24/03/2026
“ Empathy is a strange and powerful thing. There is no script. There is no right way or wrong way to do it. It’s simply listening, holding space, withholding judgement, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of ‘You’re not alone.’” Brené Brown
How empathetic are you?
Empathy is one of those words we use often, yet it can mean different things to different people. It comes from the Greek empatheia, associated with feeling and emotion, which speaks to our ability to connect with another person’s experience, even when it is not our own.
We can’t fully walk in someone else’s shoes.
We don’t have their history, their context, or the smaller everyday moments that shape how they think and respond. There will be times when someone says something or behaves in a way that we don’t fully understand.
And it can feel uncomfortable.
It’s ok if we don’t always get it. That doesn’t mean we stop trying to understand, or that we simply ignore what’s going on. It means we meet those moments with a little bit more care, for others, and for ourselves.
Empathy doesn’t ask us to agree with everything or to excuse poor behaviour. It asks us to start from a more human place. To listen a little more, to stay curious for a little longer.. to remember that we may not know what is going on for the other person, should I say will not know what’s going on…. stress, grief, work pressures, health issues, relationship worries, financial concerns… there can be a lot. To trust intent before rushing to judgement, and to offer support, or space, where it’s needed.
In our conversations, empathy creates room for understanding, care, and even better connection. It helps us respond with a little more thought, more humanity, and more consideration for what may be happening beneath the surface.
How will you show a little more empathy today?
