Mindful Living – Showing intense Compassion at Negative News

Showing intense compassion at Negative News seems a must… and mindful living, on the other hand, seems to be the magic word of our time. Can these two things be together? Can you do both to the fullest while not sacrificing yourself? I sincerely ask myself that. Are you not too much distracted by suffering which is not your own suffering? Do you not lose sight of what matters to you in your life? That which is your theme right now and what you can work on to become a better self?

Mindful Living – Living your Life Consious…

Of course, this is something that is of all times, eating and living healthy. But by calling it mindful there is an extra dimension to it in my opinion, like meditation and yoga. This is purely my interpretation and I’m curious how you feel about it? I try to feel and see what I spend my energy on. Realize whether something I do is what I really want to do or whether it is done out of habit. And if it has become a habit, is it still something I want to keep doing? I can always make another choice and choose something else right?

Voor de NL versie van Intens Medeleven Tonen bij Negatief Nieuws

What do you Prefer in your Daily Life

One example is watching or listening to the daily news on TV or radio. This is totally unnecessary to live my life pleasantly! But then is it necessary to stay “updated”? Since a few years I don’t try hard to follow the news anymore, I don’t have any news app on my phone except Twitter. If I really need to know something I see it pass by there. Or I read it in the family app in whatsapp though. People are sometimes surprised that I hadn’t read something myself but that’s all 🙂

In recent years, I have noticed more and more that many people show Intense Compassion at Negative News. And I mean negative news in the broad sense of the word. Is that something of these times? Is that something people have always done but I only now notice because you have many more channels on which it can be shared?

Negative news on TV, from somewhere in this world or even a small thing in your own life.

What do you highlight in your life?

Showing Intense Compassion at Negative News

I’m sure it’s something that happens all the time, but I’ve noticed it a lot lately. This is of course because I pay attention to it and want to give it less attention in my life. The intense sympathy for everything and everybody… Even to people you don’t know…and who may live on the other side of the world. And then never even noticing that you have sympathised so intensely with them.

It’s like if this is not done you are not part of the same world because everyone struggles, right? Life is a Struggle… Why always show intense sympathy when there is negative news? To show that you also have feelings? That you feel sorry for the people on the other side of the world? You don’t know the people…. They don’t see you expressing it at all. Who are you doing it for?

What gets more of your compassion? Negative or Positive News?

It seems almost to be a must that you pay much attention to the negative things in life.

To empathise, intensely, with everyone who experiences bad things. I have the feeling that much more attention and time is spent on this than on the positive things in a person’s life. Remembering unpleasant moments every year, the death of a loved one. Expressing how much you miss someone and getting lots of reactions from people who understand and feel sorry for you. Of course I understand that you commemorate people and that is a good thing. I do that too, of course! But then at daily moments when something reminds me positively of someone. Then a memory comes along and I think of someone who taught me something, with whom I had a nice moment.

Of course, remembering is good, but does it have to be with the negative moments? Or can it also be done with the beautiful memories?

I prefer to share my happy memories. I would rather share happy memories and think about those happy moments again. Not so long ago I wrote that what you give attention grows… So then it is much more logical that I prefer to give positive things my full attention, isn’t it?

Or does society ask for this kind of attention/compassion?

Showing intense compassion at Negative News?

Is it also true that I have to show compassion in order to be part of this society? Is it true that I also have to suffer in order to understand what it is all about? And is it true that I don’t understand what it’s all about because I remember moments that were beautiful, moments that highlight where I had a good time instead of the moments where I was in deep trouble? I was once told: Oh well, that will come, and then you’ll see that not everything is nice…

But believe me… I have also had moments like that … Forgetting them quickly and only remember what I learned from them. I then think about what I have now, what I am happy with now and how I have managed. What use is it to me to remember that it was not good? I prefer to look ahead and live with the possibilities that are there now!

Mindful Living – Intensive Compassion

But I also think it is good to remember certain moments in our collective consciousness

I do support remembering World War II…. Something that should never happen again. But still I celebrate Liberation Day then so more, realizing what freedom we have…. What we owe it to and how things were once different. But in my life I do not have to remember the moments I learned from then and now have nothing to gain. Let me only remember the lesson and thus what I learned from it.

I celebrate life, I try to turn those learning moments into positive things.

Showing intense Compassion at Negative News

So it is that all the positive experiences I can now share come from the difficult or unpleasant moments I have also experienced. The difficult moments are the moments that are the most instructive. The difficult times when things were not going my way, when things were tough and when sometimes I didn’t see where something would lead and I might not have had faith in it anymore. It is true that, now I know that it is from those moments that I learn the most, I find it less bad to go through them. Knowing that they are moments that you learn from, that you come out better from and that you can look back on later, thinking: That’s why I can stand here now and do this.

And so I prefer to highlight the consequence of those moments, the positive consequence
rather than the negative moments that I learned from.

I really feel sometimes that if you don’t share your grief, don’t show your compassion intensely, but really huh? You do have to feel it intensely… Then you’re not participating or something?

Do you also feel this?

Do you also notice that many updates come along on Facebook and Twitter that focus on the suffering, sorrow and struggles you sometimes face in this life instead of the beauty you probably also experience….

Just like the news on TV.
If it’s not drama or if it’s not violent then it’s not news.

I prefer to spend my energy on different things!

I consciously choose not to do that and focus and spend my energy differently.

Maybe it is an idea to also withdraw from this society for 10 days and start meditating. I did this 3 times and each time it was super instructive and gave me new insights. Look for your options to do this!

Tip: I am now reading The Book of Joy, a week-long conversation between the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. I highly recommend reading it to everyone!!!

Both of them always emphasize being joyful, showing compassion and in that way finding an entrance to negotiation somehow. I read that they mention as one of the pillars to have sincere joy in your life: compassion. It is one of the human qualities to feel compassion. To also do something with that, to then feel better about yourself. Because you have done something for another. But also that if you find yourself in a negative position that you look at the other who has it worse and become satisfied with your own situation and thus no longer look at yourself with pity but with compassion, and with compassion for another.

A very positive side of compassion, showing compassion. Not for attention, not to show that you are in pain too but rather to ease your pain and make you feel better about it. Totally different perspective than what I describe above.

Do you share my opinion?
Then share this blog too 🙂

Looking for more Positive Inspiration?

Use the Power of Positive Thinking to your Advantage

Enjoy This Moment – Path to Happiness

What you Give your Attention Grows

How Lonely are you when you Travel Solo?

Vipassana 2.0 Dhamma Pajjota – Belgium

And do also read this experience!

Lessons I learned before – Vipassana

I hope you enjoy this world as much as I do!