Caring for Others

As we embrace these difficult times, committed to our mission to be the compassionate presence of Jesus to one another, we remember that Jesus called for and demonstrated love of neighbor. Jesus’s care for others attended to the needs of each unique individual, including those that others would exclude. This invites each of us to reflect on how we care for others.

Empathy

One way to care for others is through empathy, feeling with the other. Brené Brown highlights important differences between empathy and sympathy. As we deepen our practices of empathy, let us consider four attributes of empathy that nursing scholar Theresa Wiseman identifies in her article “A Concept Analysis of Empathy” in the Journal of Advanced Nursing:

• Perspective taking

  • Take on the perspectives of other people and begin to learn about their stories

• Staying out of judgment

  • Recognize our biases and tendencies to judge others in difficult circumstances

• Recognizing the emotion in the other

  • Look within yourself to identify the feelings other people could be feeling, without taking on their feelings

• Communication

  • Express understanding of the others’ emotions

Cultivate empathy by learning to listen, walking in the shoes of others and developing the habits of highly empathic people.

• Developing Six Habits of Highly Empathic People: Cultivate your empathy with these habits to improve your life and the lives of others. 

• Empathy Quiz: Curious about the extent to which you practice empathy? Take this quiz. 

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