Do you think you are an empath? Perhaps someone has told you that you are, but what does being an empath actually mean?

The dictionary states that an empath is… ‘a person who has a particular tendency or ability to enter into or psychologically identify with the emotions, thoughts, or attitudes of others’

If you…

Avoid the news or traumatic movies/programmes because you know it will result in tears

Are drawn to environmental campaigns such cleaning up the ocean,

Are drawn to animals and they to you,

Feel pulled to fight against some kind of injustice

Have a deep desire to help others then this blog may be of help to you.

As an empath myself, I’m very aware of the struggles that these wonderful souls can face. It can seem never ending and even a little scary at times. In today’s world with so many people awakening to their spiritual side I find that more people are questioning this part of themselves and seeking solutions to their challenges.

Here I share a few signs you are an empath – there are many, as this is a wide topic – and what you can do as an empath to help yourself to remain balanced and empowered.

1. Challenge

You pick up on other people’s emotions ALL the time! You may believe that you cannot walk into a room without doing this. You immediately know when someone is happy or down. You go even further with this and can feel the emotions of others too. For example, you are feeling great and happy, yet when you sit with someone who is feeling the opposite – you can feel your mood changing to match theirs!

My Solution
This is common and quite easy to shift. Recognising that the change in mood you feel is not your energy is a great first step. Once you have done this take a few deep breaths, focussing inwards on your body, sense where your energy is gathering and visualise this energy becoming a violet flame which grows large enough to fill your aura (so you become the flame). As it grows it dissipates and/or transmutes any negative energy into positive bringing you back to feeling emotionally balanced and happy.

2. Challenge

You place the needs of others above your own. Your innate ability to appreciate the emotions of others means you naturally want to help them especially if you have not mastered transmuting their energy so that you do not absorb it yourself. You will gravitate towards the ‘underdog’ and you find yourself offering your services even though you already have a full schedule! This results in you becoming a people pleaser and the go to person for others in need, feeling overwhelmed with no down time for yourself. It also results in the depletion of your energy leaving you exhausted.

My Solution

To an extent this is fine, but not when it is at the detriment of yourself. Being clear about who you are and what YOU need from life is vital for you to maintain sufficient energy to help others – which you absolutely love to do. Be sure to prioritise yourself with time to do the things that re-energise you before you commit to any thing or one else in your day.  Mastering this will enhance your energy, improve your sense of self and your ability to help others more effectively.

3. Challenge

You find it enormously difficult to say no! You may find yourself saying yes to things that you know you do not want to do. This is because you do not have the inbuilt ability of having boundaries. This might be news to you – but honestly non empaths are able to say no more easily because of these boundaries – empaths must make a conscious effort to set them as they do not have them in place already.

My Solution

Once you start setting these boundaries ‘no’ will come a lot easier to you. To get started make a list of what is important for you to maintain your energy at it’s best, that may be taking time to engage in activities that feed your soul such as meditation, creative pursuits, outdoor activities for example. Consider each area of your life – Family & friends, career, finances, health, personal development, leisure & hobbies, physical environment. Once you have done this, decide on what you need to do to protect/maintain these aspects of your life. These requirements become your boundaries – in other words each is a rule that you do not break. So, for example one of my rules/boundaries is that I do not take on any clients on a Wednesday so I can care for my grandchildren. Once you have these set them in motion and practice different ways of saying no.

4. Challenge

You find that your energy can be depleted quickly – you may tend to go through high and lows of energy. The lows can be very challenging – and if you don’t listen to your energy and body the challenge will become harder.

My Solution

Simply listening and taking immediate action to nurture your energy by resting, eating healthy food, or doing what fills your soul with joy (that does not mean helping other people in this case) will truly help to balance you fairly quickly and then you will be back in action.

5. Challenge

You struggle to cope with criticism. Your sensitivity can go into overdrive if someone makes a comment that you feel is negative/judgemental or disparaging in any way, because of this people say you are oversensitive. This is born out of your deep need to help others; you instinctively know how to guide them to a better way of doing things without causing them to feel judged/hurt etc and find it so difficult when you believe you are on the receiving end of this.

My Solution

To overcome this, remember firstly that there is a high chance that the comment made is NOT personal. It can be hard to get your head around this – understanding that many people do not connect with the emotions of others, yet they still want to help you and as a result they approach providing this help differently to you. 

6. Challenge

You avoid confrontation even if it means you must admit guilt about something you are not guilty of. If you are confronted, you will find the quickest way to back down. This can often develop from your aversion to criticism, your response to a comment creates the confrontation. In addition, because you can really feel the energies it feels horrible to you.

My Solution

Taking a different viewpoint here is helpful. Confrontation is simply an exchange of opposing viewpoints, or energy. Simply asking the other person to explain what they are saying will often clear up any misunderstanding. Be sure about your own belief/thoughts about the matter and ensure it has a good grounding. Approach the topic with an open heart and mind to help you stay calm. If you are not sure, ask for time to think about it – and then return once you are ready. Just because you dislike confrontation, it doesn’t mean that you can’t deal with it effectively, even with people who excel in confrontation, not because they are not good people, but because this is one of their skills.

It is also often an opportunity to expand your knowledge about yourself. To heal any inner wounds, you may have. Especially if your response is not measured but spontaneous, fuelling the situation. On reflection you can go deeper with that healing process.

If you resonate with the above – chances are that you are an empath.

Please let me know by leaving a comment below or emailing me at [email protected] if this blog has resonated with you.

I have created my BELIEVE Program for empathic souls just like you, my aim on this programme is to help you turn your struggles, overwhelm, being stuck or lost into ‘I’ve got this!’ So you can navigate life confidently and live the life you envision.

There are many benefits to this programme including:

• Discover your life purpose and make solid plans to live it.
• Be able to confidently connect to your skills and gifts.
• Improve your self-esteem/worth/value/confidence.
• Confidently connect with others to share your skills and gifts.
• Have a clear plan that allows you to take action every day that you know will take you one step closer to reaching your dream .

The bottom line is we are going to get everything in place for you so that at the end of this 7-week program you will be able to confidently take aligned action everyday towards your dream life. No more feeling stuck on what to do next!

To discover more…

Or if this already sounds perfect for you…

I hope you have found this helpful.

At Your Service

Diane