Inability to access basic needs, economic hardship, uncertainty about the future—no shortage of stress and trauma weighs on the shoulders of many of us right now. And communicating with empathy has never been more critical.
Below are fifteen quotes to help you connect with empathy in your communications with others.
How to Connect with Empathy
Quote 1: It’s extremely powerful to hear someone say, “I get you. I understand. I see why you feel this way.” This kind of empathy disarms us. – Inspired by Daniel J. Siegel
Quote 2: People will hear you better if you speak from a voice of compassion instead of authority. They long to be understood more than to be lectured. – Inspired by Dodinsky
Quote 3: Sometimes, the most influential thing we can do is listen. – Bob Burg
Quote 4: What does it mean to “hold space” for someone else? It means that we are willing to walk alongside another person in whatever journey they’re on without judging them, making them feel inadequate, trying to fix them, or trying to impact the outcome. When we hold space for other people, we open our hearts, offer unconditional support, and let go of judgment and control. – Unknown
Quote 5: Connection: The power that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued. – Brene Brown
Quote 6: When someone is struggling, they already know. They don’t need advice. They don’t need solutions. They don’t need judgment. What they need are a smile and grace. And to be reminded that the person behind the battle can still be loved. – Lauren Fortenberry
Quote 7: Empathy has no script. There is no right way or wrong way to do it. It’s simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message “you’re not alone.” – Brene Brown
Quote 8: I judge others less when I judge myself less. – Unknown
Quote 9: When someone shares a difficult situation they are facing, don’t respond as though life is simple and there’s an easy solution. Life is complex, and often there are no simple solutions. – Rachel Samson
Quote 10: What people of all ages can use in a moment of distress is not agreement or disagreement; they need someone to recognize what it is they’re experiencing. – Adele Faber
Quote 11: Trauma happens and harms us. But I often wonder if the worst trauma is the second wave—when your story is disbelieved, mistrusted, and maligned. May your story find safe harbor in the presence of people who will honor both your vulnerability and resilience. – @kjramseywrites
Quote 12: To empathize with someone’s experience, you must be willing to believe them as they see it and not how you imagine their experience to be. – Brene Brown
Quote 13: Client: I know I probably shouldn’t have these feelings. Therapist: What you are feeling in this situation is perfectly okay. – Rachel Samson
Quote 14: Do not try to reason with someone who is not regulated. – Inspired by Rachel Samson
Quote 15: One of the most effective strategies for regulating emotion is cultivating an attitude of acceptance towards your emotions and the emotions of others. – Rachel Samson
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