Being a parent essentially boils down to teaching. Lots and lots of teaching. We bring these little teeny, tiny humans into the world and it's our job to make sure that they grow up to become good humans who can make the best decisions without us holding their hands through it. We're always trying to teach our children to have compassion for others and according to the experts, this wonderful trait does not only make you a good person - but it good for your health, too.

Identifying what exactly compassion is can be a pretty difficult thing to define because it's not tangible, yet something that one can feel inside. However, SheKnows spoke with many experts in the field, who have not only clearly defined the word but feel like it plays a key role in our over health whether we are on the giving or receiving end.

One of the best definitions comes from Dr. Barbara Vacarr, CEO of Kripalu, Center for Yoga & Health, who told SheKnows, “Compassion is a state of being in which we can feel from within our own experience sorrow, empathy, care for another human being. It becomes the vehicle that connects us.” And of course, the best way to have compassion is to take time to learn about others experiences, so that we can best connect with them on that intimate level.

But overall, compassion goes so much deeper because it plays a role in our everyday health. How does this work? When we take time to talk to others, it also brings out experiences, feeling, and emotions to the surface and helps us work through things that we are personally going through.

According to the Mayo Clinic Handbook for Happiness, author Dr. Amit Sood outlines that compassion can make you happier, decrease your stress levels and help put your own perceived problems into perspective by shifting your focus to the stresses of another.

Having compassion plays a huge role in your mental health and can honestly be the equivalent to feeding your body healthy food. It is a form of self-care that is probably more overlooked than anything, but still incredibly important to pay attention to.

So right now, especially with the holidays in full swing, take some time to more deeply connect with those around you and the new people that you meet - the outcome is endless and great for your health!

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