You’d be forgiven for mistaking sympathy and empathy for synonyms. Much of pop culture and even many dictionaries confuse the two. On a basic level, they are similar. But in a very meaningful, practical way—empathy and sympathy are two separate practices and distinct emotional responses. We'll identify the difference between empathy and sympathy by exploring their roots and meanings.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Posted in Emotional Intelligence, How to Build Empathy
Have you ever felt helpless when a friend or spouse shared their feelings? Not knowing what to say or do is uncomfortable. Perhaps you can relate. It's easy to find ourselves unprepared or in awkward situations when someone expresses intense emotions.
Empathy fills that dead zone with caring and empathetic responses to help the person feel heard and help YOU be confident in any conversation.
The ability to empathize is a vital EQ skill that can be learned.Read about a story illustrating a lack of empathy and low self-awareness in a real-life situation. Then, get the tools to never be caught [...]
Posted in Emotional Intelligence, How to Build Empathy
No one wants to be the target of another person’s anger. But almost everyone has been there. It’s an intense experience, whether the anger seems justified or not. Do you know how to diffuse an angry person? Do you know what words calm an angry person?
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Posted in How to Build Empathy
It happens every day: Someone talks to us about a challenge they’re facing. Perhaps a relative is sick, or their child got in trouble at school. Maybe their car needs an expensive repair, or they are lamenting about an argument they had with their spouse. Whatever the challenge, you might be at the receiving end. Do you know how to respond with empathy? And which is better: sympathy or empathy?
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
Posted in How to Build Empathy
