For many years I had no idea I was an Empath: I knew I was sensitive and could discern others feelings.
Often I would feel just fine and suddenly realize that my mood had shifted to something that did not feel like me when I was in large crowds or anytime in groups of people. I had no idea I was picking up the energy of others. After speaking, I used to sometimes feel sad or depressed for no reasons I could understand and finally I learned that I was very sensitive to the energy of the people around me. I finally found out that I had to protect myself and started to research what being an Empath meant. The dictionary describes: Empath (noun) a person with the paranormal ability to apprehend the mental or emotional state of another individual.
If you are an empath, you are highly sensitive and feel and absorb other people’s emotions and sometimes physical symptoms. You tend to filter the world through your intuition and often have a challenging time intellectualizing your feelings. When you are overwhelmed with the deluge of negative emotions. Empaths often experience pockets of feeling depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, which triggers binges of food, drugs, or shopping, meaning people who are overwhelmed are doing anything to stop feeling so out of control trying to get relief.
I will share with you being an empath has many positive attributes including have a huge heart, great support system for others, being intuitive, knowing things others simply do not know.
Your point of power:
Rules to Remember to Keep yourself Balanced.
1. Be aware you are highly sensitive: Since you are so highly attuned to other people’s moods and energy level, refrain from being around insensitive people as much as you can.
Since your feelings can get hurt very easily just accept the reality that there are certain people who have NO sensitivity, are self-centered and don’t care how you feel. Your job is to observe who is literally NOT GOOD for you and remove yourself as fast as possible.
2. Many Empaths are Introverted. Stay away from large crowds, parties, events which can amplify your empathy in a negative way. Give yourself a time limit when in large groups and plan in advance when you are going to depart and how that is going to happen to protect yourself. Don’t accept invitations that you know will throw your energy off.
3. Empaths Need Time Alone. Since most Empaths are super-responsive, they can find being around people too long is draining. Schedule time alone daily even if that mean walking alone in nature or time for meditation. Stop being all things to all people! Take your own car when you meet people so you are free to leave on your own schedule. When in large groups, such as seminars, take regular mini breaks. Even a brief escape prevents emotional overloads.
4. Empaths are targets for energy vampires so being it can feel like being an Empath is a curse. However once you KNOW that your sensitivity makes you an easy mark for energy vampires whose anger and rage can destroy, your peace of mind again be proactive. There is no law you have to give these people your time or ear! Be so busy with your own life and projects you simply say NO. Don’t let anyone live in your head RENT FREE! Plus be very aware of the dangerous narcissists who lack empathy and are always ONLY concerned with their own agenda. These narcissists often are so manipulating that they try to make Empaths believe they’re unworthy and unlovable. (Don’t buy that and remove yourself from these poison people now!!)
5. Empaths have highly tuned senses. So once you are in a situation where your nerves are frayed by excessive noise or talking, overwhelming smells you must take this AWARENESS and remove yourself as soon as possible or simply refuse to expose yourself to those environments. For example, I avoid bars, gambling casinos, huge crowds for outside events because I know I will be miserable. I say NO in advance.
6. Empaths are very effected by negative News. For next 30 days simply cut off reading newspapers, negative news mags, and all News. I cut back on social media from all the political hate mongering.
7. Empaths can become overwhelmed in intimate relationships. The truth is that too much togetherness can be really challenging for us! Many get engulfed and lose their identity. It’s important to carve out alone time for yourself to make relationships work. I have to even let office staff go if they can not control their own emotions and spew negative thoughts or anger and can’t be positive around me. I have to be on guard with who is around me for my own peace of mind.
8. Empaths have huge hearts and often Sacrifice themselves to help others. As an Empath, I use all the strategies I am sharing with you. I set fierce time management boundaries with draining people,. (See my product: Time Vampires)
I daily pray, mediate, spend time in nature and with my Animal companions to stay calm and keep centered.
These are a few tips that can simply make you have more awareness that you are 100% responsible to protect yourself, have boundaries and the courage to step out of situations that overwhelm you and are not beneficial.
Best to you!
Lee Milteer
