Empathy Circle: How do you feel about the world right now?
Hey everyone! I thought we could try something called an "empathy circle" here in the forum. An empathy circle works by giving everyone involved an equal opportunity to speak and be heard.
How does this work?
A question will be provided for the entire thread, and you answer the question sharing your own thoughts/feelings. But before that, you will respond to the person above you and reflect back what you hear.
E.g. I enjoy going out with my friends, but sometimes I feel left out and that makes me feel bad.
You might respond with: It sounds like you like spending time with friends, but it doesn't feel so good when you feel left out.
Once you've done that, you can respond with your own thoughts and feelings, which the next person will respond to... and so on.
Make sure you tag the person you're responding to! E.g. @Laura
You can take as many turns as you like, as long as you always respond to the previous person.
The question for this thread is: How do you feel about the world right now?
I'll start! I feel like there are lots of scary and upsetting things going on in the world right now, but I can also see lots of people caring about others and helping out. Seeing the helpers always makes me feel more hopeful.
Who's next?
@Heather
There are some horrible things happening in the world at the moment but it is lovely to hear that you are outweighing the negative things with nice thoughts. 
@Heather
I feel like the world is a messed up place and that there will always be suffering in the world. It is unfair how some people have to live and I don't understand why people are out to get others all of the time.
You feel that life is unfair and people will continuously suffer in the world.
There is more destruction in the world today than happiness and peace. Hatred amongst people is just increasing day after day. There seems to be no end to violence, racism and discrimination. The bottom line is, humanity is fading away.
@empatheticlistener88 I can feel that you are more pessimistic about the world prevailing with hatred, violence and racism ultimately leading to end of humanity.
@fancyLake23 I am not being pessimistic, it is reality.
@empatheticlistener88 We see the world, not as it is, but as we are──or, as we are conditioned to see it.
@fancyLake23
Honestly, these are just some things I have been hearing about lately. Of course, there are still people in the world who are working hard to bring about peace, happiness and love. People like all of us 
. I have been raised to be thankful for everything I have and I have been taught to continue helping others and be kind always
I feel the world is always a pleasant peaceful place to live and let live. I also believe we can make this world a much better place to live and sustain by spreading love, care and affection.
@fancyLake23 I hear you feel the world is always a peaceful place made better when people spread love, care and affection. Though I feel the world is a far better place with those attributes, sadly humanity what it is also at times makes this world a sad place, where wars, and conflicts threaten not only countries, but the families and citizens of those countries. People are victims to so much atrocity and so much sadness. The world would truely be a more peaceful place, if the love, care and affection for one another was able to eradicate those terrible times people endure
@dancingRainbow45 We see the world, not as it is, but as we are──or, as we are conditioned to see it.
@Heather
I feel like there is a lot of pain in the world right now. Greed, injustice, corruption and cruelty are alive and well and it breaks my heart... Sometimes it might seem it's hard to remain hopeful.
At the same time, I do acknowledge we've made great progress in a lot of areas. The beautiful thing our civilization has been more and more interconnected so we can learn from one another and expand our horizons easier than ever before in history. Education is the only answer.
@Bluecornflower
Even though you see that the world is not headed in the most ideal direction you see hope for it in form of education.
The idea which is running in my mind is, if everyone in the world becomes enlightened tomorrow and thus peaceful. Would we still have a difference of opinion which can lead to a conflict again? This idea troubles me.