An Exercise in Empathy
Being an empath is an incredible thing, understanding how someone feels without even having to talk to them is a gift I'll never take for granted. It means big feelings, exhaustion from crowds, and recharging in nature - who'd have guessed, haha!
It's also led me down an introspective thought path, in particular, during or after opinions that challenge my own are shared. It's not easy for anyone to engage, listen, or even entertain ideas that don't support their own worldviews. It's not natural to surround yourself with people that don't share your worldviews and it's not particularly enjoyable. Challenging someone's worldview can cause upset, anger, even - and in particular for an empath - feeling physically unwell.
But here's the thing, I think being empathetic and leaning into empathy means more than what might be assumed as "just feeling things" or "understanding the underdog". It means challenging yourself to see it from another's perspective, it means quieting the voice that constantly guides your thoughts and allowing someone else's voice to be heard - whether you agree or not. It means understanding, not just the story you tell yourself about life, but also the story that someone else may tell themselves about life.
It doesn't necessarily feel good, it never really feels great to disagree, or sit in that awkward conversation, but I do think it matters. I do think it's worth talking, asking, being generous with our listening, and with our sharing. It means holding a safe space to discuss, to disagree, to consider the other side, and to walk away without resentment.
It's not always comfortable on this journey to live life like love. It's not all red heart eye emojis and best friends. Sometimes this journey means pushing myself to understand, or listen. It means sharing, speaking up, staying quiet, listening, reflecting. It means feeling for entire communities, or for one person. It means holding myself to a self-selected standard of asking myself, "what would love do?" and going from there.
- lovefrommaria
It's also led me down an introspective thought path, in particular, during or after opinions that challenge my own are shared. It's not easy for anyone to engage, listen, or even entertain ideas that don't support their own worldviews. It's not natural to surround yourself with people that don't share your worldviews and it's not particularly enjoyable. Challenging someone's worldview can cause upset, anger, even - and in particular for an empath - feeling physically unwell.
But here's the thing, I think being empathetic and leaning into empathy means more than what might be assumed as "just feeling things" or "understanding the underdog". It means challenging yourself to see it from another's perspective, it means quieting the voice that constantly guides your thoughts and allowing someone else's voice to be heard - whether you agree or not. It means understanding, not just the story you tell yourself about life, but also the story that someone else may tell themselves about life.It doesn't necessarily feel good, it never really feels great to disagree, or sit in that awkward conversation, but I do think it matters. I do think it's worth talking, asking, being generous with our listening, and with our sharing. It means holding a safe space to discuss, to disagree, to consider the other side, and to walk away without resentment.
It's not always comfortable on this journey to live life like love. It's not all red heart eye emojis and best friends. Sometimes this journey means pushing myself to understand, or listen. It means sharing, speaking up, staying quiet, listening, reflecting. It means feeling for entire communities, or for one person. It means holding myself to a self-selected standard of asking myself, "what would love do?" and going from there.
- lovefrommaria
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