A Simple 3-Step Process to Practice More Empathy

An empathetic person can identify with what someone else is experiencing. They may have had the same experience before. This is not necessary to practice empathy. You might be very good at putting yourself in another person's mindset.

Someone tells you they lost their job. They are going through so many different negative emotions. They are concerned about their mortgage payment and other financial issues.

A person that loses a dream job could start wondering what happened. It took them a long time to get the job they always wanted. They might have been a great employee. Then something occurred that was out of their control. Perhaps the company went bankrupt.

This individual could start questioning his role in the company’s failure. A ton of different negative emotions might be experienced. The empathetic person can fully embrace the feelings the other person is going through, even if they have never lost a job.

You should help your friends and family members by displaying more empathy. You care about them and want to help them when needed.

If that is the case, practice the following three-step technique for showing compassion.

1.  Step 1 – Listen Actively

You might be a good listener. But are you an active listener? Do you sit there with a blank expression and take in everything that is being said?

An active listener uses body language, facial expressions, and eye movement to let the person speaking know they are engaged and present. They are truly and deeply listening.

You use open-ended questions to try to get more information from the speaker. Active listening uses anything you can to get the speaker to share more details. You communicate to that person that their feelings are understood.

2.  Step 2 – Validate the Experience

People often tell you what is on their minds because they want you to validate what they say. They need to know that having certain feelings or thinking a specific way is okay. When you validate a tough situation someone is experiencing, you let them know they are not alone.

You validate an experience by adopting the same feelings and emotions. Tell the person you share the experience with them and that it is okay. They should recognize whatever emotions are happening. Then the empathetic person tries to figure out how to fix the problem.

3.  Step 3 – Offer Another Point of View

Empathy is a two-part process. You take on the perspective of another person. You develop an understanding emotionally of what that person is going through. The second part involves action. You assist in some kind. You try to help the person with their struggle.

One way you can do this is by offering smart guidance. Remember to think about their situation and not yours. Do not include any bias or judgment. Put yourself in their shoes and give them information to help them solve their problem.

Showing empathy means you care.

It tells people you are putting your interests aside for a while.

The three-step process we covered can help you empathize with the people you care about.

You will benefit as much as they do by making an emotional connection.