Quotes About Empathy

A close friend of mine's daughter was diagnosed with Epilepsy and battled seizures her first 2 years so this cause hits close to home. She ended up having brain surgery and has been seizure-free since. It really is an incredible story. Anything I can do to help promote Epilepsy awareness, I am with it.

I don't want to surpass anyone. I don't want to be better than anyone else.

I think when you don't know where you stand with someone, they can surprise you in their goodness and their badness, and that makes them human.

During my past career as a journalist, I relished writing obits and equally dreaded phoning relatives for the necessary facts. But to my surprise and great relief, they often wanted to talk - they wanted their recently deceased loved ones recorded in print.

People often express surprise that I'm not a psychopath. But it's not about what I want to do to other people, it's that I'm scared of what other people might do to me.

I ask all my actors to do two things: I ask them to fail for me, and I ask them to surprise me.

It's never a surprise to me that a job that I'm doing reflects what I'm going through or what I'm thinking about.

I always respond to characters who have depth. I'm always interested in those people. They're the ones who surprise you.

People always say, 'Do you get bothered by what people say or blog or write about you?' I only do if I know them. If I know them, and I have a relationship with them and they write that, then that would surprise me a lot. Usually the people writing the negative stuff don't know me at all.

I'm surprised some people don't like me! I think I have a good heart, so they should like me!

People like to know you're listening, and something as simple as a clarification question shows not only that you are listening but that you also care about what they're saying. You'll be surprised how much respect and appreciation you gain just by asking good questions.

I read of the Kalamazoo girl who killed herself after reading the book. I am not at all surprised. She lived in Kalamazoo, for one thing, and then she read the book.

I hope people listen to black people more. You'd be surprised how little people listen to black people when it comes to racial issues. It's weird.

I'm constantly surprised by human nature and humanity. And I think that's why I love what I do: because I love to story-tell and bring new characters to life.

When it comes to relationships, I think I'm pretty experienced - you'd be surprised.

Always try to do something for the other fellow and you will be agreeably surprised how things come your way - how many pleasing things are done for you.

Today, the people are governing the governments. And when they begin to talk to each other, they are surprised, they can be friends. Why should we hate each other?

The average Londoner knows just one neighbour. I travel a lot, and I'm always surprised by the strong sense of community in some countries. We've lost something fundamentally human, and we don't even realise it.

I'm not surprised that I tend to go for the dark side. I was a really scared kid, so I think I understand what scares people.

My dad didn't know that I had an eating disorder. He had no idea, so that was weird. I was in an interview and just said it accidentally. I called my dad because I remember thinking, 'My dad does not know that,' and he was surprised. I think he understood, though.

When I did the original research for 'Odd Girl Out,' I asked every bullied girl I interviewed to tell me what she needed most from her family. The answer truly surprised me. It wasn't having the best solutions, calling the school, or trying to act like everything was okay. It was empathy.

When I read, I don't need a character to look like me, act like me, or think like me. I don't need to have my heart broken. I don't need to be surprised or amused or challenged, and I don't need to swoon.

I know that there are some people who don't like me, and that kind of surprises me more than the people who love me.

It always surprises me when people say, 'I don't regret one thing about my life. I wouldn't change anything because it's all led me to where I am today.' I would want to change certain things that have caused others pain.