Rediscovering the Importance of Empathy

*This blog is originally written in Japanese and translated using ChatGPT. For my friend who knows Japanese, please read the original:

I apologize for the delay. This is my blog for the 14th week.
These past two days, I've been struggling to find motivation and ended up spending the whole day sleeping and watching YouTube.
How many times have I had days like this? I really want to get myself together soon.
Coming up with a theme for the blog every week is always so difficult. So please support me.

Beginning

Last week, I mentioned three positive things in a brief blog post, and now I have one more to add. It's the ability to reflect on myself when thinking about the theme for the blog.
This week's theme is something I've been aware of for a long time, but I haven't had the opportunity to confront it. Maybe it's because I didn't know how to fix it, so I just let it fade away from my mind.

Theme: Realizing That I Lack Empathy

Recently, I took a certain personality assessment. Let me show you a part of the results.

Excerpt from the assessment

My empathy is too low!I've always been aware that I struggle to connect with people and have difficulty forming deep relationships, but I didn't understand why.
Then, when I researched empathy, I realized that it's not only important for building relationships but also an essential skill in society today.
Moreover, I discovered that despite being naturally low in empathy, I've been further diminishing it by using my smartphone excessively.

The Disadvantages of Low Empathy

I used to think that being low in empathy wasn't a significant issue. I had the perception that in society, there are various types of people, and those with high empathy are kind individuals who are suitable for nursing, teaching, and welfare work. Since I didn't consider myself a kind person, I thought I could choose a job that required logical thinking.
However, reality proved me wrong.
Empathy is a necessary skill for surviving in this society. Having high empathy allows for the development of trustworthy relationships and enhances creativity, among other benefits supported by research.

Ways to Improve Empathy

Fortunately, empathy is a skill that can be cultivated. Based on my research, there are many studies on empathy, and there are evidence-based methods for its development.
Some commonly mentioned methods include meditation, reading novels, connecting with nature, and consciously reading and understanding others' emotions.
For me, all of these methods deviate quite a bit from my usual lifestyle. I only read non-fiction books, and I love the city. When I talk to people, I always consider what I should say.
For now, it's challenging for me to make rapid improvements. I plan to allocate dedicated time, devise an action plan, and gradually work on enhancing my empathy.
Therefore, I would like to discuss this theme further in the future.

Gratitude for Those Around Me

There's something I've been thinking about for a while. Despite my low empathy and difficulty in forming relationships, I'm truly grateful for the trustworthy people and friends around me. I consider them a gift from God.
Being accepted into the circle of friends, playing together, and creating many enjoyable memories—this is all because the people around me are kind and good-hearted. Because I knew my own flaws, I see everyone's presence as an irreplaceable miracle.
I want to express my gratitude, especially to my colleagues from the workplace where I worked for a year and a half. Last week, I had to leave my beloved workplace. In the team I was in, I had a good relationship not only with colleagues of the same rank but also with my superiors. Going out for lunch together every day, going out for drinks after work—these were my sources of joy. They taught me how wonderful it is to have colleagues you can trust 100%. I also felt their genuine happiness for my existence, which boosted my confidence. In my previous workplace, I was quite passive, but because of these people, I could be my authentic self and take active actions. I am truly grateful to each and every one of them. I don't think I can thank them enough. I'm proud to have met such amazing colleagues. Please don't forget me. (laughs)

Conclusion

Empathy is crucial for relationships and greatly influences our overall well-being. As empathy is considered a necessary soft skill in modern society, I intend to make an effort to improve my empathy, even if it's just a little. For those who share the same concerns as me, let's work on it together.

---

I apologize for posting the blog much later than usual.
I'm reflecting on it.
Before empathy, I also need to strengthen my willpower. I think there's infinite potential for personal growth.
I don't know what challenges await me next week, but I want to stay calm and live without letting my guard down.

See you next week~