Empathy is our ability to relate. It starts with the awareness that someone or something is calling for our attention. It follows with choosing to connect, to understand & feel into it. And it ends with responding with care & compassion.
Empathy is innate. And we can apply it to all our relationships. When we apply it in relationship with::
… to others, we experience companionship and belonging.
… to our emotions, we feel agile and strong,
… to our career, we feel purposeful and driven.
When our empathy blossoms, we are fully present. The body is settled and peaceful. The mind is free from judgment, clear and creative. The heart is open and generous.
Empathy makes relationships more meaningful and fulfilling. It is life affirming.
Whenever I am struggling, I take it as calling to use my empathy. I know it to be my most creative and powerful resource. It brings transformations that lead to more joy and satisfaction.
After many years on this road, I have also learned that sometimes we struggle to bring these transformations to life. And that is because empathy is also skill.
When we are stuck, it means we have reached the limit of our skill. It is time to invest in expanding it. And the best way to do it is to get support; to reach out to those further ahead on the path of wise and compassionate self-development.
➡️ Share this post if you’d like to live in a world where more people rely on each other and on the power of empathy.
PS.: This post is inspired by research by Stanford Prof Jamil Zaki, author of the War for Kindness, and Karla McLaren, author of The Art of Empathy.
