Compassion, the Builder

In recent posts around Self Care Conversations and Talk Reel ... I have shared links to dialogue around how we take better care of ourselves and others. I encourage the engaging of both posts if cultures of care are important to you. That in mind and heart, the next Virtue up ... on my regular Virtues address ... following up on Cleanliness and Commitment... is the Virtue that is Compassion.

Compassion

Let us deconstruct on Compassion for a moment.

Noticing the needs of others. Holding Empathy. Being helpful.

Caring, with listening.

Refraining from the toxic judgement or blaming. And. holding all of that for ourselves too. This is Compassion in practice.

Indeed and in deed, a return on that investment is our own Trustworthiness. Practiced with others, we become more trustworthy in their eyes. That said, when practiced with our own selves, we begin to better face our fears and doubts, with an ever stronger learning capacity to Trust in ourselves on our journey. Our self talk becomes more constructive.

I have observed this Strength of Character personally and professionally and seen and experienced its value on countless occasions over my 64 years on the planet and 44 years of career. At home, school, work, business, play and community, I have seen and experienced it. I believe and Hope that you have too. Compassion is not simply about being kind. It is noble principle and intention. It is a real Strength of walking our Character ... in sincerely earning that valuable quality of Trust...

... at home, school, work, business, play and community. With Compassion, we have the backs and hearts of family, friends, colleagues, clients, constituents and all of our stakeholders. Compassion builds bridges that bond... and forge genuine Loyalty.

Compassion Best Grounded and Practiced

Marcus Aurelius said,

• “Constantly think of the universe as a single living being, comprised of a single substance and a single soul; and how all things issue into the single perception of this being, and how it accomplishes all things through a single impulse; and how all things work together to cause all that comes to be, and how intricate and densely woven is the fabric formed by their interweaving”

I humbly suggest that this thought is fertile ground for realizing the importance of sincere Compassion, in practice. Marcus Aurelius also noted...

• “For as these were made to perform a particular function, and, by performing it according to their own constitution, gain in full what is due to them, so likewise, a human being is formed by nature to benefit others, and, when he has performed some benevolent action or accomplished anything else that contributes to the common good, he has done what he was constituted for, and has what is properly his.”

... speaking to Compassion and Benevolence as part of our higher nature, if you will.

And, Empathy is core to this practice. Marcus Aurelius notes,

• “In conversation, one should attend closely to what is being said, and with regard to every impulse attend to what arises from it; in the latter case, to see from the first what end it has in view, and in the former, to keep careful watch on what people are meaning to say”

Dale Carnegie said we should become genuinely interested in others. Enter Compassion. Let us ever better realize that Compassion matters because we are connected, whether we see it or not. It matters because it is part of our higher nature, something to which we ought to aspire towards. And, it is strengthened by our practice of Empathy.

SO...

My singular thought in this post is the encouragement of us all to read and reflect on the Compassion Card above and consider four questions.

• Where and with whom do I need better practice Compassion?
• How might that "make things better"?
• What would that look like, in practice?
• How might I practice it better with myself?

I shall be considering same. The world forward, it needs more of this Strength. Let us be part of advancing same. With it, we build a better world because we care about others, and ourselves. And, Compassion is a builder of Trustworthiness, at home, school, work, business, play and community. Let us build.

Oh, with Caring and Compassion in mind, I offer up A PEACE of WORK '25.

Peace, Purpose, Justice and Unity...

Barry Lewis Green, aka The Unity Guy with Epic Engage

• I am an Educator, Speaker, Coach, Author and Creator helping Educators, Entrepreneurs and Emerging Leaders lead for a better world with Character, Purpose and Unity. I help advance Character, Purpose and Unity as forces for that better world. In so doing, I bring my work as Master Facilitator with the Virtues Project? ... my experience as a Certified Facilitator with Personality Dimensions? ... and my Service as a Facilitator with the Ruhi Institute and as Practitioner of the work of What Color is Your Parachute? since 1982.
• I invite you to check out Character, Leadership and Education...
• ... and The Humanity Map
• ... and 3 Foundation to Cool, Constructive Change
• ... and TUGtv...
• ... and The #hUmaNITY Podcast ... officially launching in October 2024...
• ... and The Epic Entrepreneurial Assessment...
• ... and The Epic Engage Onesheet...
• ... and my services forward. I and we serve...

