A Nurse's Journey to Inner Peace: Empathy

As a nurse, you raise yourself to a higher level of consciousness when you are able to understand the feelings of another person and take their perspective. It is comparable to the saying, “walking in the shoes of another.”

But there is another component of empathy. It is providing the appropriate emotional response – feeling the emotions and sharing the pain. In the nursing profession, it can become difficult to feel empathy on a steady basis and walls can be built to protect from absorbing the pain and suffering of others.

However, empathy is one of the greatest gifts you can provide to another traveler on this journey called 'life'. As you knock down the walls that were built to protect yourself and allow your empathy to shine through, you will be amazed at the difference in your demeanor, your relationship with your patients, and your interaction with your co-workers.

You have the constant opportunity to practice empathy on a daily basis, and as you do, the magnetic glow of this outstanding spiritual quality will surround you. As you become more and more a reflection of empathy, you will feel the benefits to your mental, emotional and spiritual health for nothing is given away that is not returned to you.

Your sacred reward for this type of kind and compassionate understanding is the return of this empathy to you, and in the return of it, you will thrive.

Empathy for others is actually empathy for your own sacred spirit. “Give and you shall receive.”

Affirmation

Today I will become a reflection of empathy.

Today I will give the empathy I wish to receive.

Today I am empathy!