How can I journal about empathy at work without turning it into people‑pleasing? I feel like I have to feel what others feel to fit in.

Use your journal to separate empathy from emotional fusion. Try: 1) What is in my control (my attention, tone, choices) vs not (others’ feelings)? 2) What emotion do I notice in them, and what emotion do I notice in me? 3) What value do I want to embody (e.g., respect, clarity, kindness)? 4) One boundary statement I can hold (“I can listen fully without agreeing”). Shared feeling helps coordination, but your job is to understand, not to match. In Stoic, respond to today’s prompt and include these four checkpoints to keep empathy grounded and balanced.

My team doesn’t share my feelings about a decision. What can I write to turn that difference into something useful for our work?

Try a perspective‑mapping page: - Their lens: What might they care about (risk, speed, fairness)? Evidence I’ve seen? - My lens: What I care about and why. - Overlap: One shared aim (e.g., ship a solid release). - Bridge: One question I can ask to learn more, and one concession I can offer without violating my values. Close with: “If we all felt exactly the same, what blind spot might we miss?” This reframes empathy from sameness to understanding, which strengthens collaboration. Use the Stoic app’s prompt to draft your map before your next discussion.

I’m anxious I’ll be judged if I don’t mirror my boss’s mood. Any quick journaling steps to stop overthinking before a meeting?

Do a 3-minute pre‑meeting reset: 1) Facts vs stories: List 3 facts about the meeting; label the rest as stories. 2) Body check: Name one sensation; take 3 slow breaths. 3) Intention: “I will be curious and clear.” 4) Empathic opener: Prepare one validating line (“I hear this timeline matters a lot”). 5) Action I can control: One behavior (take notes, ask one clarifying question). Mirroring isn’t required; steady presence is. Open Stoic, answer today’s prompt with these five lines, then step into the meeting.

Journaling Idea - On Empathy.

Is it important at your job to feel the same way other people do?

You can think about who you work for and with, and also what you make: how does shared feeling help your work?

Journal in Stoic

Written by

Zach Beauvais

Published on

Apr 6, 2023

Journal in Stoic

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Zach Beauvais

Writing & User Experience

Zach helps stoic design experiences for mental and emotional wellness, creating guided meditations, mindful walks, and journaling prompts rooted in Stoic philosophy. He also serves as Marketing Director at Cornell’s ILR School, where he helps leaders clarify their purpose and turn ideas into content that engages students, faculty, and collaborators. With over 15 years of experience in storytelling, community building, and content strategy, Zach brings both creativity and clarity to his work. Outside of writing and strategy, he enjoys photography, making coffee, and carving spoons, bowls, and cups from green wood.

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