Look for similarities

I found something I wrote in my journal a couple of weeks ago and I wasn't sure if I'd posted it on my blog or not.  I went back to look through my posts and didn't see it but I could've missed it.  I'm going to post it now -- I apologize if it's something I posted before.

One of the ways the ego defines itself is by differentiating "self" from "other."  Probably many of us tend to notice the ways other people are NOT like us.  A good strategy to start letting go of the ego is to start noticing the ways that we are SIMILAR to others.  Noticing the similarities between yourself and other people promotes compassion - if that person is like me then he or she must experience the same feelings that I experience.  When you see someone get upset stop for a moment and remember a time when you felt that way.  If you encounter someone who is going through a difficult time try to imagine what you might feel if you were in a similar situation.  Putting yourself in another person's shoes -- understanding how that person feels -- is called empathy.  Empathy is one of the core components of compassion.