In Compassion-Focused Therapy, derived from Buddhism, “compassion” is defined as “a sensitivity to suffering of self and others, with a commitment to try to alleviate it and prevent it.”1 It’s about alleviating long-term suffering, which may require facing uncomfortable situations in the short term. Niceness is about how you’re being perceived—it’s doing something for the sake of being seen as good. Compassion isn’t about being liked; it’s about being connected to ourselves, because we can’t be compassionate to others if we’re not also being compassionate to ourselves. We’re not being
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