Everybody rushes for their dreams to be successful in the age of technology. People are very busy following their dreams and have many things to worry about. Students in college struggle to balance twenty-credit courses and still enjoy life. Working parents have difficulty balancing their career and their relationships with their kids. Older people have difficulty maintaining their physical and mental health. Everyone is concerned about the big picture. Is it possible to truly understand other people’s struggles? Is it possible to give time and care for the feelings of other people who are going through a difficult marriage? Empathic is the ability to empathize with others’ feelings. Empathy is simply the ability to see and understand someone else’s thoughts, feelings, or condition. Conflicts occur when people disagree about their beliefs, desires, or values. However, understanding the feelings, values, and thoughts of others is key to resolving these conflicts. Empathy can be a significant tool in resolving conflicts between friends, family, and colleagues. Empathy is based on three components: body language, emotional expressions, as well as our responses to them.
Empathy is based on body language. Although we may not realize it, body language is an important part of everyday communication. Eye contact, posture, as well as facial expression are the three major components of body communication. Eye contact can indicate how someone is paying attention to another person and their feelings about them. I met Sean and Ava last week. It was amazing to see them talk and share the same feelings. Sean spoke out about being an only child and the challenges that it can be. Sean said that sometimes he felt like he needed someone to trust other than his parents. He was also looking at Ava. Sean’s eyebrows were slightly raised above his nose and his upper eyelids were dropping. Sean’s eyes were filled with sadness and regret. Ava, on the other hand, was not listening as closely to Sean and would shake her head after every Sean sentence. Ava would look at Sean while she was looking at her. Will would tell her that she would alter her facial expression and gestures depending on Will’s story. I found it was almost like looking into a mirror as they showed empathy to each other. Ava did nothing to interrupt Sean’s story. Sean ended his story and Ava responded. Sean, I feel your pain. In fact, as you told your story, it was almost like I was listening to another person’s life story. I’m an only child. Ava responded to Sean’s story. It was easy to feel the power and connection of empathy. It was Christmas 2017, and I was walking home from work. I noticed a man seated on the floor near a shopping trolley. Although his shirt was small, it felt like his big brother had worn it. To keep himself warm, he wrapped his arms around his knees and kept his hands warm. I could sense that he was hungry. We’ve all seen homeless people walk along the streets. It was a familiar experience. Looking at them can help us understand how our bodies communicate our emotions.
Empathy is influenced by emotion. Empathy is about understanding and hearing the inner voice of the heart. An onion is a multilayered representation of human feelings. It is important to imagine ourselves in the shoes of someone else and to experience their feelings. Amy, my stepsister, was just 3 years old. Evan, my cousin was only 1 year. This is how I saw Amy’s fascination with Evan. Amy reached Evan and comforted him with her beloved cat toy, while Evan was still crying. Amy even tried to imagine herself in Evan’s shoes, to help him understand what was happening. Empathy is a powerful tool for innovation and revolution. Patricia Moore is one my favorite empathic individuals. Patricia Moore was 26 when she met Raymond Loewy in New York. Patricia suggested that the refrigerator door could be designed so that arthritis sufferers would find it simple to open in one meeting. Patricia replied, “Pattie!” to a senior colleague. Patricia was so upset at her colleague’s answer, she decided not to take it back and change the industry. To look 80 years old, Patricia hired a professional makeup artist. She put on glasses that blurred her vision and blocked her hearing. To make it easier for her to walk, she also put on shoes that were uneven.
She did it for three years, 1979-82, and she was determined to face the many challenges of an older woman. She traveled to 116 U.S. cities and Canada in these years. To understand the feelings and challenges of elderly people, she tried to place herself in their shoes. She was an innovator in Universal Design, a method that allows products to be used by as many consumers as possible.
