Authentic Empathy and Understanding
Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes
Are authentic empathy and understating the same thing?
When you empathize with someone, does that automatically mean you understand them? When you understand someone, does that mean you automatically empathize with them? When someone says they understand you, does that automatically mean they empathize with you? How would it feel to have people both understand you and have authentic empathy (not pity) for you?
Saying we understand someone means that we can relate to what that person did because it resonates with us. We can either see ourselves doing the same thing that person did, or we can intellectually understand why they did what they did even if we do not agree with them. Because we either cannot see ourselves doing what that person did or cannot intellectually understand why they did what they did, often we will see something, get frustrated and say, “I do not understand why that person did what they did.” Saying we empathize with someone goes deeper than understanding and is something most people rarely do.
When we experience authentic empathy for someone, we feel their pain. We are acknowledging that, if we had the same life experiences and genetic make-up as that person, we would do the same thing. Which is true. If we were 100% the same with 100% the same experiences as the other person, we would do the same thing. However, since we are not, chances are we would make a different decision. Authentic empathy is the true definition of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.
While most of the time when you experience authentic empathy for someone, you also understand them, that is not always the case and that is ok. While it is wonderful to be able to say to someone, “I understand and empathize with you.”, it is ok to also focus only on experiencing authentic empathy for someone. When you find yourself saying, “I do not understand why that person did what they did.”, I invite you to do your best to follow it up with, “I do empathize with them though.”
What if you started the experience authentic empathy for others? How would that change the way you felt or interacted with people? While we often have the desire for people to understand us and we often hear about people being misunderstood, what if thing we were after was authentic empathy from other people? What do you feel is more important, that someone understands you or that they can experience authentic empathy for you?
Understanding means you can relate to someone. Authentic empathy means you can feel their pain.
How this applies to fear…
When it comes to fear, understanding and authentic empathy, when somebody understands you but cannot empathize with you, their fear reaction is kicking in. It could be their fear of condoning what you are doing and pushing you to do it more, or their fear of mirroring what you are doing and doing it themselves. Knowing and understanding this will allow you to experience authentic empathy for that person until the time they can increase their level of authentic empathy for you.
How this applies to WACASHWI…
When it comes to WACASHWI and authentic empathy, as you move things on to and through the process, the more authentic empathy you get from and give to others, the easier things will be. This empathy will empower you to grow and afford you the room to do it. It means you will be interacting with people at a higher level of awareness which will lead to more effective help from the people closest to you.
Your daily invitations…
- I invite you to think about people you understand and ask yourself: Do I empathize with this person?
- I invite you to think about people who understand you and ask yourself: Does this person empathize with me?
- I invite you to consider how you would treat someone differently if you did empathize with them.
- I invite you to consider how someone would treat you differently if they did empathize with you.
- I invite you to write down your thoughts, feelings, and actions in your journal.
- I invite you to talk with the people you thought about above if it is safe to do so.
Final step – how will you implement one thing you learned today in your life?
This all is but one step in your journey to living a more stress-free life, beating the demons of fear, and raising your level of authentic empathy towards yourself and others.
