When we relate to ourselves with more kindness and compassion we also become better at reading others and developing empathy and understanding for everything that they go through. We realise that challenges, stress and suffering are things we all encounter sometimes – something which we all share and which connects us. Compassion is not to be confused with pity. Pity is something that separates, pity feels sorry for ‘that poor person over there’, as if they were somehow different from us, whereas compassion acknowledges that ‘me, too, I’m part of the human condition of stress, dis-ease and suffering and am sharing in that with you’. Realising this connection, helps us to relate to others with more openness and empathy and brings more lightness, honesty and ease to our relationships.