In our daily lives we talk about empathy, but what does it mean to be empathetic? Empathy can be defined as the ability to identify, understand, and share the feelings or perspectives of other people. In order not to confuse it with compassion, we must keep in mind that empathy is intrinsically non-judgmental.
“How to practice empathy in my life“?” To be truly empathetic, we must cultivate the ability to renounce. The effects of empathy not only remain in the direct benefits it has on the people close to us, but go far beyond the most immediate circle. In this Psychology article -Online we show you some ways to practice empathy.
Why develop an empathetic attitude?
Empathy improves relationships, increases work performance and even has positive long-term effects. Recent research has shown that we are social beings who we tend to take care of each other naturally, but there are also ways to train or teach it. In fact, we could say that not being empathetic goes against human nature.
Some benefits of empathy in our lives that make it very important to practice it are:
- It allows us to treat people the same way we would like to be treated.
- You will better understand the needs of the people around you
- You will better understand the perception that others form of you based on your words or behaviors
- You will reach a greater understanding of the
- In your work you will better understand the customer needs
- You will have fewer problems when dealing with interpersonal conflicts whether at work or at home
- You will have the ability to predict more accurately actions and reactions of the people who interact with you
- You will know how to motivate the people in your immediate environment
- You will have a greater ability to convince others of your points of view.
- In every experience you live you will not only count on your perception but also on that of the people around you.
- You will have an easier time deal with negativity of others if you can understand their motivations and fear When something goes wrong with someone, we must remind ourselves to calm down and accept the situation as it is.
- Empathy can make you a better leader, better follower, and better friend, in general: better person
Dynamics to practice empathy in adults
If you’re still wondering “how to practice empathy in my life“, we present situations and dynamics of empathy and assertiveness that can be very useful for you:
Be curious
As children, we are naturally inquisitive as we explore the world through our innocent and unbiased eyes. Sadly, as we grow, the monotony of routine can eat away at that freshness. In empathy lies a sense of curiosity, both for the people and the situations around us. Whether it’s the woman who sits next to you on the bus every day or the postman who delivers your letters every morning, make the effort to talk with people that you wouldn’t normally do with.
Listen
A person who knows how to listen is someone who provides full attention. Take the time to really listen to what others are telling you and try to feel the emotion behind the words. Very often, when we are given the space to talk something, we tend to find the solution through ourselves and a response is not even necessary.
Speak from your heart
Sadly, being a good listener is not enough, empathy is a two-way street. To create a deep and true alliance we need to be prepared to share our vulnerabilities.
Face your prejudices
Although we don’t want to admit it, most of us feel guilty when we label other people. Being truly empathetic means seeking common aspects between us and not differences. Volunteering is a good way to end those prejudices and connect with those people that we would not otherwise meet in our daily lives.
Maintain physical contact
Once your friend has opened up to you, you can go with the instinct to give it a hug. Research has shown that physical contact increases oxytocin levels, improving mood, lowering blood pressure and stress, etc.
Do dynamics for empathy in adults work?
A meta-analysis of 18 studies on the effects of empathy training showed that empathy training increased empathy levels.
Studies evaluate empathy in different ways, but many use tests that ask a series of situations and ask, what would you do in that situation if you were that person? While others use daily self-assessments. In all the measures used there seems to be a certain positive effect of training. Although we must keep in mind that these studies have limitations.
Those people who showed significant improvements were mainly health professionals or university students. And studies typically followed participants for a few weeks, not longer.
So we can’t be sure that we can increase empathy through formal training, any more than we can be sure if it is possible to help someone have more empathy over time. However, it never hurts to develop this aspect of our business.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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