Have ever been told that you are too sensitive, or you take things way too seriously? Do you feel your intuition very strongly? If the answer is yes, then you might be an empath. When you are an empath, you experience life on a much deeper level than other people.
What is an Empath?
The term empath comes from the word empathy, which means the ability to understand the experiences and feelings of others outside of your own perspective. As an empath, not only can you sense and feel emotions and energy on a much deeper level, but you can also sense the feelings and emotions of others.
In other words, if someone is feeling happy, sad, stressed or angry, for example, empaths suck up this energy like it’s your own. The term “empath” seems to be coming up more often these days, especially among women.
Traits of an Empath
Empaths can either be extroverts or introverts. There are far less extravert than introvert empaths, but I actually fall into the extravert empath category. Besides being able to pick up on other people’s feelings, empaths have strong intuition, which means they are highly intuitive. They pick up on many things that others may not.
Because empaths are overly sensitive, they can be overstimulated, and this can have a negative impact on them. Many things can wreak havoc on an empath’s psyche. The 5 most important things to know about an empath are as follows:
1. Empaths do not like to be around large crowds
Crowds can really affect empaths. They can feel everyone’s energy around them and it can be completely overwhelming. It’s like all the energy of the crowd is now connected to them and that can make an empath overstimulated and exhausted.
2. Empaths do not like strong scents
Because empaths are also highly sensitive, strong odors like perfume, car exhaust, and cigarette smoke can make them feel nauseous and down right sick. If you have ever walked down the cleaning and laundry detergent isle in the supermarket and are nearly knocked over by the strong scents, then you understand what I am talking about.
3. Loud noises are a big no-no for empaths
Loud noises like fireworks, thunderstorms, lawnmowers and other extremely loud noises can make empaths feel very stressed. Because empaths seem to startle easily, it’s important to be aware of their surroundings. For example, when people sneak up on them, it can be very stressful; I jump every time this happens. Whenever I am out running and other people suddenly pass me without saying anything, it completely sends my heart into an uproar and it takes me awhile to calm myself down.
4. Sitting in traffic jams is difficult for empaths
Heavy traffic can send some empaths into panic mode. All the noise and stress of cars everywhere and all the chaos that goes along with that can be very traumatic for empaths. Sometimes there are noises from people honking their horns or road rage. It is best for empaths to avoid being in this situation if at all possible.
5. Empaths do not like violence
Violence can be very traumatizing for empaths. Things like horror movies and/or witnessing harm to humans, plants and animals can also be very disturbing to an empath. They can feel the pain when is being inflicted on others and it can be very upsetting and disturbing.
Where do Empaths Thrive?
Empaths love nature so it is a great place to visit often. They love the quietness and the serenity that comes with being in the great outdoors. It’s also a great place to see all the wonderful amazing creatures of the world. Being an empath myself, I run in the desert almost every day and get so much joy and peace seeing the rabbits hopping around and the lizards and birds going about their business. The vistas and panoramic views are extremely calming to me.
Any outdoor activity is a wonderful soul cleanse for the empath. Making a connection to the earth is very important, as empaths like to feel that they are part of nature in some way.
Empaths do well in quiet environments and they need their space to unload all of the energies they pick up from others at the end of the day. Due to the nature of empaths, it is best to know the environments that will trigger them and avoid those if possible.
It can be difficult, at times, to be an empath, however, if you learn what things trigger you then it will be much easier to navigate life’s journey. Empaths are highly sensitive, which can make things a little harder to get through because of the emotionally attachment to it.
Empaths have big hearts and are always trying to save the world. They see and feel things more compassionately and deeply which can give them a sense of completeness and peace.
If you are an empath, be sure to practice self care daily and try to stay away from your triggers as much as possible. Pay attention to your body, as you have high intuition, so listen to those clues your body is giving you. My hope after reading this article is you now have a deeper understanding of what an empath is and how to keep the peace within yourself.
As always, thanks so much for reading and blessings to you!
With Gratitude,
Christine ♥
Listed below is a link that will take you to the Empath Self Assessment test. This self-assessment test was designed by Judith Orloff, MD. https://drjudithorloff.com/quizzes/empath-self-assessment-test/
