The Need for Empathy in 2020

By definition, empathy is the capacity to which a person can understand and share the feelings of another with themselves. In other words, having an empathetic personality might make it very common to think with your heart rather than your head. 

In the current year of 2020, the difficulty in trying to suppress the emotions of others is becoming more and more apparent. Whether it concerns those close to you who might have suffered from a diagnosis of Covid-19 or if it involves the ultimate pain of the victims of police brutality and overall racism in America, the act of empathizing with others is certainly active throughout these recent months. If you are currently struggling with an overwhelming sense of empathy, take this as reassurance that it is normal for things like this to keep you up at night. However, we shouldn’t let it get out of hand. 

There are multiple ways to cope when things start to become too overwhelming to feel all at once. For starters, it might be helpful to take a day or two to recharge and let yourself focus on positive distractions. This would take your mind off stressors that float around your phone/tv screens. Of course, this would mean setting aside that phone and doing something healthy for your mind, which can be something as simple as going for a walk or reading a good book. As well as this, the general act of putting yourself first can do wondrous things for an empathetic mindset. 

Contrary to popular belief, it is entirely okay to lead with your heart and have an empathetic outlook on all things life throws you. Many people might claim that emotions have no place in discussions regarding the current political climate and social unrest, but I think that is exactly what this country needs: compassion. 

This is why it is encouraged that if you are of age and registered, please vote on November 3rd!

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