Empathy

For Zeke, Empathy begins with connection.

Whether at work or in everyday life, he finds it easy to connect with people and understand what they may be experiencing. When a coworker seems frustrated, distracted, or upset, his first instinct is not to judge their behavior but to consider what might be causing it. He naturally puts himself in their shoes and asks, "How would I feel in that situation?"That perspective helps him respond with patience and understanding. 

One example stands out. After a workplace misunderstanding, Zeke found himself reflecting on why a coworker had reacted so strongly. As he thought about the situation, he realized the coworker likely felt left out of important communication and had lost a sense of ownership over his work. Rather than letting the issue fade away, Zeke initiated another conversation. By sharing his own perspective and acknowledging what the other person may have been feeling, the two were able to strengthen their relationship and emerge with a deeper level of trust. 

Zeke believes Empathy helps people feel understood. When someone senses that another person genuinely appreciates what they are going through, they are often more willing to open up. Those conversations create a level of connection that can be difficult to achieve any other way. 

At the same time, he has learned that Empathy can have a downside. Because he feels others' emotions so deeply, he sometimes absorbs feelings that are not his own. He recalled watching a stranger miss a departing train and immediately feeling the man's disappointment as though it were happening to him. In moments like these, he has learned to step back and ask whether Empathy is actually helping. If it's not, he tries to recenter himself because, sometimes, caring about someone does not require carrying their emotions yourself.

His advice for others is simple: pause. Take a breath before reacting. Empathy often begins with a moment of reflection. And it doesn't always have to happen in real time. Sometimes understanding arrives later, after emotions have settled and there is space to think more clearly. That's when a second conversation can make all the difference.

“As I understand that the world is not black and white, but many shades of gray, my empathy has matured right along with it."

- Zeke