- Jolie Jacobsen
Let Compassion act as Your Anchor
My phone rang late in the afternoon. It was a close friend of mine. She called to talk with me about some challenges
we were working on regarding some of her real estate in Salt Lake City. For as long as I’ve known her she’s been very
successful at buying and selling real estate.
But, the downturn we’ve been going through for the past five years has caused
her to be challenged in many ways.
Jolie is not alone. I’ve
been working with lots of people over the past few years that are in the same
position. It’s a new experience for such
successful people to be facing circumstances they believe to be potentially leading
them to what they view as failure. As my
conversation with Jolie continued it became clear that she was feeling alone.
I understand that feeling all too well. So at that point, rather than being her real
estate expert, I knew it was time to be her friend. I told her that I understood her challenges
because I’ve faced them personally and that I’ve worked with hundreds of people
who have been through what she’s going through; and, who are currently going
through what she is.
I could hear her listening as well as sniffling. Then she drew in a big breath and said, “It
makes me feel better knowing that I’m not the only one.”
When I heard her say that, I was glad I listened to my
little internal voice! And then, just as
that gladness was waning that same little voice sounded as a strong encouraging
voice saying, it’s always important to let the people who are important to you
know that you have the same human worries and challenges they do. Doing so will always deepen your relationship
and bring more meaning to your life as well as to the life of your friend.
Showing compassion to others is sometimes over looked in
life these days. If you will incorporate
it into your life, you’ll soon see that it doesn’t make you smaller in the eyes
of others. It will anchor your
relationships in a way that can happen in no other way.
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