“Many of us empaths don’t realize that often our desire to heal others is a disguised cry for help for our own healing. Because many of us weren’t taught how to value or nurture ourselves at a young age, we tend to unconsciously seek out our own healing in the healing of others.”
-Mateo Sol, author of Awakened Empath
If you’re someone that feels deeply tuned into the feelings of those around you, you’re likely an empath. Being an empath is like being an “emotional sponge” – you absorb surrounding emotions and energies, regardless of if they’re good, bad or something in between. Whether you like it or not, you absorb both the world’s joys and stressors. You’re highly sensitive to outside stimuli and lack the filter that most people use to protect themselves from excessive stimulation.
Once you become aware of the fact that you’re an empath, you can understand why you might feel so weighed down by others and how you can better take care of yourself. Empaths have this tendency to take things into their bodies. As empaths, we allow outside events to dictate our mood and physically feel the energy of others that either uplifts or depletes our own energy.
These are 10 key signs that you might be an empath (x).
(1) You have a lot of empathy. You understand the feelings of others outside of your own perspective so it’s like you’re literally experiencing someone else’s pain and happiness.
(2) Closeness & intimacy overwhelm you. Being in a relationship is challenging because you absorb your partner’s feelings as if they’re your own. Spending too much time with someone might feel overwhelming and your heightened sensitivity might give you a feeling of “frayed nerves” or sensory overload with lots of talking and touching.
(3) You have good intuition. You have a strong gut reaction to things that feel off – whether it’s picking up on dishonesty easily, knowing when something seems like a bad idea, or noticing subtle cues that provide insight on the thoughts of others. Intuitively, you can sense when it’s the right or wrong time to take a step in a certain direction.
(4) You take comfort in nature. Natural and remote environments bring you calmness from overwhelming sensations, sounds and emotions.
(5) You don’t thrive in crowded places. Because you absorb so much of the energy from others, the amount of emotional “noise” that you internalize from a crowd might feel so overwhelming it’s almost unbearable.
(6) Your concern for other people can sometimes feel like a full-time job. Empaths don’t just feel for someone, they feel with someone. You take in other’s emotions so deeply and have this natural inclination to ease another person’s distress as if it’s your own.
(7) People tell you all about their problems. Your loved ones sense you care deeply, feel comforted by your support, and reach out to you whenever experiencing difficulties.
(8) You are highly sensitive to sounds, smells or sensations. You’re more sensitive to the world around you; this means things like strong fragrances and odors, jarring physical sensations, and loud noise affect you more strongly.
(9) You don’t like conflict. Having such heightened sensitivity makes it easier for someone to hurt your feelings. When having an argument, you absorb the distress of everyone involved which makes even the most minor of disagreements harder to cope with.
(10) You need time to recharge. An overload of feelings – even if positive – might feel totally draining for an empath. If you don’t give yourself the time and space to rest your senses, you’re bound to experience emotional burnout, which wreaks havoc on your well-being.
As an empath, you’re likely also a light worker. This means that your life purpose involves healing and empowering others to heal. This might guide you into picking a profession by which your empathic nature assists those in need – such as nursing, therapy, rehabilitation, healing, caregiving, veterinary services, research, and teaching.
All in all, becoming aware of your empath status is an important step in achieving self-awareness. If you just self-diagnosed yourself as an empath, it means you need to carve out the time and find ways to expand your life force energy by your own means.
You aren’t always able to control your surroundings, but you do have the ability to create boundaries. Part of your gift as an empath is the extent to which you absorb your surroundings and share your energy with others. To avoid burnout and continue giving to others, you must work to create boundaries – whether this is being selective about who you spend time with, designating time for self-care on the weekend, or being mindful of who depletes your energy.
You need to find ways of controlling your joy from within. Our team at Practice Shraddha has specifically cultivated a platform for navigating just that.
Listening to music, meditating, visiting nature, and movement are all effective tools for clearing your life force energy. If you’re into crystals, a great tip for empaths is to carry a black tourmaline or hematite in your pocket or bag. These two crystals are known to block out dark or heavy energy, so carrying them around with you will help to ground and protect you.
These practices recharge your battery and open you up to receive more messages in the future. If you haven’t already, sign up for a free 7-day trial here and let Practice Shraddha lead you through techniques like journaling, mindfulness, and yoga, that work to clear, expand, and uplift the energy within ourselves.
