This animated RSA Short has Dr Brené Brown reminding us that we can create a genuine empathic connection with someone if we are able to open up to our own fragility. Brené Brown is an American scholar, author, and public speaker who has been researching in the areas of vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame.

What we like

• Short and to the point we are shown comically how sympathy separates and empathy connects

Soul experience

• Feeling down, how better when someone genuinely connects with you.  Sometimes the most effective person is the one that just listens intently as though you are the only person in the world.  The one that touches your arm, gestures or hugs you.  The one that cries your tears with you.  This is where empathy is at work when the connection is being felt by both.  Empathy doesn’t need to prove anything.  Empathy allows you to simply be there totally.  

To reflect on

• Four qualities of empathy: Perspective taking. Staying out of judgment. Recognising emotion in other people, then communicating that. Empathy is feeling WITH people.
• Rarely, if ever, does an empathic response begin with, “At least…”… Someone shared something with us that’s incredibly painful and we’re trying to “silver line” it.

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