Do you find yourself listening with ease to other people’s problems? Do you pick up on the emotions of those around you without trying to? Do strangers easily share their life stories? If so, you’ve probably gone through your life being more affected by other people’s energy than you realize. You’re an empath. And if you know you are, the next question that’s likely to pop into your head is “So now what?”
As an empath, you are someone who has been hard-wired to perceive and experience other people’s emotions. You probably grew up being told you were “too sensitive” but being an empath isn’t just about being hyper-sensitive and it’s not strictly emotions, either. Without even trying, an empath can pick up on and understand what makes other people do the things they do and what their intentions are.
The fact that you are an empath can’t be changed. Nor is it a skill that can be developed. Just like the color of your eyes, you were born with this gift (which sometimes might feel like a curse). As an empath you are always “on” – processing other people’s feelings and energies. You can learn how to manage this. Empaths often turn to alcohol, drugs and other addictions to kind of “tone down” the effects of going through life this way. However, there are much healthier ways to deal with being an empath that will serve you in far better ways.
- Be alone: Perhaps this is stating the obvious, but empaths, more than anyone, require time alone in order to recharge their batteries. Make sure you are giving yourself plenty of alone-time to relax. Do anything you want to during this time but just be alone.
- Meditate: If you’re having a particularly overwhelming day, take 5-10 minutes (or more if you can!) and meditate. Quiet your mind. Let the thoughts come into your head but then let them go as quickly as they come. Don’t focus or dwell on any one thing. Focus on your breathing and let your body relax.
- Listen to music: This is one I’ve taken to doing when I just can’t get away from people (like at the office or – god forbid – the mall). Just put your headphones in, turn your favorite tunes on and block the rest of the world out, even if only for a little while.
- Change your outlook: Being an empath is indeed a burden at times. It is my belief that before we were born, we made a soul agreement to come to Earth in this time of transition and take on the task of being an empath in this life to help others. This belief helps me put my empathic abilities in perspective and I see it as a gift, a responsibility to help others.
- Look at your personal narrative: What stories do you tell yourself as you do the dishes or make the bed? If you believe, as an empath, that you need protection from evil, then you’re likely setting yourself up (like a self-fulfilling prophecy) to attract negative energy. If we instead focus on promoting positive strengths and positive energy in ourselves and those around us, more positivity will come our way.
- Move: No, not from your home or city. Just move your body. Go for a walk. Go for a run, to the gym – just move. I find this particularly effective for me when I have so much pent up energy from others around me I don’t know what to do with myself. Moving your body will let off some steam (and burn some calories too – double bonus!). Movement in any form is a great way for empaths to move out old energy and pull in fresh energy.
Click here to read my first article on empaths: Are you an empath?
Have some coping tips for empaths not mentioned? Share them here!
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Welcome! My name's Lindsay. I'm a spiritual intuitive, empath and Reiki practitioner. Armed with intuition and a desire to help others grow, I write the articles on The Daily Awe to do just that. 
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personal rituals can also help; setting up a "shield" when you feel you need it, as well as regular state of being checks so you can spot when you need to withdraw and recharge.
Knowing yourself too; to be able to distinguish when an emotion is not your own and belongs to someone else.
Not saying it's easy, because it isn't. I am still working on surviving it. The hardest aspects now are the ones when insights come at a distance, or via dreams or visions and it's essential to work out how much needs action taking and how much just needs accepting.
Oh that's true – something I hadn't thought of. It's really important to know yourself, so you can differentiate whether or not you're feeling your OWN feelings or someone else's.
And yeah – the distance stuff/dreams is a bit of a challenge, isn't it? I am sometimes in a quandry as to whether or not my dream is just a dream but rather something prophetic. Often times it's the latter!
The really frustrating dreams are the ones where you see something you know is both significant and important but have no means of actually using it in a practical manner; this sort drive me mad because I KNOW something but can take no action to take it further. I've dreamed of murders, even, but when you wake knowing you have seen something you cannot possibly explain, you are left with the fact that even the most open police officer will not be open to it.
And the other harsh thing is seeing things "remotely" that you are not trained or prepared to deal with. Many years ago during the Bosnian conflict, a friend of mine served as ambulance crew dealing with atrocities: for several months, even though I didn't know that's where he was and what he was doing, I saw snippets of what he saw during his days during my nightmares. It was only when he came home on leave I discovered what had been going on. At the time, I genuinely thought I might have been going insane.
That's where prayer comes in to help deal with this stuff. I probably would be in a mental institution otherwise by now.
Wow, that's pretty incredible. Do you find that you dream about good things too, or mostly traumatic stuff that's happening and/or going to happen?
That's a good question. Off hand I am not aware of having dreamed about good stuff at all. I do have good dreams, sometimes, and I have dreamed of future things that have been effectively neutral.
I have a problem with sleep anyway, so maybe there is a limit to what can come through.
Or you could check out Rose Rosetree’s ‘Empowered by Empathy’ or ‘Become the most Important person in the room-a 30 day program for empath empowerment’ and learn some real techniques.
The latter I own and am working through at the minute. Both highly recommended from Anna Conlon as well.
(www.roserosetree.com and http://www.psychicbutsane.com)
Awesome, thank you Amy! I am familiar with Rose and Anna but have not read any of Rose's books. I think I should!
http://www.rose-rosetree.com -misstyped I think!
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