Five Benefits Of Being Empathetic
You may have heard of empathy and the first thing that comes to mind is putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. While you are correct, there is much more to discover behind this behavior. We tell you what this quality of people is about, what are the benefits of being empathetic and how you can develop an attitude focused on helping others.
What is empathy?
Empathy is the ability that human beings have to understand the various mental states of the other. In addition to recognizing their emotions and feelings, through empathy they seek to respond appropriately.
In this sense, if we see in the other pain, suffering and sadness, we will seek to help them to reverse their state of anguish. However, it is important to emphasize that understanding the situation the other person is going through does not mean that you agree with them. That is, the fact that you understand her does not imply that you accept her arguments or that you share her point of view without being critical.
There are three types of empathy: affective, cognitive, and empathetic and sympathetic concern:
- With regard to affective empathy, it is related to the feelings that the circumstances a person is going through awaken in us. Mirror neurons are involved in this process, that is, those that give us the ability to feel the same as the other feels. The brain tends to imitate the emotions of others. In this way, if the other smiles at you, you experience a positive emotion thanks to the work of these neurons.
- Cognitive empathy, on the other hand, seeks to understand the other, but from the intellectual level, without involving feelings. This empathy is most useful when developing an action plan to help the other.
- Finally, empathetic and sympathetic concern is that natural instinct to help others that we human beings have, even if they have not asked us for collaboration. It is about feeling that others need us and we act accordingly.
5 benefits of being empathetic
There are many benefits of being an empath, since empathy is a key factor in communication and interpersonal relationships. Here are 5 advantages for which the attitude is worth.
1. Understand others
When we understand what happens to the other from empathy, we establish a faster and more effective connection with those who need us. We are talking about putting ourselves in the shoes of the person we want to help, but without judging them, but respecting them.
It is a comprehensive and multidimensional understanding, as we mentioned before when referring to the types of empathy. This is one of the benefits of being empathetic that puts us in action of help and solidarity.
2. Strengthen relationships
If the relationships we establish with those around us are founded on empathy, social, emotional and work ties are strengthened. This is because the other perceives our solidarity and altruistic attitude towards him and will open his heart to help him. Thus, a mutual and implicit trust with others is generated, which enriches interpersonal relationships.
3. Know other worlds, other points of view
Leaving the comfort zone and the individual perspective can enrich us as people. We have to consider that there are other points of view, different opinions and arguments that can exalt us.
4. Improve conflict resolution
Empathy brings with it the innate idea of serenity and not comforting. Being open to assertive communication in which other perspectives are understood and accepted, conflict resolution comes by decanting. Empathy seeks to reconcile, connect and resolve peacefully.
5. Be less negative and do not make judgments towards others
Looking from another place and accepting differences supposes a positive attitude towards conflict. Likewise, it implies respect for the opinions of others, which we should listen to without making prior judgments; whether we share them or not.
Mental silence will allow all our attention to focus on perceiving what is being communicated to us.
How to be empathetic?
We’ve already seen what empathy is all about and the benefits of being empathetic. Now we want to share with you some tips or advice to improve the communication we have with others.
Practice active listening
Active listening is a very important communication skill that we can develop with a little practice. It consists of making our interlocutor understand that we are understanding him and that we are interested in what he communicates to us.
We can practice it through questions about the topic we are talking about, comments that express our agreement or disagreement, among others. For example, phrases like I understand you, I understand how you feel, I imagine what you are going through .
Keep calm and be patient
To be empathetic, the first thing we have to do is relax, because if we are nervous or tense it will be very difficult for us to listen to the other. Mental silence will allow us to focus our attention on perceiving what is being communicated to us.
Pay attention to emotions
Remember that one of the keys to empathy is taking into account the feelings of the other. Understanding how the person we want to help feels is essential for our desire to collaborate to materialize.
make questions
The questions will give the other person the clue that we are attentive and interested in what they share with us. Tell me what happened next, how everything went on, how your new project turned out and other questions that show our interest.
Put yourself on the other side
This is perhaps one of the most difficult techniques to implement. Why? Because it consists of looking through the eyes of the other and feeling for the heart of others. First you must put aside your opinions and your preconceptions, then make room in your mind to understand what is happening to whoever is in front of you.
The benefits of being empathetic to face the world
Empathy has become a fundamental skill in these difficult times that we have to live. The benefits of being empathetic are many and it is worth trying sincere, fluent and active communication with the people around us.
Approaching others from a place other than superiority or contempt is an attitude that can change the world. We require a greater presence of this bond with others so that societies evolve towards forms of collaboration that transcend hatred and power struggles. Dare to be more empathetic!
