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At the End of This Very Tough Year, Give Yourself the Gift of Compassion

  • Writer: Patricia Faust
    Patricia Faust
  • Dec 16, 2020
  • 2 min read


This year has been so extraordinary in that it has pushed us to our limits and then pushed even further. Now we are right in the middle of the Christmas holiday season and we expect ourselves to carry on like any other holiday. Where can we find the strength to celebrate and honor the spirit of Hannukah and Christmas?


The Gift of Compassion

Compassion allows us to be with the good and the difficult, thus giving ourselves the ability to approach life by turning toward it, not away from it. When we turn toward life, we can be informed by each new moment, and are then prepared to meet challenges with skill and experience joy with abandon.


That is the gift of compassion. Opening up and knowing that you have the strength and space to embrace whatever comes your way. So, in these hectic days of preparing for the holidays, notice how compassion shows up in your life- where it rises to the occasion and where it might need a little work with some effort.

Take this opportunity to see the dread, anger, resentment, outrage or fear as the product of collision between things unfolding in the world and our deeply held and cherished core of beliefs and ideals. When you feel outrage over the way some groups treat others in our society, it is precisely because you deeply value justice, fairness and compassion. (Hickman,S. 11/17/20 Mindful)


3 Ways to Bring Compassion into Focus

1. Open your heart. To connect more deeply with others, we must face the one person that we are hardest on: ourselves. There is nothing special you must do to deserve love.


2. Appreciate your community. When we remember what we share as human beings, as well as the beautiful ways we are different, we open ourselves up to compassion in a very powerful way. Mindfulness teacher Mirabai Bush invites us to remember that the people we encounter, even the difficult ones, are “just like me” – in this way we invite more empathy, compassion, and kindness into our lives.


3. Consider how you can serve the moment. Mindfulness teacher Michelle Maldonado asks us to be curious and open not only about what serves you – your self-care, and your capacity for resilience – but what wise actions you can take that can serve others.

(Hurlock, H. 12/9/2020 Give yourself the gift of compassion)


At the end of this very difficult year, we must take notice of how we feel physically and mentally. Throughout all of the worry and angst we have experienced this year it is critical that we can get through this. We have the power to move our life forward. Through self-care and being compassionate to ourselves we have a fighting chance to improve 2021 starting from January 1. Believe in yourself and find strength in your compassion.


References:


Hickman, S. (November 17,2020). Savor your values: finding strength in compassion. retrieved from https://www.mindful.org/savor-your-values-finding-strength-in-compassion/


Hurlock, H. (December 9, 2020). Give yourself the gift of compassion. Retrieved from https://www.mindful.org/savor-your-values-finding-strength-in-compassion/







 
 
 

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March was an unusual month for me.  Normally I work on articles, give presentations and generally just stay tuned to what is going on in the field of aging.  This month I “learned” a lot.  Last year I learned how to write a book.  At the time I took the course I thought it would just be a natural extension of all the writing I had done over the years.  WRONG!!  The actual writing of the book was the easy part.  Putting it together into a book was difficult for me.  The course gave me step by step lessons on constructing a book.  Then editing and formatting were just as challenging.  On June 7 last year the book was published!  It was one of the most satisfying days of my writing career. 

Naturally, when you self-publish, you do not have a publisher promoting the book and getting it in the right categories for best sales on Amazon.  That was crushing because I really didn’t know to appropriately market it.  I am a brain health person!  In December of last year, I purchased a marketing program that is based on statistics.  I am technical minded and so this approach made sense to me.  The course is almost completed.  Can’t wait to see if it improves sales!

The next step I am looking at is recording an audiobook.  This is another venture I knew nothing about.  But I am already tagged on Facebook for marketing of audio book programs.  Facebook picks up everything.  Now my husband was creative director for an advertising agency and when I told him I purchased another class – he couldn’t believe it.  “This was my business.  I know how to do recordings, why didn’t you ask me?” Well, I knew he was an expert in that business, but this audiobook needs to meet all the criteria that Amazon requires for publication.  So, he can take care of the recording part of this audiobook, and I will navigate the process of meeting Amazon’s requirements.  We worked on the book together like this. 

Then I talked with some coaching experts on the viability of starting group teaching programs.  Reading The Boomer Brain book and implementing the Brain Healthy Lifestyle have two entirely different outcomes.  This lifestyle is important to maintaining high cognitive function throughout the later years of our lives.  Look for updates as to when I will roll this program out.

My last learning endeavor was attending a two-day bootcamp for Speakers.  I am really excited about what I learned there.  That is a late this year or next year project, but it is one I am really looking forward to.

 

What Is Happening in April?

The American Society on Aging is having their annual conference in Orlando Florida April 21-24.  This is the largest multidisciplinary conference on aging and the annual conference for Members of ASA.  I have attended a number of these conferences throughout the years, and it is consequential.  Keynote speakers and special events are focused on combating ageism in our society.  Although this is a professional meeting, the attendees come from all aspects of aging services.  They have their work cut out for them this year!

April is Stress Awareness Month.  We should be aware of stress every month and understand how we can break the stress cycle.  These are stressful times, and we need to protect ourselves

Here is a positive one “April is National Volunteer Month”.  When I am working with new retirees who don’t know what to do, I talk to them about volunteering. It is important to have a purpose after you leave the workforce.  There are so many nonprofits who need help in all aspects of their organizations.  It is a perfect way to give back.

Finally – It was Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds – the oldest major league team in the nation.  Cincinnati takes that responsibility seriously.  There is always an Opening Day Parade through downtown to the Ball Park.  Huge crowds line the streets and every year there is talk of making it an official holiday.  Schools and employers look the other way when there is an empty desk.  No matter what the outcome of the game is, there is so much joy, and you can feel that energy.  I am fortunate that I get to experience that.  We all need some joy right now. 

Enjoy your April.

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