What is empathy? To put it simply, empathy gives way to building valuable social connections. It is about being able to share your feelings and receive the feelings of others in a space that is free of judgement. Putting yourself in the shoes of others allows you to understand them and their perspective a little bit better. Empathy can be practiced and expressed differently from person to person, but overall, it can truly enrich a social interaction and turn it into a deeper connection.
The Benefits of Empathy
Practicing empathy is beneficial to society as it actively enriches our lives and the lives of those around us. We know that social engagement and connection is truly crucial to our well-being. Therefore, when engaging with others, it is important to really listen and acknowledge the pain or general feelings of those around us. It is also worth noting that there is no specific script for empathy, but showing encouragement, interest, support, and just general openness really makes a difference in our conversations.
Practicing Empathy
Although there is a certain stigma or negative attribution to being seen as “sensitive” or “too emotional”, it should not be attributed to being empathetic. It is quite common to carry the weight of your emotions and experiences out of fear of being judged or stigmatized. However, by encouraging members of society to actively practice empathy, people would be increasingly motivated to speak up and share their emotions and experiences without feeling alienated. Therefore, it is important to exercise empathy by establishing comforting, safe, and engaging deeper social exchanges, without mistaking it for sympathy and without adding judgment to the conversation.
As a community, if we work on building the skill of empathy, by advocating for it, actively trying to change our conversations, being more attentive, and supporting each other, we would all be working on reducing judgement. Instead of displaying misfortune towards someone else, we could create a culture of not necessarily depending fully on one another but feeling safe and happy to seek help or a mere shoulder to cry on when needed. If we all choose empathy, that leads to a change in how we perceive and tackle social interactions and personal problems, hopefully resulting in a more colorful world.