Empathy as a Bridge to Cultivating Deeper Relationships - Part 2
Hello Everyone and Happy Spring! This is absolutely my favourite time of year, so I hope you too, are enjoying the warm weather and sunshine!
Spring is such a great time to re-evaluate our lives, our loves, and our work to ensure we are cultivating positive relationships. The reason it is such a great time, is because it is a time of rebirth in so many ways. Trees and flowers come to life, the sun is warm and the temperature is rising; so all of life has a positive vibe to it, we literally feel more alive and energized; focusing on positive impact at this time, delivers it ten fold!
So today we are going to look at "Empathy as a Bridge to Cultivating Deeper Relationships" to further foster those positive interactions.
The true definition of Empathy is "the action of understanding, being aware of and being sensitive to the feelings, thoughts and experiences of another". I often hear people say that they "just don't have empathy" and I often wonder why that is? Perhaps, you fear saying or doing the wrong thing, or asking the wrong question, or maybe it's about getting to close to a situation and not knowing what to do with it; those are all valid concerns. Read on and I'll see if I can help you with how to show your empathy in the best possible ways!
If we revisit last month we spoke of the importance of paying attention to our thoughts and feelings. But we can also use that skill to be paying attention to other people (being others focused if you will); in doing this, you are far more likely to notice those feelings, thoughts and experiences that others may be going through, which would give you the opportunity to show empathy.
Empathy forms the bridge that connects us to others on a deeper level. It's the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. In these times the other person feels completely heard and valued in that relationship with you and when you show someone empathy, you validate their feelings, emotions and experiences.
Here are some great ways you can show empathy to another human being:
Actively listen to them, without interruption, really put yourself in their shoes.
If you don't know what to say, then say that; it will really show them you understand that depth of the situation, it's a wonderful way to just exist for them
We never want to judge, question, or offer solutions (not offering solutions is the most difficult one for me, I just want to make it better so badly)
Try really hard not to make assumptions, who, what, when, where or why this happened, is now irrelevant
You might ask "how can I help?" and offer words of understanding and love... but know that they likely don't have an answer to that question; the great thing is, that the moment they do, they'll know just who to reach out to.
Empathy is considered a skill because these items can be difficult to implement, it takes practice and focusing on others and in our busy world, that may be the toughest part... slowing down enough to really see another person; when we do this well, we create a safe and supportive environment where relationships can flourish.
So, cultivating relationships is goal for today, really look at the person who shows up in front of you. You'll be using the skill of Attention and you'll be adding the skill of Empathy from this month. It doesn't have to take long, just a quick pause and look into their eyes; do it whether it's your child, your teenager, your spouse, or a coworker, just take a moment to really pay attention. When was the last time you really looked your people in the eye? Do they need your empathy today?
Why is this such an important topic? Research shows that the single biggest component to offsetting depression and anxiety is feeling valued and part of a community; who can you invite into your community today?
Also, just a reminder that the next round of my 6 week Emotional Fitness program begins Tuesday April 23rd. For more information and/or to register, please click the link below.
https://www.cathycoleman.ca/emotional-fitness
Got questions? Not sure if this is for you? I love questions, so much so that I am providing a link below that you can click and book a 30 minute complimentary session to get all the information you need to make a decision and with no pressure!
https://tidycal.com/cathy2/30-minute-meeting
Have a wonderful April and I'll see you all again soon!
