Page 28 - Holistic Horizons - 6
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KEY LEARNING
• Emotions are universal, but empathy is not: Most of us go through life never understanding
the difference between empathy and sympathy. Since they sound similar, their meanings are
also assumed to be the same. Empathy goes much deeper than sympathy. Empathy is kinder,
gentler, and yields better results than merely sympathising and saying standard words like,
‘I am sorry’, ‘It’s okay’, ‘This will pass’. While these are not negative in any way, they are not
sufficient for someone who is suffering.
• Empathy busters can make the person feel worse: Giving stock replies like ‘It will be okay’
may sound appropriate to say, but it doesn’t help the person who is suffering. In fact, such
responses make the other person feel weak and guilty for being upset about what has happened
to them.
• Respond responsibly: If you are not sure what words would be exactly right, just spend some
time with the person and make them feel like they are not alone.
MY SPACE...
Have you ever felt empathetic towards someone? Did you express it to them? How?
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How would you react to a new student in your class? Would you try to help them adjust?
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A FEW TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
If like Tripti you ever feel scared to speak your mind, you could do the following:
1. Start off small: Start talking about small things that bother you before you go on to talk about
major things that tend to play on your mind. You can even try speaking your mind first to people
like friends and family that are closer to you.
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