EMAPTHY is the ability to see things from another's perspective and feel their emotions. Planning a wedding can be a very high stress situation for many couples. It is full of excitement, fear and anxiety. The wedding planning process can also be highly emotional, which can add additional stress. That is why empathy is the root of everything that we do at OSO IN LOVE.

Putting yourself in another person's shoes might lead you to act with compassion and do what you can to improve their situation. Here are some important ways that you can practice empathy in your business and personal lives.

Here are some tips to help you become a more active listener and implement empathy into your communication.

• Commit your undivided attention to the conversation. That means no cell phones, tablets, or computers. Maintain steady eye contact and responsive cues and forward leaning posture.
  

• Let the speaker actually speak. Give them the time to finish their thoughts without interrupting them. Silence is a great way to hold space for the other person.
  

• Summarize your understanding of what the speakers just said. Once the speaker has finished talking, summarize your account back to them.
  

Then ask, “Am I understanding this correctly?”

• Ask insightful, relevant, and nonjudgmental questions. Tap into your natural curiosity to understand the other person’s perspectives, thoughts, and feelings. Ask open ended questions as much as possible.
  

• Allow the other person to vent. When someone’s having troubles, they may be emotionally flustered. That’s okay. Give them the space they need to feel that. Let them talk from their heart and share how they feel; often, this will lead to them discovering their own solutions. Helping the other person to find the answers or solutions to what is making them feel frustrated and the need to vent is ideal and a sign of a true empath.
  

DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE VULNERABLE

Too many professional conversations stay in emotional “safe zones,” afraid of offending the other person. We fear vulnerability because we worry about how others may perceive us. Brené Brown—a brilliant woman at the forefront of vulnerability research—disagrees. Brown says that vulnerability actually helps us connect with others on a deeper level because it communicates that we’re human, complete with our own weaknesses, hurts, and fears. This creates a feeling of “sameness” that gives the other person something to connect to. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and show vulnerability, as this often leads to a greater sense of connection and stronger relationships.

Here are three steps to practice being more vulnerable in your interactions with others:

• After actively listening to the other person, think of a time you were in a similar situation or imagine how they could be feeling.
  
• Express your emotions to the other person, showing that you want to understand their feelings and that their feelings are valid.
  
• Share what you learned through your own experience, which may help give another perspective or comfort them in feeling less alone.
  

These comments are great examples to show you understand how the other person feels. Try to imagine exactly what the other person is going through to take an empathetic approach.

Put yourself in their shoes and experience the moment as if it were happening to you, and let your emotions and intuition guide you. Once you’ve tapped into those emotions, share them. More often than not, your emotional response will be very similar to theirs. This can help the other person to feel understood and heard, leading to a deeper connection between you both.

Here’s why assumptions are dangerous to empathy:

When you make an assumption, the understanding you draw is rarely a good match to the problem this person is facing. As a result, the connection you try to make may feel forced and unnatural.

This can leave the other person thinking, “She just doesn’t understand my situation,” or, “He’s not someone I can turn to because he doesn’t listen.” As you might imagine, these conclusions often cause people to withdraw.

Don’t rush empathy: Don’t try to empathize before truly understanding the situation. Take the time to listen and ask qualifying non-judgemental questions before connecting with the other person.