Сompassion for others and for oneself – implications for well-being
Сompassion for others and for oneself – implications for well-being

Summary/Abstract: Suffering is experienced differently by each person. Compassion for others and for oneself is important for coping with suffering and for individual well-being. This article is an overview of aspects of well-being and their interrelationships with compassion for others and for the self. Relationships between empathy and life satisfaction, positive and negative affect, and new research illuminating the dark side of empathy are discussed. It is demonstrated that both receiving and granting sympathy are associated with increases in subjective and objective well-being. The article also presents an overview of self-compassion and its relationship to well-being, the potential to reduce depression, anxiety, self-criticism, and to promote optimism and happiness. These findings have important implications for many are-as of life, including quality of social relationships, team cohesion in the workplace, parenting, and therapy.

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