Empathy is the Way Home

There is not one empowering relationship I can think of in my life where empathy didn't strengthen and deepen it further.

Empathy is such a powerful practice and way of being that no matter what the relationship, whether personal or professional or the relationship we have with ourselves, it becomes a key building block.

Simply said, it is a vehicle of connection, which we all need and want. Connection is why we are here and the purpose behind everything.

If I honestly take a moment to reflect on all the people who have inspired me, who Ive felt seen and understood by and who have supported me on my journey, they practice empathy.

They practiced their ability to understand and share the feelings of another. 

Think back to an experience or emotion you've had. It can be a time of struggle or a time of overwhelming joy. Empathy says:
“Me too. I hear you and Ive been there.”
These words given honestly from a place of grounded presence and compassion can literally change someones life. They are incredibly powerful and healing.

According to Dr. Brene Brown, when we practice empathy, we are actually doing these four things:

1 Perspective taking the ability to see the world through the other person’s eyes 

2 Non Judgement the willingness to put down our own stories, thoughts and criticisms that may arise when someone shares their experience with us. Often we resort to judgement when we feel uncomfortable. Non Judgement requires us to be okay with the discomfort.

3 Recognize Emotion this one is all about identifying the emotion behind the experience the other person is sharing with us.

4 Communicate Emotion once we are aware of the emotion behind the experience we are hearing, we can then remember that emotion within our own experiences and communicate it back. No two individuals have the same experiences, therefore we are not required to identify with the circumstances of the experience, only the emotion behind them.

Whether at work, in our personal relationships, when we are on the go and traveling or perhaps in the meeting of a perfect stranger, we have the opportunity to be empathetic and kind.
The truth is that we can never know what a person is really experiencing, unless they share it with us. So if they do, knowing what we now know, we might just listen a little differently.

Life is Always at Your Fingertips

You came here with the power to choose. Every single damn day.

Life is here to give you everything you want and you get to decide how it goes.

You came here to be selective.
To say hell yes and fuck no!

You didn't come here to settle or accept something that doesn't resonate with your soul or values. Or anyone who discourages you from pursuing your goals, dreaming big and living your vision.

You didn't come here to play small.

You came here to choose the experiences that cause you to grow into a stronger version of yourself. You came here to travel the world, eat delicious food, drink coffee, watch sunrises, make love and express your truth through a million different ways that make you come alive.

You came here to try and fuck up a hundred times. To fall down, embrace every emotion, fail and get back up. And to understand that the whole process is part of your success because what matters at the end of the day is that you are growing, staying present and becoming a stronger version of yourself as you engage authentically and wholeheartedly with life and the people around you each day.

You came here to practice love, share love and be love. Because as it turns out, the love we are able to give comes first from the unconditional source of love we cultivate within ourselves. The most important  relationship we have is with ourselves. When we learn to be with ourselves just as we are, we naturally emanate unconditional love for those around us.

You came here to take risks, face your fears, kick ass and be courageous. The most important thing becomes less about getting it right and more about doing the thing you fear and simply see what happens.

As you start making the decisions that push you outside of your comfort zone, your world opens up. You meet the right people who change your life. The connection between what you choose to do and what feels right becomes stronger in the process of experiencing what might both scare and excite you.

Living a life based on making empowered choices takes awareness, courage and the understanding that by simply being here, we are all deserving. You came here worthy. Maybe certain expericnes made you think differently, but that doesn't change the fact that your worthiness is not dependent on anything.

You are worthy, now, no matter what. 

And you came here to shine and grow in your power by making choices that line up with how fucking worthy you are.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people wont feel insecure around you. 

- Marianne Williamson

Being the best version of yourself is the greatest service you can give to the world. When you realize that you came here to shine and choose to step into your greatness, life is always at your fingertips.