Marena Beale
Professor Shelley
English Composition 110
November 7, 2023
The Empathy Diaries – Written Response
When it comes to being a good, helpful, communicative person, you need to be able to feel for someone. You must be able to step out of your own bubble and into someone else’s shoes in order to be a compassionate, caring, sympathetic individual. Empathy is defined as “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another”. Being empathetic also comes with being vulnerable. Being able to show a little uncomfortability and listen to someone, whether they are cheerful or upset, can help improve any relationship.
This skill is vital for our connections. Not only in romantic relations, but with our friendships too, as well as our family. In order to have meaningful, deeper connections, we need to listen and feel for the people we are close with. Although it is important to help those you feel closer to, it is also necessary to help those we aren’t as close to as well. Being able to empathize with anyone is an important skill. By being able to connect with anyone, we can live more fulfilling lives. We can be less judgemental. We can slow down. We can make more and more relationships. All thanks to being able to feel for someone and get out of our own heads.
Empathy enables us to be selfless. It helps us learn to care for others. In order to cultivate the skill of empathy, we must let our guards drop down and practice it. When talking to someone, we need to actively be aware of how to show we care. By actively trying and actively listening, we can improve our skills and be better, more caring, and more helpful people. When listening to someone, we must be thinking, “how can I help right now? What does this person need?” By doing that, we are already practicing empathy.
Empathy is one of the most important tools a person can have. It will grant us stronger relationships, and quality of life.
