Member-only story

Small Acts of Empathy: Transforming Lives One Gesture at a Time (With a Side of Humor)

Abby Dougherty
4 min readJan 18, 2025
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

In a world that often feels rushed and disconnected, small acts of empathy can create ripples of positive change. Empathy — the ability to understand and share the feelings of another — is a powerful tool for fostering compassion and connection. And guess what? It doesn’t have to be all serious and solemn — sometimes empathy comes with a sprinkle of humor and a whole lot of heart.

Listening Without Judgment (And Without Checking Your Phone)

One of the simplest ways to show empathy is to truly listen. Not the kind where you’re nodding while mentally writing your grocery list. Giving someone your undivided attention, maintaining eye contact (without turning it into a staring contest), and offering validating responses can make them feel valued and understood. In an age of constant distractions, being fully present is a rare and precious gift — like finding the last piece of pizza untouched.

Offering a Helping Hand (Or Foot, If Your Hands Are Full)

Small, thoughtful actions can speak volumes. Holding the door open, offering to carry groceries, or helping a neighbor with yard work are simple ways to ease someone’s burden. These gestures might seem insignificant, but they can brighten someone’s day — kind of like when you find…

Create an account to read the full story.

The author made this story available to Medium members only.
If you’re new to Medium, create a new account to read this story on us.

Or, continue in mobile web

Already have an account? Sign in

Abby Dougherty
Abby Dougherty

Written by Abby Dougherty

Abby Dougherty, PhD, loves to learn, and produce scholarship on relational-cultural theory, virtual reality, AI, and using mindfulness in counselor education.

No responses yet

Write a response