People don’t care what you know until they know that you care.
You can be the smartest person in the room, but it doesn’t matter until that opportunity to show genuine empathy. That moment to connect on a meaningful level. True connection that reveals your humanity, not some superficial Facebook-level connection.
Such intuitive awareness of others’ feelings and circumstances can be learned and mastered. I would argue it is our fundamental calling for only if we achieve self-mastery of empathy can we be fully alive.
Being fully alive means personifying the qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Challenge yourself to master empathy. With every encounter, observe and take note of others’ appearance, body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, hygiene, etc… Put yourself in their shoes. Show them grace. Ask yourself questions like the following:
- What’s their “story”?
- What kind of day have they had?
- Are they hurting?
- Are they stressed?
- How did they get to where they are?
- How confident are they?
Mastering Empathy = Making Meaningful Connections = Being Fully Alive
MindWolves 