When you hear of someone struggling, do you want to jump in and help? Solve the problem? Or tell them how you know exactly how they feel? Well, congratulations, you are just like everyone else! It is a beautiful facet of human behavior that we want to help. But, ironically, when we say things with intended empathy such as, "I know exactly how you feel," we actually aren't displaying empathy. Even in very similar circumstances, we can never know precisely how someone else feels. By saying things such as that, we are unintentionally turning the conversation to ourselves. It is counterintuitive to be sure, but in this episode, we explore some alternative ways to listen and display empathy. 

#alifefolded #Empathy #Empathymatters #EmpathyInAction #EmpathyFirst #EmpathyChallenge #ihearyou #validation #listen #listeningskills