It’s no secret that there’s a lot of pain and suffering in the world. Whether it’s worse or there’s more than ever before is something that we can’t know. But sometimes it feels so overwhelming that the pain numbs us -and our reaction to others. Thus it can feel easier to give sympathy rather than offer empathy.
Sympathy still requires a response that’s heartfelt, yet it takes the emotions from our own heart -our own experiences. While sympathy is a kind gesture, it usually does more for the sender than the recipient. This is because we’re bringing the focus back on ourselves -how we feel- instead of how they really feel. And the only way we can know how they truly feel is through empathy.
While it might feel difficult or draining, there are ways to increase our empathy towards others that connect us beyond the superficial level. We can learn to listen to what they’re really saying without compromising our emotional state. Now more than ever it’s critical to protect our own state of mind while still being able to understand and feel as others do.