Empathy Quote by Marshall B. Rosenberg
“Empathizing with someone's 'no' protects us from taking it personally.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Nonviolent Communication, Marshall B. Rosenberg, 2003
Seeing a person's refusal as a boundary protects us from personalizing it.
In simple terms: Respect others' boundaries.
Key Takeaway
Practice empathy.
Themes
communication
boundaries
empathy
Mood
calm
instructive
Type
psychological
practical
When to use this quote
- conflict resolution
- relationship building
- teaching
Key Concepts
nonviolent communication
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we respond constructively to a 'no'?
- What emotions arise when we feel rejected?
A Different Perspective
May ignore underlying reasons for refusal.
![“That is another theme in the book [Dreams from My Father]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we get the black to see through the eyes of the white? Or the citizen to see through the eyes of the immigrant? Or the straight to see through the eyes of the gay? That has…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/barack-obama-17_black_that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams_10185.jpg)
