If it was me, I’d do x sounds empathetic, but isn’t. You are not me because your life experiences are different than mine. You view the world differently. So yes, of course, you would make different choices than me. Empathy is all about trying to see the world through my experiences not just standing in my place. It is not a cerebral, logically exercise, it is far more emotional because humans are emotional and social beings.

Empathy is critical in change. That’s not to say it is easy, far from it. But when we succeed we learn insights we can achieve no other way.

Photo by Josh Calabrese