Friday, December 14, 2012

Emotional Self-Discovery :: Unwrapping the gift of Empathy

Today I want to share with you something that I learned recently about myself that has made my “weirdness” finally make sense. I’ve heard people talk about being an empath but it always went right over my head. I guess I wasn’t quite ready to connect the dots.

In October, I took Hannah Marcotti’s Spirits of Joy in which there was also a Facebook group to share your responses to prompts. Day 23’s prompt was: Take a quality that you believe you possess that you wish you could change. Explore shifting this, molding it, expanding it, working with it. This was my response:


A dear sweet soul responded to me with this:

YouTube Link
I checked it out and holey-moley, it was like Dr. Orloff was talking about me personally! Things finally started to make sense as to why I do certain things which seem odd to others but aligns perfectly with being an empath. My sensitivity (which I’ve written about here many times), my need to have space with myself after crowded events, wanting to always drive myself so I have a getaway car (LOL), finding it necessary to retreat during heated debates, my mood changes after being around negative people (energy vampires), my carrying of other peoples burdens, my tendency to anxiety and depression, my inability to live with others, my finding relationships overwhelming, my emotional overeating, and my sensitivity to smells, sounds, and voices. There is a reason for all of this!

I was intrigued by what Dr. Judith Orloff could share and have since picked up her book Emotional Freedom in hopes that it will help guide me on ways to block out negative energy, not carry the emotions of others, feel more grounded, and to use this gift to help others instead of hurting myself.

I feel so empowered to now have some answers to my emotional quandary! If this is something you’re familiar with I would love to hear what you have to share. Let’s help each other and learn from each other.

Hugs,

1 comment:

Cindi said...

Amanda, I'm an empath also [I can so relate to Counselor Troi on Star Trek TNG], and believe that is why I tend to pick up "strays" [not just dogs, but men] because I can sense the good that still hides in them, and can feel their desperation to be better people. Unfortunately, it also makes me a 'caretaker' or a 'fixer' to some people, and they then become vampires ~ sucking the joy out of my soul. I've come to the conclusion that my soul mate [yet to be found] needs to be an empath also who is secure in himself and has grown into the man he was meant to be. I believe that person is out there for you also. Wishing you much joy this coming year, and that you find your soul mate.