Empathy or Sympathy? What’s the difference? Aren’t they the same? Perhaps you’re resolved to be more of one or the other in the coming New Year.
On Diffen.com (diffen.com/difference/Empathy_vs_Sympathy), Empathy is defined as understanding what others are feeling because you have experienced it yourself or can put yourself in their shoes. Sympathy, as acknowledging another person’s emotional hardships and providing comfort and assurance. I touch on Empathy in our upcoming January 20 post, “Fearfully and Wonderfully Broken.” But only briefly. The link below will display a clever and helpful animated short via a Lifehacker Facebook post (http://lifehacker.com).
See also Fast Company’s “The Power Of Empathy, Animated,” highlighting Dr. Brene’ Brown’s treatment of this distinction in her 2010 TED address “The Power of Vulnerability.”
Enjoy and Happy New Year!
WheeledWords 