image from Unsplash by Lina Trochez

Many people are suffering these days. Without question, life comes with ups and downs, making our journeys bumpy and filled with twists and turns.

Forgiveness is a quality we admire and appreciate in people we respect and wish to emulate. Many of us find forgiveness quite difficult to express on a consistent basis despite the fact that it truly “warms the heart and cools the sting.”

What is it in our wiring that can make forgiving others and even forgiving ourselves so difficult?

EXERCISE:

How often do you make yourself and others wrong for their mistakes, shortcomings, and acts that hurt others?

What would be the value of finding greater compassion, empathy, and forgiveness within yourself to travel life’s road a bit more smoothly?