Empathy is the ability to understand and share someone else’s feelings. Unlike sympathy, which often creates distance (“I feel sorry for you”), empathy brings people closer (“I’m here with you in this”).

Techniques:

Mirror their emotion (“I can see you’re worried. Let’s talk about it.”)

Validate their feelings (“It makes sense you’d feel that way.”)

Use calm, understanding body language (open hands, steady tone)

Mini Practice:
Watch a video of someone explaining a frustrating experience. Practice mirroring their emotion with your facial expression and response.

Quick Tip:
Avoid jumping into solutions immediately—start by just acknowledging.