|  Blog Post   |  Without humble empathy, there is no courage.

Without humble empathy, there is no courage.

Choosing and practicing empathy doesn’t mean we baby, placate, fix, or make excuses for others.

Empathy is sitting beside people with their difficulty and their pain, holding space with care to seek to understand.

It is here the ground is level, and the space is created to move through whatever is going on together.

When we baby, placate, fix, or make excuses for someone in struggle, often we only send them out the door enabling them to stay stuck.

Empathy allows us to hold people accountable for their work, responsibilities, and change in a way that holds our common humanity above shame, judgment, criticism, and our own stuff.

When we choose the skill set of empathy, we walk through life together and send them out the door empowered to make real change.

Without humble empathy, there is no courage.

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 two dogs, Gertie and Winston. 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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