listening to someone rather than trying to talk to them
asking someone how they are feeling if you think there is something wrong
learning about people from different backgrounds and cultures
showing concern and care for others
paying attention to the needs of others
getting to know someone better instead of judging them
Practicing empathy sounds easy enough, but unfortunately many people are so preoccupied with their busy and time pressured routines that they neglect it; and that is why it is so important to pay attention to the simple ways we can become more empathetic.
Having empathy is at the core of experiencing meaningful and successful relationships, and paying attention to ways of further developing it in your own life will go a long way in helping you to become a more understanding and responsive individual.
“Empathy is a skill like any other human skill. If you get a chance to practice, you can get better at it.” (Simon Baron Cohen)
“… maybe part of our formal education should be training in empathy. Imagine how different the world would be if, in fact, that were ‘reading, writing, arithmetic, empathy.” (Neil deGrasse Tyson)
“If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from his angle as well as your own.” (Henry Ford)
Getting Personal
If you were chosen to be an empathy instructor, what is the one facet of empathy that you would focus on the most in your teachings? Why would you choose this one particular facet?
…Top of post quote, by Michael Stutman
