214 // Compassion: Where Love Meets Suffering and Remains Love

We all go through hard times. People we love experience hard things. What do we do when we are faced with the suffering of others? It can be easy to either push it away because it is too painful to see, or we can go the other way and fully immerse ourselves in a way that is more enmeshment than compassion.

In this episode, Taralyn shares some personal experiences that have recently invited her to delve deep into what it means to be compassionate. She uses the work of Brene Brown, Kristin Neff, and Chris Germer to define what compassion is, what it is not, and how to use the power of true compassion to love people in the middle of their suffering.

Related episodes:

Parenting with Unconditional Love

179 // Do You Want a House Full of Kind Kids this Summer? Techniques to Help Raise Kind Kids

Books and links she mentioned:

Atlas of the Heart // Brené Brown

Brene with Chris Germer on theThe Near and Far Enemies of Compassion

Time Stamps

  • 7:00 - Definition of compassion

  • 10:00 - two less than healthy ways to meet suffering

  • 16:43 - Tip 1 - Boundaries help us fully feel compassion

  • 20:00 - “Help me bring more light to this situation”

  • 21:00 - Bubble of peace

  • 22:53 - Tip 2 - Mindfulness, being fully present with another person

  • 27:01 - Ask what that person wants from this conversation

  • 31:15 - The beauty of self-compassion