Compassion

Decades of clinical research has focused and shed light on the psychology of human
suffering. That suffering, as unpleasant as it is, often also has a bright side to which
research has paid less attention: compassion. Human suffering is often accompanied
by beautiful acts of compassion by others wishing to help relieve it. (Seppala, 2013)

Compassion often does, of course, involve an empathic response and an altruistic

behavior. However, compassion is defined as the emotional response when
perceiving suffering and involves an authentic desire to help. (Seppala, 2013)

Compassion may boost the wellbeing that can help broaden the perspective beyond
oneself. Research shows that depression and anxiety are linked to a state of self-
focus, a preoccupation with “me, myself, and I.” When they do something for
someone else, however, that state of self-focus shifts to a state of other-focus.

Compassion involves demonstrating characteristics such as empathy, sensitivity,

kindness and warmth–and when these are lacking, all too frequently one of the
factors that underpins poor care is an attitude to care that is task based rather than
person centered care. Task based care is frequently impersonal and not what people
want. Instead they want to be treated with respect, dignity and compassion,
attributes that cost nothing. (Haslam, 2015)

RRL:

Retrieved: Oct 24, 2020

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/the-compassionate-mind
https://jcompassionatehc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40639-015-0015-
2

Empathy

Empathy is a complex, multifaceted, dynamic concept, which has been described in

the literature in many different ways. So it appears that empathy means different
things to different people. The conceptualization of empathy has evolved in different
ways relating to differing disciplines such as medicine, nursing, philosophy,
psychology and counseling. (Jeffrey, 2016)

Empathy plays a critical interpersonal and societal role, enabling sharing of experiences,
needs, and desires between individuals and providing an emotional bridge that promotes
pro-social behavior. This capacity requires an exquisite interplay of neural networks and
enables us to perceive the emotions of others, resonate with them emotionally and
cognitively, to take in the perspective of others, and to distinguish between our own and
others’ emotions. (Frankel, 2017)

RRL:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513638/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0141076816680120

Willingness

Willingness is the state of being prepared to do something, to take action. When it

comes to behavior change, it usually means being ready to engage in an action or
series of actions that leads to the desired outcome and includes the ability or
willingness to work towards the goal even though the process may not be fun, or
rewarding, or enjoyable. There are lots of things that people do in life that involve
having to accept painful or difficult feelings in pursuit of a meaningful, valued goal.
(King, 2019)

A simple way to explain willingness is this—willingness is created when people

clearly comprehend what to do and why (Bates, 2010). Willingness is a stance that a
person can take when they are presented with a difficult emotion (Moran, 2012). It
expresses the human desire, cheerfully consenting or readiness to know new things
and to improve one self.

RRL:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/when-more-isnt-
enough/201201/willingness-change
https://motivationandchange.com/the-willingness-to-change/
https://www.bates-communications.com/articles-and-newsletters/articles-and-
newsletters/bid/57968/willingness-the-key-to-motivating-people

Sensitivity

To be emotionally sensitive is to be aware of a person's feelings and the feelings of

others. Emotional sensitivity is a necessary building block for close, satisfying
relationships. (Vandersteen, 2014)

A person with healthy boundaries is willing to take responsibility for his or her
behavior in the relationship. Overly sensitive people cross this boundary line and
center their attention on the other person’s behavior. All kinds of negative
assumptions are made about the other person’s behavior and then reacted to as if
these assumptions are fact. Overly sensitive people concentrate on this negative
interpretation and then search for additional “proof” that the other person is being
critical or rejecting them. Of course, they think they find it and that proves they are
right. Sadly, they end up being angry and alone in a false reality they have
constructed. (Vandersteen, 2014)
Emerson wrote, “We must be our own before we can be another’s”. Make the time
and effort to become emotionally healthy within oneself and the relationships will
become emotionally healthy. The sensitivity will then be a valuable and loving asset
that will bring others closer to anyone.

RLL

https://glenora.net/being-emotionally-sensitive/