Empathy vs. Sympathy
For those unfamiliar, a quick summary of empathy, it’s choosing to step into the shoes of another, to see them as they are and honor their story with more questions or quiet. Sympathy is empathy’s immature sister in bright red lipstick and too much eyeliner. It looks like trying to compare stories, gushing at a person sharing over how their story affects you and giving advice. Sympathy focuses on the discomfort of the listener and tries to ease it, empathy focuses on the discomfort of the speaker and knows it can’t ease it. By using empathy and knowing that you cannot ease the pain of another, you can make them heard, which lightens their load.