THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SYMPATHY, EMPATHY, AND COMPASSION

On this episode of The Karen Kenney Show, I talk about the powerful difference between sympathy, empathy, and compassion and why it matters in how we move through the world. I share a personal story about my mixed media art piece that I created for “The Mothership” Exhibition - in honor of my mother on the 45th anniversary of her murder - and how watching strangers interact with my work revealed, in real time, the shift from sympathy to empathy and beyond. We explore: - How sympathy creates distance - How empathy helps us feel ‘with’ someone - How compassion asks, “How can I help?” and moves us to act I also offer a few simple ways you can start building your own compassion muscle - for others, yourself, animals, and for all the beings that may be suffering in this wild world we’re all sharing. KAREN KENNEY BIO: Karen Kenney is a writer, speaker, podcaster, certified spiritual mentor, and coach. She’s known for her dynamic storytelling, her sense of humor, her Boston accent, and her no-bullshit approach to spirituality, self​-development, and transformational work. Karen helps people to navigate this whole “being human” experience using practical tools, universal principles and stories, and a variety of resources. KK has been a yoga teacher for 25+ years, has been giving Thai Yoga Massage since 2008, and began teaching it in 2015. She's also a Gateless Writing Instructor, the creator of Write Club, and the host of The Karen Kenney Show podcast. She coaches clients individually in her 1:1 program THE QUEST and via her HEART-TO-HEART DAYS using Voxer. She also leads a group program and community called THE NEST. CONNECT WITH KAREN: Website: http://karenkenney.com/ Podcast: https://www.karenkenney.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenkenneylive/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenkenneylive/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KarenKenney