While I will occasionally pay it forward and pay for someone’s coffee in the drive thru lineup, I haven’t done that in a while. And while I know there are ways to give that help more, I do give to the local unhoused who ask for change. We also support our local foodbank and shelters regularly as well. I offer smiles to people in traffic, which, let me tell you, weirds people out. Try it – look over at the car beside you and smile. It makes many people uncomfortable!

I tend to feel things really intensely and while I haven’t lived all the experiences in life, I internalize a lot of feelings. I just feel things deep within me. I used to see this a negative thing, but have to come to see it as a positive. This is how I see empathy. When I can really understand and relate to someone in my life. I recently had a conversation with my kiddo, kind of one of those deeper conversations that maybe helped him see some stuff a little clearer? Sure, it was “mom” advice, but it was advice coming from his Mom, the person – flawed, former teenager, human being.

I also realized that sometimes we get a little wrapped up in our own worlds and I could do a little more to be kinder and more empathetic to the outside world. ❤