In today's world, few people think about what sympathy is. The rhythm of life, stress, an unstable economic situation and other life troubles cause a person to think about themselves and their well-being. Such a situation can lead to the disintegration of society and the destruction of traditional customs, so you should not forget about such human qualities.
Empathy - what is it?
Sympathy is one of the most important emotional states , expressing feelings of emotion about a situation or situation. What is sympathy for? It allows the individual to understand other people's emotions and to remain human. Such a state can be based on the following principles:
- affection;
- understanding;
- respect.
Often, such emotions express empathy for another person. They can be expressed in different ways:
- necessary or gentle words;
- encouraging actions;
- physical or material assistance.
The ability to sympathize is a good trait of a person , it is important to do it on time and not to be intrusive, as sometimes there are heated situations in which this "gesture" will be superfluous and there is a high probability that sympathy will cause psychological damage to the individual. Therefore, it is so important sincerely and in the relevant moment to show the emotional state in question.
What is the difference between compassion and compassion?
Understanding what sympathy and compassion is, will be useful for the development of character and personality. These are similar concepts expressing a feeling of empathy for another person. Their difference lies in the fact that empathy allows not only to understand the situation, but also to feel the emotions of the other. Empathy and compassion should equally be present in the life of society, otherwise it will become callous and indifferent to the world around.
Pity and sympathy - what's the difference?
Another similar concept is pity. It manifests itself in the form of the same empathy, but without emotional coloring, without experiencing the same emotions and feelings. Sometimes the feeling of pity is not accompanied by a desire to participate in the problem of man, but is expressed only by kind, encouraging words. In most cases, expressing pity, a person conveys his feelings towards another, and does not experience strangers. Sympathy and pity in general are similar in meaning, but have a different subtext.
Is empathy good or bad?
Many people are wondering if people need empathy. The answers to this question can be two, and each of them has its own explanation:
- Empathy is necessary because it strengthens social ties in society, allows people to remain people and show their emotions. Sympathetic, we show that a person is not indifferent to us.
- If a person is upset, sympathy can further weaken his state of mind, intensify negative emotions and aggravate the situation. In this case, sympathy will be superfluous.
From the answers considered, we can conclude that sympathy is necessary at certain moments, depending on the situation and the emotional state of the person to whom it is directed. It is important not to overdo it and know when the manifestation of such an emotional state will be appropriate to truly help a person, and not vice versa, aggravate the situation.
Do you need sympathy and compassion in your life?
A very complex, slightly philosophical question: do you need sympathy and compassion for people? Most people, most likely, will say what is needed. These qualities are a manifestation of care, a not indifferent attitude. It is important for them to inform children about their upbringing and personality formation. Constantly receiving a portion of emotions of compassion and sympathy, a person can demand them more and more often - he will get used to the state of the victim or will wait for a permanent solution of his problems. He can manipulate his fortune to achieve goals. Therefore, the phrase "everything is good in moderation" is not in vain.
How to learn to sympathize?
The answer to the question of how to express empathy will depend on the specific situation. It is important to be able to correctly and in time sympathize. A person needs to show that they understood him, shared his experiences, but at the same time gave the strength to exit the current situation. Often it is required:
- listen to the person;
- share your own experience;
- distract from the problem;
- offer possible assistance or solutions to problems;
- in some cases it is useful to give the person the opportunity to understand his thoughts.
Books about empathy
For a fuller and deeper understanding of the meaning of this term, you can refer to some books, both adults and children. For example:
- The author's book Ruth Minshull "How to choose your people" tells about what you can pay attention to when meeting people and how to choose those who can later be called "their own". The book has a separate chapter devoted to the concept of empathy.
- Alex Cabrera "Fairies talk about empathy" - an excellent book, giving the opportunity to convey to the child the meaning of this concept and to teach him at the right time to show empathy.
Books about empathy and compassion allow people to become more open and kind, to teach children to be not indifferent in some situations. Periodically reminding yourself of what sympathy is, and that sometimes you can not do without it, you can make the world a better place. The manifestation of such a feeling, along with compassion and mutual assistance, leads to the unification of society, the establishment of social relations within it, the maintenance of traditions and the connection of generations. This is important for the development of a full, mature, stable society.