Empathy is all about being able to feel the emotions of others and understand their situation. When you are empathetic, you’re able to relate to people much more. This ability tends to lead you to be more grateful for what you have and more apt to help others regardless of how well you know them.
Listen More
When you are around, people focus on what they are saying instead of what you want to say. Really listen without judgment. There is no need to speak and comment on everything. Ask leading questions to get deeper, more meaningful responses, while letting them know you hear and understand them, at the same time.
Open Up Emotionally
Don’t be afraid to show your emotions when you’re conversing with people or experiencing something. Emotions are not a bad thing to experience. Whether it’s happiness or sadness or something else, emotions are a good thing to experience. Show people your feelings.
Challenge Your Prejudices
Most of us have gone through life living around the same type of people, usually, people who look and act like us. That doesn’t mean that people who look differently and act differently are wrong. Start reading about issues that you know you don’t know enough about that cause you to react with fear and prejudice.
Offer Physical Affection
When someone is sharing with you, show the appropriate type of physical affection based on your knowledge of them. For some people, that might be as simple as looking in their eyes and sharing a tear. For yet others, it may be patting their back, or hand, or even giving and offering a hug.
Pay Attention to Your Surroundings
To be truly empathetic, you need to be mindful of your surroundings. Open doors for people who need help, step aside so someone can move past you, pick up something someone drops. If you don’t pay attention to what’s happening around you, it’s hard to show empathy.
Be Genuinely Curious About Strangers
When you run into people or meet people, show that you really are interested in them. Ask the right questions, make it about them. Listen to what they say, catch their eyes, watch how they light up if you compliment them. When you really want to know about someone, it shows.
Don’t Judge People
Even when people are doing things that you disagree with, you have to remember that you don’t really know anything about them. Judging people always backfires. In fact, the more you judge others, the more you likely judge yourself, and the harder it will for you to be empathetic.
Offer Help and Assistance
When you see that someone needs help, just do it. Even if it’s as small as opening a door, standing aside, or letting them in your lane in traffic – it means a lot. You have no idea what someone else is going through on any given day. Your smallest gesture may mean everything to them.
It can be hard to feel empathy for some people who have not been taught how. However, if you want to learn how to be more empathetic, it starts with you being willing to listen to and hear what someone is telling you without judgment so that you can believe deep down inside their account. Compassion is a vital part of humanity.