Why Empathy is important?

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We are generally pretty well-attuned to our own feelings and emotions. But empathy allows us to "walk a mile in another's shoes," so to speak. It permits us to understand the emotions that another person is feeling.

For many of us, seeing another person in pain and responding with indifference or even outright hostility seems utterly incomprehensible. But the fact that some people do respond in such a way clearly demonstrates that empathy is not a universal response to the suffering of others.

So why do we feel empathy? Why does it matter? And what impact does it have on our behavior?

What Is Empathy?
Empathy is simply recognizing emotions in others, and being able to "put yourself in another person's shoes" – understanding the other person's perspective and reality.
To be empathic, you have to think beyond yourself and your own concerns. Once you see beyond your own world, you'll realize that there's so much to discover and appreciate!
People who are accused of being egotistical and selfish, or lacking perspective, have often missed the big picture: that they are only one person in a world with billions of other people 
If you've been called any of these things, then remind yourself that the world is full of other people, and you can't escape their influence on your life. It's far better to accept this and to decide to build relationships and understanding.

Why Is Empathy So Important?

·        Humans Are Social Animals

·        It Is Good for Business and Career

·        It Lets You Better Understand Non-Verbal Components of Communication

·        It Makes You Be Better at Handling Conflicts

·        It Makes It Easier to Convince and Motivate Others

·         It Broadens Your Horizons

"Be somebody who makes everybody feels like a somebody"

Why We Sometimes Lack Empathy?

At the most basic level, there appear to be two main factors that contribute to our ability to experience empathy: genetics and socialization. Essentially, it boils down the age-old relative contributions of nature and nurture. Our parents pass down genes that contribute to our overall personality, including our propensity toward sympathy, empathy, and compassion. On the other hand, we are also socialized by our parents, our peers, our communities, and society. How we treat others, and how we feel about others, is often a reflection of the beliefs and values that were instilled at a very young age. 

A few reasons why people sometimes lack empathy:
1. We fall victim to cognitive biases
Sometimes the way we perceive the world around us is influenced by a number of cognitive biases. For example, we often attribute other people's failures to internal characteristics, while blaming our own shortcomings on external factors. These biases can make it difficult to see all the factors that contribute to a situation and make it less likely that we will be able to see a situation from the perspective of another.

2. We dehumanize victims
People also fall victim to the trap of thinking that people who are different from us also don't feel and behave the same as we do. This is particularly common in cases when other people are physically distant from us. When we watch reports of a disaster or conflict in a foreign land, we might be less likely to feel empathy if we think that those who are suffering are fundamentally different than we are.

Empathy allows us to understand others and, quite often, compels us to take action to relieve another person's suffering.
 

Using Empathy Effectively

To start using empathy more effectively, consider the following:
1.   Put aside your viewpoint, and try to see things from the other person's point of view
When you do this, you'll realize that other people most likely aren't being evil, unkind, stubborn, or unreasonable – they're probably just reacting to the situation with the knowledge they have.
2.  Validate the other person's perspective
Once you "see" why others believe what they believe, acknowledge it. Remember: acknowledgment does not always equal agreement. You can accept that people have different opinions from your own and that they may have good reason to hold those opinions.
3.  Examine your attitude
Are you more concerned with getting your way, winning, or being right? Or, is your priority to find a solution, build relationships, and accept others? Without an open mind and attitude, you probably won't have enough room for empathy.
4.  Listen
  • Listen to the entire message that the other person is trying to communicate.  
  •  Listen with your ears – what is being said, and what tone is being used?
  •   Listen with your eyes – what is the person doing with his or her body while speaking?
  •   Listen with your instincts – do you sense that the person is not communicating something important?
  •    Listen with your heart – what do you think the other person feels?
5.  Ask what the other person would do.
It's fine if you ask what the other person wants: you don't earn any "bonus points" for figuring it out on your own.
Practice these skills when you interact with people. You'll likely appear much more caring and approachable – simply because you increase your interest in what others think, feel, and experience. It's a great gift to be willing and able to see the world from a variety of perspectives – and it's a gift that you can use all of the time, in any situation.

 Signs you're a highly empathetic person

·        You’re a giver, and sometimes you give too much

·        You’re highly intuitive and absorb others' emotions

·        People seek you out for help when they need someone to listen

·        You find many social situations are physically, mentally, and emotionally draining


“The Opposite of Anger is not Calmness, its EMPATHY”

Please leave your comments, your feedback is appreciated.

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