By Dr. Katie Eastman
A text flashes—another school shooting.
A social media post—Ukrainian schoolchildren bombed.
My heart sinks as I collapse into my chair, nausea filling my stomach. Like many of you, my whole being cries out, Why? Can’t we do something? The words that escape my mouth are, Please, make it stop. Then, with a deep breath, I remind myself: Yes, we CAN do something!
We can commit to compassion. Every one of us, no matter where we are, who we are, or what politics we follow, can say ENOUGH! It begins with us. How?
First, take the compassion test:- How do I communicate?
Do I listen, or do I interrupt?
Am I open to new ideas?
Am I a critical thinker?
Do I embrace different perspectives and learn from others’ experiences?- Do I speak in a calm, nurturing tone?
Do I listen with the intent to uplift another?
Am I someone others would describe as respectful?
If we are to turn around the vitriol and beliefs that fuel hate and violence, we must make compassion our constant focus—all of us. When we take mental health for granted—ours and our family’s—we become part of the problem. Everyone must look in the mirror and commit to teaching and modeling kindness, caring, patience, understanding, and a focus on lifting each other up.
We must stand up to any form of bullying. Create a preamble for your home, one that you and your loved ones agree to follow:
In our home, there will be no:
- Shaming
- Blaming
- Criticism
- Judgment
We practice peace, we stand for peace, and we will only tolerate peaceful dialogue.
Imagine if every household created a peaceful preamble?
Takeaways:
I am part of the solution to gun violence.
2. I commit to being compassionate by regularly taking the compassion test and reminding myself how I want to communicate.
3. My family creates a peaceful preamble that includes no shaming, blaming, judging, or criticizing.
4. I stand up to bullying and demand compassion.
5. I lift others up.
“To live an UPLIFTING LIFE is to learn and grow from loss and change.“
About Dr. Katie Eastman
Dr. Katie Eastman is a national grief/trauma therapist, speaker, and consultant with ReCreate Coaching and Counseling in Anacortes, Washington. As a licensed psychotherapist, licensed social worker, and life coach specializing in loss and transition, she supports individuals and communities before, during, and after serious loss for the past thirty years. By allowing the pain of loss to serve as an opportunity for positive change she helps people of all ages reaffirm and recreate meaning by revealing the individual and collective skills, gifts, and talents we each bring to the world. An engaging author and storyteller, she is known as an authentic force for good and love. Dr. Eastman was a student of Dr. Kubler-Ross and was deeply affected by her work throughout her career.
Dr. Eastman is the author and co-author of multiple books, including her new book UPLIFTING: Inspiring Stories of Loss, Change and Growth (Balboa Press, 2024) and PERCOLATE - Let Your Best Self Filter Through (Hay House 2014).
Visit: https://www.drkatieeastman.com/ for more information.
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