June 30

Check in

Empathy: a part of wellbeing

Empathy, the capability of sensing others’ emotions and imagining what they are feeling, is important for wellbeing because it connects us to others, can lower stress, and helps us understand our moral compass better.

By practicing empathy, you practice emotional regulation; this means when you learn to understand others’ emotions effectively, you can apply to yourself and lower emotional stress. This may seem counterintuitive - how does seeing others’ perspectives lower our own stress? Won’t taking other people's problems on ourselves increase anxiety and stress?

One particular study aimed to answer this question. The research says that stress-prone people are better at cognitive empathy, which is the ability to imagine/feel what the other person is feeling, but not necessarily be able to act on it. The ability to act to help the other person is affective empathy. The conclusion we can draw from it is that “you can learn to manage your anxiety in a way that helps you remain open to seeing and addressing the needs of other people.” So lowering stress from empathy might be a work in progress for many of us. Practicing empathy will help us realize which situations we can and cannot control. And accepting that can lead to a less stressful life. It will just take practice as all new skills do.

Here are your check in questions for today:

1. How are you feeling today?

2. What are some ways you practice empathy currently?

One question to ask yourself to empathize with someone else: Have I felt this way? How would I want others to treat me if I was feeling this way?

Activities

Practicing Empathy

The surest way to get better as something is to practice it. Try to ask these questions to yourself the next time you find yourself wanting to empathize with someone else:

  1. Ask yourself: What is this person feeling? How can I tell by their voice, their posture?

    1. what you can do: maintain a comforting voice, lend a ear, and keep an open posture to let the other person know that you’re there for them

  2. Have I felt this way? Go beyond recognizing their feeling; imagine the time that you felt this way. which leads to:

  3. How would I want to be treated when I feel this way?

    1. Maybe you would like to feel heard. But make sure whatever action you take that it is in the other’s person’s preference/comfort. Some people like hugs, some people don’t. Make sure to ask and be aware.

Connect with others

It may be that you are not aware of who needs a little kindness today. Check in on friends and distant family members with a quick phone call or message :)

Resources

The Happiness of Others

Why does helping others make us happy? Perhaps the way to our own happiness is helping others find their own, too.

 

Have you ever wondered why, when we chase after happiness, it can seem very elusive? Meditation is about so much more than sitting with our eyes closed. In f...

Empathy requires our own strength

In a short animated video, Dr. Brené Brown tells us that a truly empathy connected requires us to get in touch with our own insecurities and fears.

 

What is the best way to ease someone's pain and suffering? In this beautifully animated RSA Short, Dr Brené Brown reminds us that we can only create a genuin...

Direct Link to Video: https://youtu.be/1Evwgu369Jw

Content found on: The RSA - https://www.youtube.com/user/theRSAorg

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