I am going to guess that you believe, like I do, that relationships flourish by connection.

So how does true connection happen? Empathy is a good place to start isn't it?  I have found myself seeking to better understand this week with some challenging relationships.

The beauty of empathy is that it works so well because

 IT DOES NOT REQUIRE A SOLUTION. IT REQUIRES ONLY UNDERSTANDING.

Acting from a place of empathy offers us a natural result of seeing people as the divine beings that they are. In empathy, barriers fall. Communication expands and heightens our innate ability to really listen and communicate.

So many times people think communication is the “talking part”. Yes it is; AND it's also only half the recipe, the other half is the "listening part". 

When we seek to listen and understand, instead of seeking to be understood we hold space where true transformation and connection can be created. Can you see how that would elevate the relationship? It really is so powerful. Although it is not always easy;  it sure can shift things into a positive outcome when you give the relationship room to breathe in this way. 

Relationships are always in flow all around us. People come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. In all of the relationships we experience, long term or short term; communication is key to a happy energetic exchange. I encourage you to get curious, ask more questions that may help you seek to understand. 

There is one huge misunderstanding in the world today. The misunderstanding is that we have to agree with each other to show empathy. That is simply not true. 

We can always exercise empathy in every exchange. 

Genuine empathy offers us kindness, unconditional love, and opens us up to the possibility to trust that everyone is doing the best they can from where they stand.

If there is a challenging relationship showing up in your life, and you are seeking peace, I encourage you to lean into empathy and create that connection.