Sensitive. Over-sensitive. Compassionate. Too compassionate. Emotional. Over-emotional. These are just a few words that people very commonly use when it comes to describing an empath. Even though all of this is true to a large extent, empaths are more than just being emotional, sensitive, and compassionate. They are more than just human sponges, who intentionally or unintentionally soak in everyone’s else emotions around them.
To be honest, empaths are people who are so very different from anybody who is not an empath, and when I say different, I mean it in the truest sense. They are immensely intuitive, and they use this powerful intuition of theirs to feel and understand what the other person is feeling and going through, and then absorb it as their own. When an empath tells you that they understand how you feel, and what you are going through, they actually do, and it’s not just a few hollow words.
Read 10 Strategies To Protect Your Energy As An Empath
Why Being An Empath Is Sometimes The Most Challenging Thing Ever?
Now this isn’t always a bad quality to have, is it? However, sometimes this ends up being more of a bane than a boon. If you are an empath, you know that it’s true. Imagine a place where there are lots of people around you, and the moment you enter, you instantly feel the energy of the entire room. Be it negativity, happiness, indifference, pain, or excitement – whatever the vibe of the place might be, somehow all of it starts seeping into you.
And before you know it, you feel overwhelmed. If the atmosphere is positive, you feel buoyant and happy, but if the vibe is negative, it can quickly bog you down, and threaten to sweep you away with itself.
Truly feeling and understanding what someone else is feeling is a beautiful quality to have, but it gets too much sometimes, doesn’t it? When you absorb someone’s pain and sadness, you don’t only feel it in your own heart and soul, sometimes you forget that the pain is not yours, it’s someone else’s. Without realizing it most of the time, you embrace someone’s feelings and fail to differentiate between your problem and someone else’s problem. No wonder, empaths are so prone to burnout and emotional exhaustion.
When you see someone cry, your own tears threaten to spill over. When you see someone jumping around with joy, you feel that same joy and unfettered happiness within your own heart. When you see someone feeling angry because of all the wrongs done to them, you feel the same anger inside your heart. Powerful, and draining at the same time, isn’t it?
After a point, no matter how powerful of an empath you might be, you need to stop absorbing everyone’s emotions and protect your energy. Otherwise, you will suffer for something someone else is feeling. Showing empathy and compassion for others, and their struggles is an admirable thing to do, but never at the cost of your own mental peace and sanity.
You can still help others without setting yourself on fire, and destroying your own emotions in the process.
How Can You Help Others Without Causing Pain To Yourself?
Believe it or not, you can help others process and deal with their emotions, and protect yourself from getting overwhelmed, at the same time. You just need to learn how to let go sometimes. It is possible to help others without letting their demons take over your life and mental health.
The moment you feel like things are emotionally overwhelming you, try and recognize the feelings you are going through, and name them. Once you do, work towards letting them go, so that they don’t become permanent residents in your mind.
Dive deep into yourself, and try to understand that whether what you are feeling, are those feelings yours or someone else’s. If you were alright before and in a good mood, and suddenly you start feeling lost and sad, the moment someone else entered into the picture, that’s evidence enough that you are taking on other people’s feelings.
And this is why setting personal boundaries is so important, and it doesn’t make you a bad or selfish person either. As an empath, self-love and self-care are incredibly important for your mental and emotional well-being, and you should never feel guilty for putting yourself first sometimes. You are always there for everyone, but you also need to be there for yourself too.
Energy vampires are everywhere, and in order to protect your energy and happiness from them, you need to take a step back sometimes and do what makes you feel at peace.
If you want to be alone to recharge yourself, then do so by all means. Solitude can help empaths take better care of themselves, and is probably the best thing for them. Especially if you have already helped someone deal with their emotional turmoil, and helped them unload their struggles. You deserve to take care of yourself, just the way you take care of others; remember you cannot pour from an empty cup.
When things get too toxic and overwhelming, don’t push yourself to keep on helping someone, as this way, you won’t really be of much help to them. Take a step back, and take a deep breath, and focus on yourself for a change.
It’s okay to give importance to your feelings. It’s okay to prioritize yourself sometimes. It’s okay to want to stay away from negative energy. And most importantly, it’s okay to take a break sometimes.
Read 8 Signs You’re A Highly Intuitive Empath Sensitive To Energy
Afterthought
When you think about it, you will probably end up being a better support system for your loved ones, if you take proper care of yourself. This way, you will be able to help more, because you are not drained and exhausted anymore; you will be pouring from a full cup, instead of an empty one. Being an empath, and showing compassion towards others takes a lot of strength, and you should never be ashamed of that.
Be proud of the fact that you are an empath, use this magic of yours to make the world a better place, but never forget to also treat yourself with the same love and kindness.
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