The Importance of Empathy

The Importance of Empathy:

Not everyone is currently expressing empathy in regards to others, however, the ability to be empathetic is something every human being is capable of.

Let's break down why empathy is important, by first exploring what the lack of empathy leads to.

When you are not able to be empathetic you are likely to judge others and think that you know what is best for them.

When you are not able to be empathetic you are more likely to disregard others feelings, opinions, beliefs, and values and be unable to understand that we all have the same underlying human needs.

When you are not able to be empathetic you are more likely to try and control others or engage in behavior that takes away others autonomy.

When you are not empathetic you are more likely engage in behavior or use words that can cause harm or suffering to others without considering the impact of your words or behaviors.

Having empathy enables us to put ourselves in another person's experience and imagine what it would feel like to feel their feelings, believe what they believe or value.

Having empathy enables us to listen with curiosity and compassion and find collaborative solutions.

Having empathy enables us to see the impact our words or behaviors might have on someone else and that inspires us to grow and evolve to be a kinder human being.

Having empathy enables us to be compassionate, kind, and loving towards others, even when we disagree with them.As you can see empathy is a super power! It is what makes you a divine human being.

In my upcoming book, The Divine Within: Healing Ourselves to Heal the World, I explore how empathy and compassion are traits that we are born with but that in order for our brain to develop the neural pathways to the areas of the brain responsible for empathy, we need parents and caregivers who are themselves practicing empathy and actively teaching us to be empathetic. If we did not have parents or caregivers who were empathetic, we likely did not learn that skill and our brain did not develop neural pathways to the area responsible for empathy and compassion. However, those areas of the brain exist in everyone and the brain is placid, meaning it can evolve and new neural pathways can be developed. That is why it is important to develop self-awareness and heal yourself. So you can develop empathy and compassion, if you struggle to access those traits within yourself.

All spiritual traditions teach us the importance of empathy and compassion. They also state that those are traits of the divine and when we engage in those behaviors we are more in alignment with our divine nature.

I invite you to get curious about yourself to see when you struggle to have empathy for others. We all struggle with this sometimes. Some of us more than others. What is it that you are afraid of that prevents you from being willing to put yourself in someone else's experience?

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