• "I had the distinct pleasure of being in an audience in Montreal with Barry Lewis Green on the stage. Quite simply, Barry absolutely captivated us with his talent, his message, and his heart. The feeling of Unity that Barry created in the room that day was extraordinary. I absolutely recommend him for your meeting or event." --- Joe Calloway

• "The Mount Pearl Paradise Chamber of Commerce were fortunate enough to have Barry Lewis Green as a presenter for a Webinar Series we recently offered. He was so engaged with his audience and made everyone feel valued. He brought excitement and energy to our session and certainly shared his passion and knowledge with us. We will certainly be having Barry back for another series. Thanks Barry for being so professional." - Wanda Palmer

• "Barry has a presence...I have known of Barry’s work for many years but have gotten to know him as a friend and colleague within the past five. Whether it be in person or during a presentation, he has the uncanny ability to pull on all of your emotions while driving home key messages that provide personal clarity. Barry’s presentation skills can be explained as ‘heavy metal hits’ meets ‘folk tunes’ meets ‘sounds of nature’. He has an arsenal of skills that is quite eclectic. As a Master Facilitator for The Virtues Project and several other impactful programs, he combines a wealth of knowledge with his own extensive library of content creations. He is highly respected and well-connected within the speaking and social action communities. Barry is a true champion of character leadership. He ‘talks the talk’ and ‘walks the walk’. He approaches each and every interaction with passion and ZEAL! I highly recommend reaching out to Barry for collaboration opportunities." - Trent Langdon

• "The most learned or experienced person is not always the one who helps us grow and thrive. We all grow and thrive with those who ask the important questions in a loving and Noble manner - with the patience to allow our thinking to unfold, our feelings to emerge and our spirits to soar. This is what being in the same space with Barry is like. Working with Barry on #hUmaNITY is such a joy. I feel the excitement of standing before a blank canvas at the beginning of every gathering, exploring the depths of our creative energies throughout the conversations shared, and emerging at the end with a piece that I could not have painted singularly even on my best days. That is what conversations with Barry feels like. He is organized and efficient. Fearless and Bold. Lives with arms wide open.... and has the best questions (which begin with "I wonder....") asked in a most inclusive manner within a safe space that I often forget we are recording and that others will be witnessing our responses." - Russell Zehtab

• "Barry is compassionately honest. He has the talent to say what needs to be said in a way that people "get" it. His honesty and intelligence come through whether he is presenting on stage or just hanging out with friends. And...have you heard him sing? Man... he has a set of lungs that can wail a tune. Talented, smart and funny, when he takes the stage, he commands the stage." - Lea Brovedani

• "It takes immense strength of character to insistently amplify the goodness of every individual whose destiny crosses path with one’s own, no matter how briefly. This is who Barry is. The precious gift of Barry’s faith in you compels an irrepressible desire to show up as the best version of yourself. And in a world aching for radical hope and pragmatic wisdom, Barry is the gentle torch bearer whose light is constant amidst the maelstrom of fads. Should you then find your path intersecting with Barry’s, pause for a while in his companionship, and make space for the gift of his life-changing attention. I know because I paused. Barry, my heart continues to expand with immense gratitude for your indescribable presence. And this gift of an expanding heart, is priceless ??" - Dr. Roslina Chai

• "I had the privilege of collaborating with Barry on one of our projects, Her Own Boss. His skill in value-based facilitation is nothing short of transformative. With a warm, inclusive teaching style, he connected deeply with our participants, helping them uncover their core values and guiding them in applying these principles to their businesses. I heard great things about him from our previous cohort and I witnessed that firsthand when I attended some of his sessions. If you're looking for someone who can train you/your team in values-driven facilitation, look no further than Barry." - Serah Gazali

• "Working with Barry Lewis Green is a lovely silver lining to navigating through Covid times. We connected for thoughtful monthly Digital Coffees. Barry’s ease with the art of meaningful conversation and asking questions that inspire me to dig deeper always result in a joy-filled journey through many topics. I am one of many colleagues Barry engages with regularly for TUG TV - so many topics, something truly for everyone! Barry’s charismatic personality and zeal for life makes it an absolute joy to work on any project with him. And just wait until Barry launches his BOXSA project!" - Elaine Dunphy