Topic > The Key Components of Empathy

In the century of technology, everyone is rushing to chase their goals to become successful people in their lives. People are extremely busy following their personal dreams and have a lot of things to worry about. College students struggle to manage twenty-credit courses while still enjoying life. Working parents find it difficult to pursue their career goals and improve their relationships with their children at the same time. Older people have difficulty maintaining their mental and physical health. Everyone is busy and worries about big things, including career, goals, and work-life balance. The question is: how much have we tried to understand the feelings of others struggling with their problems? Have we ever had time to worry about other people's feelings when they are falling apart due to their failed marriages? If we have ever tried to understand our feelings, then we have tried to be empathetic. In other words, the experience of understanding another person's feelings, thoughts and conditions from his or her point of view is called empathy. Although conflicts occur whenever people disagree about their values, ideas, or desires, a key component to resolving conflicts is understanding their feelings, values, and ideas. As a result, empathy can significantly resolve conflicts with your partner, colleagues or friends. The three key components of how we connect to people and use empathy are body language, emotional expressions, and our responses to them. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Body language is one of the key parts of empathy. It is a vital part of our daily communication even though we may not be fully aware of it. Three main aspects of body language are eye contact, posture and facial expression. Eye contact can show how a person pays attention, how he feels about another person. Last week I met two of my friends, Sean and Ava, and saw them talking to each other and sharing the same feelings. Sean was talking about his experiences as an only child and how difficult it is in some situations. “Sometimes I really feel like I need someone other than my parents to be able to rely on,” Sean said, looking Ava directly in the eyes. Sean's upper eyelids were drooping and his eyebrows were slanted slightly upwards above his nose forming an inverted "V." I could feel sadness and disappointment on Sean's face. On the other hand, Ava was just listening to him very carefully, and was shaking her head up and down after each of Sean's sentences. As Ava stared into Sean's eyes, she changed her gesture and facial expression according to Will's story. Watching them empathize with me was like looking in a mirror because they reflected each other's feelings. Ava didn't interrupt as Sean told his story, but after Sean finished with his story, Ava responded. “I can totally hear you, Sean. In fact, as you were telling your story, I felt like it was like hearing my life story from another point of view. I'm an only child, too.” Ava responded returning to Sean after finishing with his story. I could feel the power of empathy and see how empathy can connect two people to each other. Body language is the first connection that happens before we even start speaking. It was Christmas 2017 and I was on my way home after finishing work. I saw a man sitting on the floor next to a shopping cart.).