This document provides tips for communicating empathy and compassion for others. It gives examples of things to say when someone is hurting or expresses an emotional need, such as "I'm sorry to hear that happened to you" or "What can I do to help you with your need?". The document emphasizes being truthful, not waiting to express feelings, and placing yourself in others' shoes to understand their perspective in order to show empathy. It advises getting feelings out as soon as possible and not hesitating to give support, as demonstrating empathy is important.

1. Empathy 101
If you happento be an emotional personor havea hard time expressingempathy or compassionfor
another personhere are sometips that can helpyou with communicatingwhatisin yourheart. If you
get scared when someone touchesyour heart deeplyto the pointof ignoringthemor never letting
them know how muchyou touched their heart then these tips are for you. If youhave ever inflicted
harm on anotherperson (andwho hasn’t) even if it wassomethingas simpleas breakinga heart when
you didn’tsay“thank you” forsomethingor apologizefor offendingorhurtingthem (peopleare
sensitiveand we have to alwaystake that intoaccount when we interact with others),then these tips
will help you.If you findyourselfholdinggrudgesandhavinga hard time forgivingothersor seeking
revenge all the time because you don’thandleslightsor offenseswell then read the tips. I know they
will help you.
Thingsto say when someone ishurtingor expresses anemotional need or communicatessomething
heartfelt to you:
“I’mso sorry to hear that happened to you.I knowif it was me I wouldfeel horrible too”
“I thinkwhat you saidcan resonate withanyone. I feel reallysad that that happenedand I know you
will work it out or be ok because youhave the abilityto make a difference in yoursituation.”
“WhatcanI doto helpyou with yourneed?”
“I amso sorry for what I did or said.I didn’tmean to hurt you. I want to make it up to you any wayI
can. Pleasehelp me resolve what I did to you.”
“I amso sorry, please forgiveme.”
“I read your letter, I got your note, I read your email,I gotyour text. I am dealingwithsome major
stuffright now emotionallyandIwasn’t sure how to respondto you.So I waited andI hopeI didn’t
hurt your feelings.”

2. “I amfeeling a littlescared aboutwhat I amfeelingfor you so I just shutdown anddidn’tsay anything
when you expressed yourfeelingsto me. I hope I am not toolate in tellingyou aboutmy feelings.”
“I madea big mistakeconcerning somethingI didto you that youmay or may not be aware of and I
want to apologizeandfixit or make it up to you.”
“I felthurt whenyou left or when you saidwhat you saidso I shutdown and didn’tknowhow to tell
you what I was feeling.I want to work thisout. I want you to stay in my life.”
“I took somethingvaluablefromyoua while agoand youprobablydidn’tknow it was me but I want
to tell the truth now and hopefullyyouwill forgiveme. I don’t want negativekarma in my lifeor
negative energy between us.”
“I liedaboutsomethingI told you andI need to come clean to youbecause I care aboutyou andI want
to make thingsright between us.”
“I have a tonof emotionsflowingthroughme right nowand I don’t knowexactly how to deal with
everything I am feeling.It’s all new to me but I wantyou to know what I am feelingand I hope you
understandand feel the same way becauseI wantyou in my life.”
“I cansee that your heart is very broken right now andI want you to know I am sorry for your pain
and sufferingandI want to be here for youbut I am not sure how. Let me know what I can do to show
you howmuch I care.”
“I wasrude to youbefore when youwere trying to communicateto me. I was dealingwith my own
stuffand feelinga littlebit insecure so I didn’trespondto youthe way youdeserved to be responded
to. I was takingyou for granted andI don’t want to do that anymorebecause your feelingsmatter just
like mineand I didn’ttake whatyou were goingthroughinto consideration.Iwant to do that nowso
can we talk?”
“I amnot so goodat expressingmyselfandI get really emotional whenothers are hurtingbut I will be
here for youto listen to your issuesbecause I know youwill listen to mine andI do not want you to
think I am a selfishperson.”
“I knowI have been a littlebit distantand uncommunicativelatelyandbefore butI wantyou to know
how I feel aboutthe kindwords yousaid or the kind gesture you madetowards me. It’s just
sometimeshard to get wordsout and express them. I can be very protective ofmy heart butI don’t
want to offendyou.”
“I amfeeling a littlebit jealousofyou and I don’treally know howto deal with it. I feel insecure
sometimesbut I know I am capableof doingwhat you didor doingsomethingamazingtohelp others.
I didn’treact the way I know you wouldhave wantedme to so I am sorry aboutthat. I don’t want to
mistreat you or make you thinkthat I wouldhurt youbecause of my jealousy.I know I can squashit
and moveon so let’s talk aboutit or just let it go.” – sayingsomethinglikethis takes a very brave and
courageousand empatheticperson. I am sure you will blowanyoneaway if youcan admit to jealousy
withouttrying to interfere in their lives,sabotagethem or hurt them. That is true strength.

3. Empathyis basicallytellingthe truth andsometimes the truth hurts but when youplace yourselfin
another person’sshoes andtry to see where they are comingfrom or what they are feelingthen you
will be better able to tell them the whole truth so thingsdon’tget worse andyou don’tlose their
friendshipor thatrelationship.Getit out as soonas you can. I mentionedbefore that people die every
day inour lives andyou don’twant to be tellingsomeonesomethingat their gravestone that you
shouldhave toldthem when they were alive to their face. Don’t wait,don’t waste time,don’t second
guess yourselfandplease don’tbe selfishandinsecure.If someone needs you or somethingyouhave
that you can givedon’t hesitatein givingit. Somethingyousay couldsave a person’slife one day,
don’thold it backbecause you are afraidor can’tseem to deal with someone else’semotions.Stop
thinkingsomuch, get over yourselfandjust love,no matter what.That is all that matters andthat is
how youpractice empathy.