02/27/2018
"The question of how to become more compassionate might seem to have a simple answer at first: just be nicer towards others. But it is wildly more complicated than that. This is actually something I've been trying to be for some time now. A few years ago, I felt that I wasn't giving enough of my attention and genuine concern towards the well-being and livelihoods of my friends, and overall was just being a horrible human in general. However, I had no idea where to start. After a few weeks/months of trying, I found some key parts in trying to be a more compassionate person:
1. Be more compassionate towards yourself - It is hard to care for the well-being of others when you're own mental and emotional health is in disrepair. When I was at this point, I decided to try to do things that I like to do more often. Such as go outside and play basketball with friends, or even play competitive video games with them. It helps not only make you feel happier, it also helps, in this case, make stronger bonds with said friends.
2. Check in on others more often - This doesn't mean hit a random person up every 5 minutes or at 3 in the morning. It just means check-in with a close friend, let's say, once daily or two, just to see how life is for them. Or maybe with a new acquaintance you made, check in like once or twice in a week. It might not seem like much, but I've noticed from my own experience that the person on the receiving end almost always appreciates it. It helps make their day just a little bit better. I see many people post on social media that no one ever checks in with them, and these are usually the same people who could use the attention at that moment.
3. Try to be more supportive and be there for people - Life can be frustrating for all of us from time to time. We've all had times when we were going through something, and we had no one to talk to or be there for us. So it's time to break the cycle. If you ever notice a friend or someone you barely know going through a tough time, try to be there for them and support them in any you can. Sometimes just letting them rant to you or just giving them a warm gesture can go a long way. It makes their situation a little less terrible.
4. Have a positive "vibe" - While it does sound very cheesy, it is actually very helpful. If you have fun and happy personality, people will generally want to surround themselves with you. This is because people are more likely to feel happy themselves if they are around those who are happy and fun. Just being friendly to someone you just met can make their better.
There's still much more that can be said about how to become more compassionate, but this is what I've generally found to help almost anyone in their efforts."