In one of my posts on The Anonian, I touched on the importance of empathy in a person’s life. When it comes to understanding the world and finding true happiness, it is a necessity.

However, feeling empathy is much easier said than done. It takes experience, it takes an open mind, and it takes a level head. It requires three instruments that most take a lifetime to acquire — and even that is still not long enough for some people!

I am quite proud to say that I have already taken great strides in my ability to feel empathy for others. Most of this wisdom was bestowed upon me during my first breakup. Through that tragic event, I learned what true pain was. It made me aware and conscious of the reasons behind a person’s behavior. I was lucky enough to realize that other people go through those same lows, for many different reasons. Ever since then, I have been incredibly empathetic to those around me.

Here are some things you can do to help grow your empathetic side, in descending order of effectiveness:

1. Find someone you think is awesome. Fall in love. Date. Get dumped.
2. Make a list of people you considered to be rude. At the end of the day, imagine yourself as those people, searching for what caused their unpleasant behaviors.
3. Meditate. It helps relax and grow your mind, giving you that level head you need.