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Empathy is about attempting to understand others by seeing things from their perspective, even if we don’t share their experiences or circumstances. While it’s okay to share our own experiences or make suggestions, it is also important to avoid giving the impression that we have all the answers. Instead, it makes more sense to present one’s experience as a possible option that can be adapted to their situation.
THE BEST KIND OF EMPATHY IS COMPASSIONATE EMPATHY!
Compassionate empathy is a blend of understanding and action to help someone in need. Unlike simply understanding someone’s situation (cognitive empathy), or feeling their pain (emotional empathy), compassionate empathy involves both understanding and taking steps to alleviate the problem.
People facing difficulties often need more than just understanding; they need action to resolve their problems. Compassionate empathy provides a balance between emotion and reason, allowing us to fully grasp another person’s situation and provide the appropriate support.
By exercising compassionate empathy, we can understand another person’s pain as if it were our own and express sympathy, while also remaining in control of our emotions and using reason to make informed decisions and provide the necessary support.
Everyone’s experiences are unique, and what works for one person may not work for another. But that shouldn’t stop us from trying to help. We show that we care and are there for them by DOING what we can.
When struggling to understand someone else’s perspective, it’s helpful to keep the following in mind:
You do NOT have all the information: People have many factors influencing their situation that we may not be aware of.
Perspectives can Change: Our thoughts and feelings about a situation can vary from day to day, depending on our mood and other factors.
Emotional stress can impact behaviour: When under pressure, we may behave differently than expected.
Stop lecturing and badgering those who are struggling, laid off, or are crazy enough to dream VERY big, please! It is critical to better understand others and provide the empathy and support they need. After all, we will all face our own struggles at some point, and it is important to have that same understanding in return.