How To Speak Honestly And With Empathy? Check Out Some Tips!
Too much empathy can make you lie to avoid hurting the other person. In turn, being too honest can make you perceived as rude. So how can you balance these two qualities to speak honestly and with empathy ?
It is not easy to be honest and empathetic . Honesty is a key value in relationships with other people. Nobody wants to discover that they have been cheated or betrayed. This inevitably leads to a loss of trust in the person who lied.
However, not all behavior is appropriate when it comes to honesty, especially when we consider that the feelings of others are at stake. This is why honesty and empathy are two assumptions that must go hand in hand.
In today’s societies, individualism, competition and the misunderstood concept of independence play a significant role. For this reason, people sometimes assume that honesty is always the best choice. However , they forget that their words can influence others. So how can you be sincere and empathetic at the same time? Learn a few tips.
What is honesty?
Honesty is the ability to unite thoughts, words and actions. In this way, you are able to express what you think is truth and at the same time act on what you think and say. Honesty leaves no room for lies, falsehoods, or secrets. In addition, it leaves no room for empty words or unfulfilled promises.
A sincere person is real and expresses the truth even if he or she may suffer the adverse consequences of such behavior. It is a value that is closely related to integrity and respect for oneself and for others.
What is empathy?
Empathy is the ability to put yourself in the other person’s shoes so that you can understand their thought process and be able to identify the emotions they are experiencing. Being empathetic means taking into account the inner emotional world of others and making efforts to move beyond your limits for a while and try to understand their points of view.
An empathetic person does not judge, lie or demean because they understand how such actions can affect the other person. By allocating a moment to feel the pain of others as their own, they choose the path of understanding, tact and human warmth.
What do these values have in common?
While at first glance it may seem that honesty and empathy do not have much in common, in fact both play a key role in our daily lives. In other words, one of them without the other can have negative consequences.
For example, excessive empathy can make you lie to avoid hurting others by resorting to so-called “white lies. ” While this may lead to avoiding conflict in the short term, it can also feel guilty and give the other person an impression of betrayal upon learning of a lack of sincerity.
Honesty without empathy doesn’t work either. If you are direct and honest, without paying attention to the emotional aspect, other people may perceive you as blunt, rude or tactless. Consequently, you may experience social rejection or interpersonal conflicts.
4 tips for speaking honestly and with empathy
If you want to keep your relationships healthy, you need to combine honesty with empathy. But it is not always easy to apply both concepts simultaneously. Fortunately, we have some tips that you may find helpful.
1. Respect others
When communicating with others, you need to remember that respect is a key factor. Honoring others means believing that they deserve the truth and that this makes you be honest with them. However, it also means taking their feelings into account, as no one will intentionally hurt those they respect.
2. Work on your assertiveness
Assertive communication plays a key role. Sometimes, the fear of rejecting you or your opinions can make you lie to try to please others. For this reason, you have to work on your confidence and learn to express yourself in an assertive way.
In the same way, if you let aggression take over you and you can’t control your impulses, you can easily hurt others with your words. Remember that you don’t have to belittle someone else’s point of view to express your own
3. Use constructive language
If you need to convey unpleasant information to someone, it is best to use constructive language for this purpose. What does it mean? Choosing the right words and suggesting solutions instead of criticizing or judging.
4. Be aware of your non-verbal communication
When communicating messages, non-verbal communication takes precedence over words. Aspects such as your tone of voice, body language, and the time and place where you choose to convey an idea, can make or break communication. Be sure to pay attention to these issues so that your interlocutor does not feel attacked or threatened.
Speaking with honesty and empathy will improve your well-being
Our values define us as persons and we show them through our actions and interactions with others. In the beginning, you may find it difficult to speak with honesty and empathy in your daily life. Ultimately, however, this behavior will improve your personal and social well-being.
