Vitamin E is for Empathy

“Anyone who has experienced a certain amount of loss in their life has empathy for those who have experienced loss.” ~ Anderson Cooper

I think it is unfortunate that we were never taught empathy in school. We must wait until we enter the school of adversity and grief before we learn about being empathetic to another.

Whereas sympathy means to care and offer support; empathy goes deeper. It means really feeing the emotions of the other; literally feeling what it is like to walk in their shoes.

Just for today, feel for another and be empathetic!

Coach Carolyn

Your Dose of Vitamin C - Be Caring

Today’s dose of Vitamin C is “Be Caring.”

Caring means feeling and showing concern for another person. When you care you literally step into the shoes of another human being. I love that because when you are walking in their shoes, you can’t step on their toes! This is true empathy; this is what the Apostle Paul called “lovingkindness.”

When you are being caring to another, you are very present to them and to yourself. Therefore, there is no fear, no doubt, no worry, no limitations. Just care.

In the book, From Chaos to Coherence, Doc Childre and Bruce Cryer says, “Care is the glue that keeps relationships together once the novelty has worn off.” How great is that?

Your daily affirmation: “Today, I choose to be caring!”

Just for today, be caring!

Coach Carolyn

Life Lessons as Antibodies

"People are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound." ~ James Allen

Acting as the body's army, antibodies are proteins generally found in the blood that detect and destroy invaders, like bacteria and viruses. As humans, we build up enough antibodies to ward off certain diseases, like colds and flues. This is a great metaphor for life. When something seemingly negative happens to us ~ some painful event or someone hurts us, that painful event becomes our antibody.

We need these life lessons to make us the great works of art we were created to become. This also builds up another muscle within us, and that is the empathy muscle. When we have been wronged or hurt, we tend to go one of two ways. Either we move on to hurt others – hurting people hurt people; or we work at not wanting to inflict any hurt on anyone because we know the pain it can cause.

So, when these life lessons, come your way – and they will, do not define them as nuisances; re-define them as the antibodies needed to build up your empathy muscle. STOP, TAKE A BREATH, and ASK…

What was MY part in this painful event?
What am I to learn from this painful event?
What are the blessings from this painful event?

When you can take 100% responsibility for your actions, your circumstances will begin to shift.

Coach Carolyn