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Kindness

Kindness

How can we be kind to each other, to other creatures, and to the world?

2298 members
Posted byBeemoin/kindness-Jul 02, 2016 at 5:50 AMΔ

How to Show Empathy

  • Empathy
  • Meaning of Life

How to Show Empathy

Being able to practice empathy is one of the most important skills you can learn. In a world that spends so much time picking at flaws and igniting fear and anger in people, empathy can be a balm to that fear and anger. It can help you,...

wikihow.com
Comments2
  • ifindkarmaJul 02, 2016 at 6:01 AM

    Number 2 is Open up.

    Just listening to someone isn't going to build a bridge between the two of you.

    Opening up emotionally is an incredibly difficult and brave thing to do but it will deepen the connection with another person.

    Empathy is a two-way street. It's about sharing vulnerabilities and an emotional connection. To truly practice empathy you have to share your own inner landscape with someone else as they reciprocate.

    This doesn't mean you have to spill your life story to every person that you meet. You get to decide who you're going to share yourself with, but, to practice empathy, you have to be open to the possibility and the opportunity of opening up, especially with the people you least expect.

    Once you find an individual with whom you'd like to be more open, try the following: rather than leaning on thoughts or opinions in conversation, attempt to express your feelings about a given topic. Try to start your sentences with "I", or in the first person. For example, "I am very glad we got to hang out today." Finally, refrain from answering a question with "I don't know" especially if it is a personal question. People often respond in this way to prevent from going deeper with another person. Try to come up with an answer that truly expresses how you feel.

  • ifindkarmaJul 02, 2016 at 5:54 AM

    Number 1 is Listen.

    Listening is one of the most effective ways you can demonstrate empathy to other people. When you are practicing active listening, you are listening with purpose.

    You aren't fiddling about on your phone, or thinking about what you're going to make for dinner tonight, you're really taking in what the other person is saying.

    If you're listening to someone and you get distracted by thinking about dinner or whatever it is you want to say next in the conversation, bring yourself back to the present by saying "I was just thinking about _(last thing you remember them saying) and I was wondering if you could repeat what you just said so that I don't miss anything."

    Look the speaker in the eye (don't stare, but try to maintain eye contact), and sit facing the person. Don't let your gaze drift all over the place, because it will look as though you aren't paying attention and that you don't care what this person has to say.

    Active listening requires three things. First, paraphrase what the person said to show that you understood the content. This is a general listening skill as well.

    Second, reflect back your emotional reaction. Reflecting back your emotions is a key part of empathy because it helps the person better understand and regulate their own emotions. This is a core reason why we require empathy from others. Their reactions help us regulate our own responses and make sense of it in the world.

    Third, indicate how your response makes you want to behave. Expressing your behavior is another key element, because again you are demonstrating that you understand their emotional state and helping them figure out a behavior to move forward with.

Kindness

Kindness

How can we be kind to each other, to other creatures, and to the world?

2298 members
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