Gratitude Comes From an Empathetic Heart
Being grateful can lead you to empathy even if you have a heavy heart
You can’t teach empathy but I do believe you can inspire it. By showing gratitude and concern for other’s well-being besides your own, I think our emotional intelligence can thrive and even foster empathy. Being able to put yourself in the shoes of others is a gift and I am feeling heavy from just a little too much empathy lately.
I have a soft spot in my heart for people that struggle. When I read about someone who can’t afford groceries, lost a child or any family member for that matter, or people losing their rights in America, I cry for them. It’s hard to feel grateful when you read such things, especially when my heart sinks.
I feel for them and then I feel grateful which seems hypocritical but it is what keeps my heart from hurting. If I don’t tap into gratitude, I feel guilty for the things that I have. With everything that has been going on lately post-election here in the United States, I can’t stop myself from feeling awful for the people who are hurting.
My heart is heavy. I feel for my gay daughter and all of her friends that feel so defeated. I’ve had a hard time doing anything lately so I know I needed to tap into gratitude. My thoughts of “It could always be worse” come…
