Learning by H.E.A.R.T sounds like an inspirational concept. I think we get so caught up on materialistic matters that we forget about what truly matters. Though I find happiness, health, attention, reading, and time management very important, I find empathy to be the most intriguing. I have worked in guest service and retail since I was 15 years old so empathy has always been instilled in me. When I was a manager, I had to solve problems for irate customers. During training, we had to learn to stop talking, and listen to what they had to say. For most situations, I found that they were not necessarily mad at me, but at the situation and wanted to vent. People just want to know that they are being heard. So the next time you're in a difficult situation, be a littler kinder, speak a little quieter, and open your ears. You never know what struggles they are going through.
Oh, I can tell this is going to be a great experiment for this semester, Mary: we are all going to be able to learn and share together on these life topics, and I love the Rumi quote there. The four elements of empathy chart is also fantastic! So, I am going to bookmark these for my own future use. I had not thought about retail as being one of those empathy jobs, but of course it is... and it sounds like the training you got in listening is what we ALL need. Teachers too. One of the best things for me about going online instead of teaching in the classroom is that I do more listening (reading) than talking (I always talked too much in the classroom). I am looking forward to seeing what you will do and share for the H.E.A.R.T. project this semester. It's really going to turn into whatever the people in class make of it, and anything in this direction sounds good to me!
ReplyDeleteMary,
ReplyDeleteI was also drawn to the empathy learning challenge. It is such an important aspect to everyday life, and it can really change how you interact with others. I think it is wonderful that you have been engaging in empathetic relationships since you were only fifteen! That is really a life skill that makes you so much more approachable as a person. I always feel so gravitated towards kind and caring people, and I am glad there are people like you who are actively seeking out how to be more empathetic!