Empath

For a very long time, I thought I was an overly sensitive nancy pants. If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone tell me“You take things too personally” or “stop being so sensitive” I would be Bill Gates rich. Turns out this supposed weakness is actually more like a superpower. Or at a less dramatic minimum, it can be used for good. Once you learn how to manage it. I am an Empath, which up until recently has drained and confused the hell out of me. There are a great many fabulous articles on what being an empath is and how to know if you are one, I've linked my favorite below.

www.elephantjournal.com/2015/05/loving-understanding-an-empath/

Since I cannot speak for the masses, I can only show you what this feels like for me.

Being an Empath means I feel EVERYBODY'S energy all over me, deep inside like thick hands groping in the dark. Before your naughty little brains run off with that thought this is not a consensual experience most of the time. You feel depressed? My body feels like bricks are in my stomach. You are angry? My shoulders feel like a hammer is pounding them. You are lying? My throat feels like its being crushed.

None of these are just figures of speech for me. My body actually experiences these sensations. I was never able to separate these feelings from myself, I thought they were coming from me and had no idea one could be so influenced by the energy of others. My back will ache around someone so I find out they had a climbing accident and messed up their spine years ago. Nausea takes over if a person is really unhealthy.

Needless to say, this can be exhausting. And you can feel quite alienated when you try and describe these feelings and people give you a look that screams, you are making that up crazy pants. For the record, I did feel crazy. I felt like the me I recognize was starting to fade away into a black mushy pile of other peoples roller coaster of emotions.

Thankfully, there are enough people in the world that feel these sensations that I have found several practices to not get lost in the sauce. I will be writing a post about how I manage being an empath and ways you can use it to help yourself and others. Stay Tuned :)