If there’s one thing humanity is sorely lacking, it’s empathy. 

Don’t get me wrong, there are some great, genuinely kind people out there. 

But for every nice person, there are a few more severely lacking in empathy and compassion. 

If empathy were practiced more, the world would certainly be a better place. 

There would be exponentially more equality and justice–and considerably less conflict. 

Sure, you are under no obligation to change the state of the world. 

But what you can do is show empathy to your fellow human being. 

Remember, every act of kindness counts. 

In this article, I’ll walk you through the subtle signs you’re exceptionally empathetic. 

So if the items in this piece sound familiar, keep on keepin’ on! 

Let’s get to it!

1) You’re a deep listener 

Empathetic people know the importance of genuine human connection. 

These days, it can be legitimately tough to listen (I mean really listen) to other people. 

Our collective attention span is compromised by the endless stimuli of social media, smartphones, and everything in between. 

The empathetic person tends to want to make the other person feel valued and important; they also tend to be genuinely interested in what the other other has to say. 

Hence, they’ll almost always actively listen, without interrupting. 

They’ll be engaged rather than scrolling through their Instagram feed giving half-assed, monosyllabic responses. 

When you have genuine empathy, you can pick up on conversational nuances too: tone, body language, and choice of words–all these things are taken into account. 

2) You have a non-judgmental outlook 

I know a group of people who get together every Friday and trash and laugh at everyone they know behind their backs just to amuse themselves for a few hours.

I think it’s safe to say that people like these have a distinct lack of empathy. 

This is because when you have empathy, one of the more telltale signs of it is harboring a non-judgmental attitude and approach to situations and people. 

You understand that everyone has their own unique experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds–and you respect those differences with an open mind and heart, even, and especially,  if they’re vastly different from yours. 

3) You have an intuitive understanding of people and situations 

When somebody in your circle is feeling down or slightly blue, you aren’t often oblivious to that when you have empathy. 

You almost have a sixth sense of the emotions of other people. 

Your intuitive sensitivity allows you to connect with others on a deeper, more profoundly emotional level. 

You adjust your actions and words to the other person and their state, even when they may not verbalize those feelings. 

This speaks to your inherent adaptability.

Your ability to match the emotional energy of those around you helps create a sense of comfort and understanding. 

People tend to enjoy and appreciate your company because you validate them and their feelings in your special way. 

Keep at it! 

4) You tend to help people express themselves  

Do you feel like the unofficial (unpaid) therapist of the friend group? 

If so, take this as a compliment. 

People aren’t using you; you’ve just created an aura and vibe where people feel comfortable sharing their deep, innermost thoughts and feelings with you. 

In many people’s minds, you represent a safe space, one where they feel liberated to open up. 

They find it easy, even effortless, to express themselves around you. 

You ask the right questions, you’re constantly engaged, and never quick to judge. 

During life’s more challenging periods, you are the go-to person they turn to for support. 

You make them feel good and understood and cared for in their moments of need.

All these attributes make you a sort of emotional rock for many. 

You have a gift, my friend; never let it go. 

5) You’re easily overwhelmed by people’s emotions 

Do you ever get swept away by other people’s emotions? 

Perhaps they’re going through a traumatic struggle, like losing a loved one or ending a long-term marriage. 

You don’t just passively “kinda” feel bad for them, you find yourself deeply affected by the emotions of those around you.

You feel the weight of their sadness and stress to an immense degree. 

This works both ways. 

Conversely, for instance, when people you care about are happy, that feeling radiates strongly, and their joy feels contagious. 

6) You take action

You don’t just feel the odd bout of empathy when you witness external struggles, you put your money where your mouth (and heart) is. 

You see–when most people feel bad about a certain issue, the extent of their action might be passively posting or re-posting a social media story about it. 

This is called slacktivism, and while perhaps better than nothing, it doesn’t truly represent legitimate action. 

Empathetic people are far more likely to take steps to help out or comfort those in need. 

And guess what? 

They don’t feel the need to document their altruism; this defeats the purpose. 

For them, there is no underlying motive; they want to help for the sake of helping, for the sake of supporting and making somebody else’s life just a bit better than it was before. 

For me, there’s no greater evidence of genuine empathy than through tangible, physical actions. 

7) You’re careful with your words

I come from a family of talkers; specifically talkers with no regard for filters or volume. 

If you’ve gained or lost weight, they’ll be sure to resoundingly let you know. 

If you have any sort of shortcoming or make anything resembling a mistake, they’ll let you know. 

There is minimal understanding, nuance, and regard for feelings; whatever pops into their heads, they’ll almost always harshly blurt it out. 

As you can imagine, this status quo has led to some deep-seated angst and insecurity among my siblings, my cousins, and myself. 

So in that respect, my family certainly lacks empathy. 

Being empathetic means being mindful of the potential impact your words and actions can have on others. 

So you tend to be careful with what you choose to impart. 

The last thing you want to do is cause harm to others and damage their self-worth. 

You’d much rather contribute positively to people’s well-being than anything–further proof of your powerful sense of empathy. 

Final words 

As you know by now, empathy in this life is relatively rare. 

So keep on cultivating that gift. 

You don’t have to cure cancer or end wars. 

Through small acts of kindness, you’re changing the world more than you know. 

For every display of empathy, you’re creating a ripple effect, inspiring others to do the same. 

So keep doing what you’re doing. 

Good karma awaits; it always does.