Last Updated on June 7, 2022 by Lori Geurin
Ready to feel inspired? Here are 20 quotes about compassion that’ll energize and motivate you to show more kindness to yourself and others.
But first, what is compassion?
Having compassion helps you put yourself in someone else’s shoes and see things from their perspective. But it’s more than just being empathetic.
Prince said, “compassion is an action word.”
It motivates you to go beyond yourself to improve someone else’s life. Being compassionate can look like helping someone and showing them you care by being there when they need you the most.
It’s feeling their pain and wanting to relieve their suffering. Altruism at it’s finest.
The opposite of compassion is callousness, apathy, indifference, and unresponsiveness.
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Showing Self-Compassion
When you’re pursuing health and wellness for life (or any goal, really) having self-compassion is key. Making positive changes in your lifestyle means lots of trial and error – finding out what works and what doesn’t.
On your wellness journey, it’s normal to meet failures along the way. This is how we learn and it’s a good thing (even though it doesn’t always feel good at the time). But, without compassion for yourself during this growth process, you might be tempted to give up all the healthy changes you’re making.
So, to keep yourself moving forward embracing healthy positive change, it’s important to show yourself compassion too.
Meaning, if you get off track with your diet and workout plan for a few weeks, don’t be hard on yourself. Give yourself some grace, remember your goals, and why you want to be healthy. Then forget about what’s in the past and do the next right thing.
Keeping this compassionate mindset for yourself and others will help you make healthy changes in your life – losing weight, improving your eating habits or relationships, maintaining a fitness routine, or whatever goals you set for yourself.
Mindset is everything. So be inspired by these 20 compassion quotes!
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20 Quotes About Compassion To Inspire You
1. “Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.” Confucious
2. “Compassion is about giving all the love that you’ve got.” – Cheryl Strayed
3. “Look for a way to lift someone up. And if that’s all you do, that’s enough.” – Elizabeth Lesser
4. “Compassion is a verb.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
5. “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” – John Bunyan

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6. “A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” – Steve Maraboli
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7. “Man may dismiss compassion from his heart, but God never will.” – William Cowper
8. “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” – John Holmes
9. “Compassion is an action word with no boundaries.” – Prince
10. “Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.” – Albert Schweitzer
(For more inspiration, check out these inner beauty quotes.)

More Compassion Quotes
11. “Let our hearts be stretched out in compassion toward others, for everyone is walking his or her own difficult path.” – Dieter F. Uchtdorf
12. “The nature of humanity, its essence is to feel another’s pain as one’s own, and to act to take that pain away. There is nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy, a grace in forgiveness.” – John Connolly
13. “Compassion is to look beyond your pain to see the pain of others.” – Yasmin Mogahed
14. “Compassion, not passion, keeps a marriage together.” – Betty Wright
15. “Compassion is the ultimate expression of your highest self.” – Russell Simmons
16. “It is not until you become a mother that your judgment slowly turns to compassion and understanding.” – Erma Bombeck
17. “Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and it’s beauty.” – Albert Einstein
18. “It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act.” – Dalai Lama
19. “As I get older, the more I stay focused on the acceptance of myself and others, and choose compassion over judgement and curiosity over fear.” – Tracee Ellis Ross
20. “We can’t heal the world today, but we can begin with a voice of compassion, a heart of love, an act of kindness.” – Mary Davis
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Summary – 20 Quotes About Compassion
Whether you’re in good health or dealing with a chronic illness, showing compassion for yourself is vital. And having a compassionate heart can bless others and show them that you care.
Compassion is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the bigger it gets.
There are so many simple ways to be kind and show love and compassion for other people. And you may never know just how much it means to those who need it the most.
If you liked this, you can find more inspirational quotes about strength and beauty here:
- 25 Best Thanksgiving Quotes To Inspire Gratitude
- 20 Inspirational Health And Fitness Quotes
- 25 Powerful Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes That Inspire
What’s your favorite compassion quote? Thoughts about what it takes to be compassionate?