I hope you found a place to keep safe and warm this weekend! It’ll be lovely to see all the new growth across the Foothills after this storm passes.

Have you ever tried to understand how another person was feeling but found yourself stopped by a barrage of your own thoughts and emotions? This is sometimes the case when attempting to show empathy. Often, we haven’t taken the time or had the opportunity, to work through our thoughts, which makes it difficult to show empathy and connect with someone else. Once we recognize where we stand on issues and are able to identify the emotional impulses behind the things we say and do, we are able to extend empathy to another and convey a real understanding and perspective to someone who needs a listening ear, a warm and loving look, or even a hug.

“Awareness itself is what mindfulness is all about.” -Jon Kabat-Zinn

Awareness is an important component of empathy. In mindfulness, we take a moment to collect our thoughts, understand the emotional impact, and then respond in a manner befitting the situation. As we seek to understand another person’s feelings when offering empathy, awareness is key to first understanding ourselves and then appreciating the position of another.

We encourage you to spend some time this week exploring how you feel about things. The experience might bring you into a greater understanding of yourself. It may also help you be available to others who would benefit as you reach out with empathy.