What are acknowledgment of their lived experiences?

An acknowledgment of their lived experiences is when people say, “I see what you’ve gone through and it matters.”

Imagine you’re playing with your friends in the park, and one friend trips over a big rock. They get up, laugh, and say, “That was a rough fall!” Now imagine another friend says, “Yeah, I know how that feels, I tripped over that same rock last week.” That second friend is acknowledging the first friend’s lived experience, they know what it's like to trip over that rock.

Now think of this: Sometimes people have really hard experiences, like being teased at school, or not having enough food to eat. When someone says, “I see you,” or “That sounds tough,” they’re showing they understand those lived experiences. It’s like giving a hug after a big fall, it helps you feel seen and supported.

Sometimes people don’t always get that, but when they do, it makes everything feel a little easier.