Empathy is the ability to imagine yourself in the place of another and, from that vantage point, to be able to understand his or her feelings, desires, ideas, and/or actions, good or bad.
Empathy represents an identification with and understanding of another’s situation, feelings, and motives.
- Being empathically acknowledged sometimes feels like she or he is being hugged.
- An empathetic person understands, and in a way actually senses, another person’s feelings.
- “When conditions of deep, empathetic care are authentically embraced and applied by health practitioners, a climate of change and self-actualization will be created in the patients.”
Re-source: Re-empathize
understand and share the feelings of another
Show an interest in how others feel
- Having another person show an interest in, and attempt to understand our feelings is something we all crave and appreciate.
- Ask questions regarding feelings rather than facts.
Experience others’ feelings
- When you successfully understand and assume other people’s emotional states, they can sense your authentic involvement. You can’t fake this kind of connection.
Here are some ways you can develop your empathetic imagination.
- Accept other people’s feeling as legitimate.
- You’re not trying to judge whether they’re right. You’re only trying to understand how they feel about a particular situation.
- Try on a new point of view.
- Flex your imagination
- Ask for details
- Walk a day in someone else’s shoes.
Get in touch with your own emotions
- Review and reflect on your feelings.
- Build your imagination skills by observing empathy.
- Respond to Others’ feelings
- Remember conversations.
- Make yourself available for a follow-up conversation.
- Share feelings.
- Validate feelings
craving and resource from “The Likeability factor” by Tim Sanders
