What is empathy?

Empathy is one of those emotional intelligence skills that if you don't use it you lose it. Sadly it seems barely developed and nurtured before it seems to slip away from the mind and hearts of people. Empathy requires practice, showing up in situations with energy versus words such as job of sympathy.

When you empathize with a person or thing your really hearing and seeing the truest feelings associated with the moment. The invitation to offer empathy is not to take on the responsibility to fix or prevent future suffering. Holding space and validation for the emotions present is key. Empathy does not require agreement either, you can offer empathy while not being in agreement with the circumstances, again the validation of the emotions present is all that is nesecssary.

Most of the time when someone is experiencing upset, they just want to be heard. Hearing them allows them to find the logic to their feelings of how are precieving the event. Right or wrong the feelings are real although they may not be true they are very real. When you sit with someone in the shame, grief, sadness, anger what ever it maybe you can help normalize the mindset. When a persons mind is clear or less burdened they will become more resilient to handle the change that will result.

Providing support instead of offering a solution is far more empowering for the person your trying to be there for. Essential your giving them space to figure things out on their own terms.