|  Blog Post   |  One of my favorites: Empathy.
empathy quote from Brene Brown

One of my favorites: Empathy.

To feel with, not for.
To imagine what it might feel like, not say that you can’t imagine.
To identify with the emotion underneath the experience, not to have gone through the exact same experience.
To ask how someone feels, not walk a mile in their shoes (because you can’t).
To sit beside, not across or above.
To seek to understand, not to know exactly.
To witness someone’s lived experience, not to tell them it is wrong.
To be with, not take on.

Empathy doesn’t mean I take on your emotions or fix them or agree with them. 
Empathy simply means to love well.

It requires boundaries, a lot of them. 
It also requires vulnerability. 

I must know and recognize emotions within me to see them and know them within you.
To be in it with you.

And now we are in it together, walking one another through it and home.

Author:

A Licensed Professional Counselor, Justine Froelker has over 25 years of experience in mental health, personal growth, and professional development. For eleven years, she was certified in Dr. Brené Brown’s work on vulnerability, courage, and empathy. Justine now shares her own curriculum, Courage is Built Here™. This transformative program empowers individuals to live and lead with self-awareness, authenticity, and resilience, building a foundation for courage-centered leadership. In addition to writing her blog since 2013, Justine is an accomplished author of twelve books—including five Amazon bestsellers—Justine has written across genres, from children’s books to in-depth explorations of infertility, faith, grief, and leadership. She has delivered two TEDx Talks, The Permission of the And and The Donut Effect, which highlight her unique perspective on navigating life’s complexities with grace. Justine is a sought-after speaker who travels nationally and presents virtually to global audiences, delivering keynotes, workshops, retreats, and trainings on topics such as leadership, resilience, mental health, coping with burnout, courageous and curious conversations, and fostering cultures of inclusion and belonging. Justine lives in St. Louis with her husband Chad and their three dogs. You’ll often find her volunteering at Wild Bird Rehabilitation—supporting the medical team and feeding hundreds of tiny, hungry babies during baby bird season. And during butterfly season, her home comes alive with the flutter of wings as she raises hundreds of monarch and swallowtail butterflies.

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