Critical Things An Empath Should Do

Have you ever been told that you may be too sensitive or overly emotional? Have you found yourself feeling drained when you are surrounded by certain people? If you answered “yes” to the questions above, you may be part of a special group of souls known as empaths!

Empaths are individuals who have the unique ability to understand what energy other people are feeling emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically. Due to their emotionally invested archetype, empaths tend to be wonderful friends and partners that are genuinely there for you and are ready to heal the world. A very important aspect of being an empath is the ability to protect your own energy, we talk more about this in the podcast episode 'Psychic Attacks and Energy Vampires'.

On my journey as an empath, I’ve found that the same qualities that make empaths such fantastic people, can also cause difficulty in day to day life. Fortunately, I was able to accept myself as an empath and found a great sense of clarity by taking charge of my emotions and setting healthy boundaries for myself and my energy, instead of being consumed by them. When I was able to understand my empath abilities, I learned to take better care of myself spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally; now it’s time to take care of YOU! 

Here are the 5 most critical things an Empaths should do for themselves, to protect and sustain their energy for optimal balance:

Spend time in nature

Being in nature has profound healing effects. I particularly found that I felt soothed, and energetically rich, while exploring nature’s offerings as it provided me an outlet to release any negative energy I absorbed, while also providing me a positive environment to recharge in. Walking along the water, hiking through the woods, and catching a fresh breath of air are all excellent strategies to help you rejuvenate when feeling energetically overwhelmed.

Practice mindfulness

As an empath, it’s quite easy to absorb what may be occurring around you, so it may be time to tune in to yourself instead of others! I have always been able to reconnect to myself when taking a moment out of my day to practice mindfulness as it quiets the mind and centres you back to the space you need to be in. Meditation is also an excellent activity as it provides the same technique and the quiet environment often used by many to practice mindfulness. Being an empath does not mean that you have to absorb, or take on, other people's suffering or pain, it is meant to allow you to see a glimpse for a unique and deep awareness and understanding.

Be kind to yourself and show gratitude

Although it may be easy for empaths to practice compassion, kindness and gratitude towards others, it isn’t always easy for those emotions to be felt towards themselves. Treat yourself the way you strive to treat others! As empaths, we want to constantly be caring for others, however maybe it’s time we care for ourselves as well. Instead of ignoring the pain you may be experiencing, tell yourself that is okay to be vulnerable and comforted. It is okay to take care of yourself too, in fact, it is essential to sustain the energy richness that is required to keep using the empath ability. Showing gratitude for yourself, and in general, is an excellent and super quick way to elevate your energy.

Avoid being too critical

Being overly critical of yourself is similar to that voice of the little devil that lives on your shoulder who is waiting for any opportunity to criticize you! Unfortunately as sensitive beings, empaths are vulnerable to those thoughts when they arise. I get it, it’s frustrating to feel so much emotion all of the time. It is also exhausting to endure all of the challenges that life presents, so sensitively. Let’s not believe those negative thoughts in our head. It’s time to give yourself some credit, being empathetic is overwhelming to manage sometimes. Celebrate all of the victories you experience!

Set boundaries

Having the gift of being so caring, kind, and generous is so special, although those traits make it hard for empaths to set boundaries and use the word, “no”. I found myself becoming drained as I overcommitted myself towards others, energetically. Once I learned to set clear limits with people, the more energy I was able to replenish instead of spending too much time listening to stressful low-vibrational 'noise'. It is important to remember that “no”, is not a dirty word.

Ultimately, it is vital to accept and embrace all of the aspects involved with being an empath, there are always good and not so good things that accompany anything in life, the idea is to focus on the good, like the law of attraction. The empath comes with it's challenges and blessings however, the greatest things in life do as well. Looking at news and media outlets or just simply being present in our community, it is quite apparent that many struggle with expressing their emotions, which is why I refer to empathic abilities as a superpower! Be who you are unapologetically and embrace it, with gratitude.