Empathy is a person’s ability to understand other people’s feelings and perspectives. Practicing empathy trains you to become less judgmental. When you see life from another point of view, it allows you to easily connect with other people.
Some people can quickly relate to the dreams and challenges experienced by others. If it feels like it doesn’t come naturally to you, you can learn how to show more empathy. Like any skill, empathy can be developed with effort and practice. Though empathy is directed towards others, it also has a positive impact on your life.
Benefits of Empathy
It’s human nature to surround yourself with people you share similarities with because it’s easier to interact with them. For example, you may feel more at ease with someone who lived in the same city as you did than someone who grew up in another country. However, practicing empathy means showing an interest in perspectives and experiences that are different from your own. Apart from learning something new, there are many advantages to being more empathetic.
- Strengthen relationships – Listening to the concerns of others without passing immediate judgment can help create a stronger bond among your family, friends, and coworkers.
- Boost happiness – Creating stronger connections is linked to increasing the joy you experience in life.
- Increase emotional intelligence – Raising your awareness of other people’s feelings can improve how you handle your interpersonal relationships, which is part of emotional intelligence.
- Improve communication skills – Since you have a better understanding of the emotions, needs, and thoughts of those around you, it allows you to more effectively communicate with them.
Ways to Practice Empathy
While there are people who are naturally more empathetic, there are exercises you can do to help increase your empathy.
Talk to New People
Sometimes, imagining how someone feels or thinks is not enough. To fully understand other individuals, talk to them and let them tell you about their experiences. Initiate conversations with strangers or people you don’t know well and get to know them. For example, invite your new colleague or neighbor out for lunch, ask them how they’re doing, and what their life is like.
Listen Actively
When you’re having conversations, make sure to focus on the person you are talking to. Put away your phone, tablets, and anything that may distract you. Even if you meet with that person every day, be fully engaged in your discussions. You can show genuine interest in what they are saying by looking at the speaker directly, being mentally present, refraining from preparing a response, and observing their body language. By actively listening, you get to fully learn about the person.
Reserve Your Judgments
It’s natural for people to have biases but you can refrain from passing judgments and making assumptions. When talking to other people, do not think that their lives or wants are similar to yours. For example, if you are getting to know your colleague, don’t assume that they have an opposite-sex partner, want children, or live in a spacious home.
Walk Someone Else’s Life
The best way to understand someone’s life is to immerse yourself in the experience. Join them when they go to church, visit a place with foreign customs, or do volunteer work in a different community. Immersing yourself in a new community or culture allows you to broaden your range of experiences, so you also have the chance to learn things firsthand.
Read Books
Entering the lives and minds of fictional characters can increase your capacity to understand thoughts and feelings different from yours. Authors with diverse backgrounds can give you a whole new point of view and experience when you read their writing. You can also read history books, memoirs, and biographies to learn more about the lives and conflicts of real people, too.
Practice Compassion
Often, empathy is linked to being compassionate because it involves acknowledging the struggles of another person. Compassion lets you translate your empathy into a desire to help. For example, you can support people recovering from substance use disorder through simple acts such as sharing encouraging words for someone in rehab.
Be Open
You’ll encounter people with different opinions. Sometimes, you may not agree with their insights. In such cases, remember to keep your mind open. You can engage in conversations even without forcing your opinion. Also, you can read up more about the topic and expand your knowledge around it. If you still find yourself having a different perspective from the other person, then consider agreeing to disagree.
When people consider other perspectives before starting a disagreement, this can lead to better relationships and may contribute to a better society. Empathy benefits everyone. If you feel you need to be more empathetic, you can develop it with time and practice. Making empathy part of your daily life can help you grow as a person and make a difference in your interactions with other people.
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