While both empathy and sympathy can help you relate to others’ feelings, there are some key differences between the two emotions. Understanding the distinction between empathizing and sympathizing can help you better support your loved ones when they're in an emotional crisis.
Defining Empathy and Sympathy
The primary difference between empathy and sympathy is that empathizing involves putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, while sympathizing involves understanding and accepting another person’s feelings from a distance. Empathy requires greater emotional engagement and depth of feeling than sympathy. This means you can feel deep compassion for others when you put yourself in their shoes, but you don’t need to do that to sympathize with them.
Understanding the Differences
Although some people may use the words empathy and sympathy interchangeably, it’s important to understand there are subtle differences between them. To empathize is essentially to put yourself in another person’s shoes and feel what the other person is feeling – a deep emotional connection that can be both rewarding and difficult. On the other hand, to sympathize means you understand their feelings from a distance and accept them without necessarily placing yourself into their individual emotions.
Honing Your Own Ability to Offer Either
Everyone has the capacity to express empathy and sympathy, but it’s important to hone your own skills so that you can best provide what another person needs in any given situation. To do this, practice self-reflection and take note of how your reactions differ depending on the type of emotion that someone is expressing. Pay attention to the body language they exhibit and be mindful of both their verbal expressions and nonverbal cues. Consider whether the conversation is better served by expressing deep understanding or letting them know you care from a distance, then respond accordingly.
Learning Boundaries To Help You Choose Between Sympathy and Empathy
Knowing when and how to differentiate between empathy and sympathy can be tricky. It requires learning to accurately read another person's emotional state and know your own boundaries. For example, if someone has experienced a traumatic event that is triggering feelings of grief or depression, empathizing may require putting yourself in their shoes in order to truly understand what they are feeling. This may lead to feeling overwhelmed and emotionally exhausted. In cases like this, it is sometimes better to offer sympathy as it indicates that you care without taking on the burden of their pain.
Caring For Yourself As You Practice More Compassion
While both sympathizing and empathizing can help build connections with another person, it is also important to be mindful of your own well-being. Offer compassion for yourself as you practice being more compassionate towards others. Take time for self-care activities, like meditation or journaling, to manage feelings of confusion or exhaustion. And don’t forget that it’s ok to take a step back if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Learning the nuances of empathy vs sympathy may take practice and some mistakes along the way, but by being aware of your emotions, approaches, and boundaries you can work towards improving your relationship building skills!
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