RECHARGING THE EMPATH

An empath is a person who takes on the emotional, mental, or physical state of others as their own.

Many empaths do not like engaging with a lot of people or being around them. They get drained very quickly of their energy and walk away taking on the emotions of those they just came in contact with. Empaths can pick up emotions from people they know, people they never met before and on a collective basis.

When I first learned that I was an empath I felt it was a curse. In my head I was being punished by the universe. It started with a slow downward spiral where I just wasn’t feeling anything. I was a walking zombie going through the motions. It progressively got worse until the top of the pressure cooker blew off and I was a hot mess of emotions. It felt like waves crashing down on me each emotion brought a new set of challenges.

I tried to hide but even in my home I still felt it all. I figured hiding would protect me except emotions are energy in motion. Through the four walls of my house they were felt. This went on for months until I had enough and just couldn’t handle one more uncontrollable sob session.

I asked the universe for help in understanding what was going on and how to deal with it.

It was then I found out I was an empath. I LOVED being around people until this happened. As I look back, I realized all that I picked up was not mine and why I was tired so much.

It made total sense to me why I love being in Nature so much. It is a balm to the empath’s soul. It helps us to release any energies we may have picked up.

Two easy tools that I created with the help of the Universe:

I created the Empath Symbol. Mine is a bear. I ask the universe to show me my bear when what I am feeling does not belong to me. Pick something that you like a flower, an animal, an instrument etc.
Then, I created the heart center intention. Imagine a gentle breeze flowing through your heart center, clearing out anything that you may have picked up that is NOT yours.

Once I started to recognize my own energy, I started venturing back out in the world. I am an extrovert who loves being around people. Hiding was hard for me. I NOW pay attention to my body, what it is telling me and when I realize it is time for me to regroup, recharge and reenergize myself.

I used to ignore all the signs and kept pushing myself. What I do know is that pushing yourself as an empath does not work except to completely deplete your energy.

The following are signs to recognize that it is time to be alone:

When you are completely exhausted, now is the time for crucial self-care. Realistically, do not let yourself get to this point. Make self-care a daily priority.
When you are not feeling well, do NOT push yourself. Your body is telling you time to heal and relax. Take care of yourself first.
Listen to your body when it starts telling you that you are picking up and holding onto other’s emotions instead of immediately releasing, time to ground. Do daily body meditations and look for stagnant energy, tightness, knots or heaviness.
Do you catch yourself rushing around and not being present? When life gets hectic, do you find yourself rushing from one thing to another without stopping to check in with yourself? Stop. Breathe. Let go.
When you start to ignore your inner voice, which is telling you time to be alone. Time to recharge, or time to ground.

As time goes on you will immediately start to recognize what you need and when, which will also allow you to be around more people without taking on their emotions or challenges.

Even more important the happier you are within; the easier emotions will flow through you.