3 minute lesson
What is Empathy and How Can We Use It to Make the World Better?
Why is empathy such an important skill for us to practice?
It is the skill we need to really listen to and understand the people around us. Like any skill, we can get really good at it with practice.
Empathy is feeling with people, putting ourselves in their shoes, and trying our best to see the world from their perspective as we interact with them. Being empathetic is often quiet and more about listening, asking questions, refraining from judgment, and communicating that you recognize and understand the other person.
To help us understand what empathy looks like and why it’s so important here’s a short animation from the RSA.
Why It Matters
What would the world look like if we communicated with people using more empathy? Empathy helps us understand other people more deeply. It’s a skill that allows us to interact with more kindness. Here are three ways you can improve your empathy:
1.) Be Observant of Others. Focus on the other person’s state of being rather than trying to categorize them. Genuinely care, and be curious.
2.) Use Active Listening. Slow down and consider what the other person is saying before you speak. Ask followup questions. What are their life experiences? How did they grow up? Where do they come from? Remember, you don’t have to share somebody’s opinion in order to understand it and acknowledge it.
3.) Open Up. Opening up about your own experiences and sharing vulnerability helps us discover what we have in common.
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