Empathy: The Bridge to Understanding
Empathy has a way of softening the hardest edges.
When we feel truly understood, we become more open—to others, to new ideas, and even to ourselves.
The Art of Truly Seeing and Hearing
David Brooks writes, “Seeing another person deeply is not just an act of perception but an act of creation.” When we listen with intention and reflect with empathy, we help the other person articulate who they are, perhaps in a way they’ve never done before.
This is especially true in coaching. When a client sits across from us, they are often confronted with questions, doubts, or dreams they haven’t yet voiced. Our role is to create a space where they feel safe enough to explore.
Just Because
The simple answer is that our intuition, heart, energy, or gut always knows, and we can choose to listen.
A more complex (and honest) answer is that we also seek external approval, which means that no one’s feelings are hurt, and we aren’t judged. This makes listening to and honoring our wants very challenging.
Understanding this, here’s an approach you can take this week to incorporate more of doing what you want.
Your Brain Loves to be Right
I have spent an extraordinary amount of my life wishing that I was smarter than I am.
I’ve been self-conscious about this for as long as I can remember.
Bounce Back – Making Setbacks Success
Failing well means fully accepting the experience—acknowledging that we didn’t achieve the goal and the flood of emotions that come with it, such as disappointment, rejection, or embarrassment.
Don’t Believe Everything You Think
Self-doubt is based in fear, not facts.
Self-doubt feeds on fear—fear of failure, fear of judgment, fear of not fitting in, fear of missing out, or fear of success.
It tries to pursuade you to stay where it’s “safe,” rather than risk trying something you haven’t done before.
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