Problem
1. You are to come up with a real-life situation when someone shared some challenging news with you. In a brief paragraph describing the situation. (The news can elicit sympathy, yet your exercise is to provide empathy.)
2. Ask yourself: What was it like for them? What were you feeling as they told you what happened? What were you thinking about? What did you say and why? What did you ask them and why?
3. After reviewing paragraphs 1 and 2, test your response. What would you have said differently (if anything)? What would you have asked that you didn't? Did you listen and question from a place of curiosity? How could you have improved your empathy?