Empathy vs. Sympathy

I saw this video the other day and it really got me thinking. There is a huge difference in how we interact with people in pain if we are empathizing with them or just sympathizing. This video has some important points, so please take the next 2 minutes and 40 seconds to perhaps garner a new way of understanding how to better connect with someone who needs it.

How often do we use the phrase "at least?" It would make me upset when people would use that with me as if my pain held no validity because "at least there was (insert whatever here)." I understand that it helps to see the bright side, but the pain needs to be acknowledged and felt so you can move through it and move on instead of just stuffing it down inside. 

"Rarely can a response make something better, what makes something better is connection." It's often difficult for people to know what to say to someone who's going through something really painful. Our heart may be in the right place, but we tend to let our head take over. Instead of listening for the sake of allowing them to be heard, we tend to listen to respond. Sometimes, hearing them out, offering a hug and saying I care about you, I'm here for you is the best gift we can offer.

Love, Adrienne :)