3 quotes to encourage empathy
Many people have someone they know that they despise. This may be because of what they’ve done to them, out of jealousy or out of social norm. They could be hating an outcast, have been done wrong by them in the past or have a deep-seated insecurity that they haven’t solved yet.
Life is tough... And we’re all in it together.
What we need to do is increase our seeking to understand them rather than hate them and solve our own problems so we don’t lash out at people.
Essentially, we need more empathy.
Let’s solve our problems first, here’s a quote to think about before we go over the 3 quotes on empathy.
“Your perception will become clear only when you can look into your soul.” — Carl Jung
Meaning you will only begin to understand why you see the world as it is when you begin to understand yourself. Think to yourself, have you been feeling like the world has been against you? And why?
Keep asking questions and either acknowledging them (meditation) or writing them down (journaling).
I used to be a hateful person and it wasn’t until I began to meditate and have quiet time alone that I began to forgive more.
People have their own struggles. You do too. Own yourself and forgive yourself. Read yourself and your thoughts. Don’t worry, you won’t have to show anyone.
“Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another.” — Alfred Adler
Think to yourself, what would I do if I were them? If I were experiencing the same thing as them? If I had the same beliefs as them? The answer may be that you’d do the same. I certainly have come to the same conclusion when I thought about others.
They may have personal struggles. They may have a hard time at home or are going through the death of a family member. Most of the time, you’ll come to the following conclusion: you’d act the same.
“When you show deep empathy toward others, their defensive energy goes down, and positive energy replaces it. That’s when you can get more creative in solving problems.” — Stephen Covey
Empathy cannot only dissolve hatred in you, but it can also help benefit the person in question. Who knows, they may need someone to listen to. Be that person.
In a world full of talkers, it’s refreshing to be in the presence of a listener.
“Man is affected not by events, but by the view he takes of them.” — Epictetus
Empathy is about perspective. How we view the other person. If we view them from our perspective, we may dislike them. But if we view them from their perspective, we’ll begin to understand them.
Don’t make life harder than it’s supposed to be. If one belief benefits you more than the other, wouldn’t it make sense to take that belief?
