I'd read an article about cultivating empathy and showing kindness and it had said this:

There are three main ways by which we can sharpen our sensitivity to the needs and feelings of others: by listening, by observing, and by imagining.

Listen. By listening carefully we learn what problems others face. And the better we listen, the more likely they are to open up their hearts and reveal their feelings.

Observe. Not everyone will openly tell us how they feel or what they are going through. A keen observer, however, will notice when a person seems depressed, when a teenager becomes uncommunicative, or when a friend loses his enthusiasm. This ability to sense a problem in its early stages is vital for parents. “Somehow, my mother knows how I feel before I talk to her,” observes Marie, “so it is easy for me to talk frankly to her about my problems.”

Use your imagination. The most powerful way to stimulate empathy is to ask yourself: ‘If I were in this situation, how would I feel? How would I respond? What would I need?’
We often find it easier to judge mistakes than to understand feelings. However, if we try hard to imagine the distress of someone afflicted, it will help us to sympathize rather than condemn.
I loved the definition in the article too because it said empathy is feeling another's pain in our own heart.

Not sure if that helps?