I genuinely don’t think people will fully understand something unless they go through it themselves.

It’s easy to motivate and project from a place of ignorance, but the most you can do is empathize and imagine, I don’t think it ever goes beyond that.

I’m not saying this because I do not understand empathy or that emotions can’t be transferred. It’s just that you’ll never know where the shoe hurts if you are not wearing it.

People usually say things like “if it were me, I would have done this or that or handled it that way,” or “if that happened, I would have moved on by now.”

No, you won’t. You only think you would because it wasn’t you.

What am I telling you today? Don’t be judgy of other people’s feelings, they have the right to theirs as you have to yours.

We all cope with things differently and if you think you’ve had something similar happened to you and handled it in some way, don’t expect the other person to follow suit. There is no way the situation will ever be the same.

Also, stop dismissing other people’s feelings by saying things like “is that why you’re crying?” or “that’s not even worth your reaction.” It is insensitive.

Don’t compare your experiences except in a way that gives the other person hope. It’s not a competition of who the hardest guy is, it’s just everyone coping the best way they can.

As the month goes on, be kind. Don’t be judgy or dismissive of other people’s feelings. If they feel hurt, disappointed or heartbroken, let them. You’ll never really understand how much it means if you’re not in their shoes.

Song for the week – Break My Soul – Beyoncé