What role does empathy play in your life and how has it helped you?
I wish that I could say that I always act on my empathy, but after listening to Daniel Goleman's TEDTalk, I'm reflecting on all the instances when I could have done more. When I have a preexisting connection with someone, I think I tend to be more empathetic, but in instances where I'm interacting with strangers, I think my empathy levels decrease. Thinking about instances that are common in a city, I feel like I could especially do better with this: a driver who cuts me off, someone asking for money on a streetcorner, or even someone who seems a little grumpy. Having empathy for individuals is vital -- we don't know what's going on for that person, and we have the power to react in a way that will build someone up.
In the past, empathy has helped me, especially in work situations. Being a supervisor the last two years, I constantly reminded myself that everyone is doing their best. I also learned about and started t