For me, gratitude and empathy aren’t just professional skills, but deeply personal ones. In my experience, they are closely related. When everything feels like it’s crashing down and problems seem to be everywhere, these are the tools I turn to.
I myself have had dark times, days when tears wouldn’t stop, when darkness was everywhere, and I felt broken and lost. The reasons don’t matter anymore.
At that time in my life, I turned to mindfulness and meditation to bring me back to love and empathy. I worked hard to understand other people, why they had treated me the way they did, what I could have done differently. I apologized for the mistakes I made. I worked hard to practice self-compassion and self-validation. Moving from anger and sadness to empathy and gratitude saved me.
I’m stronger now and know that my dedication to the positive in life, to empathy and understanding others, is the only way I can feel whole and complete. This is why every year in November, I dedicate myself to gratitude and with it, empathy.
This post is part of my Gratitude Project 2025: The Magic of Empathy — a 30-day exploration of empathy and gratitude. Visit the hub to follow along or catch up on past reflections.
If you’d like to explore the science behind gratitude, visit the Greater Good Science Center’s Gratitude Resources.
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