Are some of you wondering what that word means or do you know already? It basically means you are empathetic or sensitive to the world around you. To give empathy is very different than sympathy and I will explain the traits of an empath or highly sensitive person (H.S.P.) I was told most of my life that I was “too sensitive,” “too emotional,” or even “too dramatic.” These words often times stung me since I couldn’t understand why everyone wouldn’t care the same way or react the same in situations like me. Being an empath also involves your feelings and emotions of course which to an intuitive is clairsentience but that will be another topic! I mention being an empath in my book Spirit and Belief and maybe if you’re reading this, you might have some traits also.

Most highly intuitive people are very empathetic in nature. This can become very overwhelming to not only feel your own emotions strongly but also those of others in many ways. Here are some traits of being an empath and if you find yourself agreeing with many, guess what? You ARE an empath and despite some negativity surrounding this term, it CAN work in your favor and allow messages to flow thru spirit to you. It certainly did for me and I had no idea so many resonated with me.

~~~ close relationships can be difficult and you have some trust issues ( you may have been hurt in the past quite often so trust takes time)

~~~ Empaths tend to do well surrounded by nature and being outdoors, especially with animals.

~~~ You avoid confrontation and like to be the “peace-maker” without conflict. You tend to stay in the middle of an argument in order to see all sides although you do have a strong opinion.

~~~You are prone to “energy vampires” or people that come to you since they know you’ll listen. They drain your energy with their constant self-talk or bragging but take advantage of your good nature. People being upset with you is a challenge so their needs always come before yours.  (Um, way wrong!)

~~~ Others emotions might stay with you for days and you are constantly feeling like you need to help everyone.

~~~ You might enjoy art, music, photography, or anything creative that interests you

~~~ Honesty is a very big thing with you (it really is to me!) and sometimes this can work against you. Little white lies are even wrong…..

~~~ You are possibly over-sensitive to medication or pills, alcohol, and caffeine. This is certainly true of me when I feel the effects of two cups of coffee or even having to take an Advil!

~~~ You like to be in control and feel very out of sorts if your routine is upset which results in you being labeled “moody.”

~~~ Making mistakes really frustrates you since that perfectionism can come out! Multi-tasking works but only if you decide how and not based on others schedules.

~~~ You get bored easily and like variety. This is great but too much could lead to being over-stimulated.

~~~ You enjoy time alone and need those boundaries with a partner to keep the relationship healthy.

~~~ You have a hard time saying “NO” to others when asked to help, volunteer, or assist in any way. This may lead to a feeling of neediness which results in trying to over-please others.

~~~ Feeling educated and learning new things is always on your mind and you want to share your knowledge with others.

~~~Transitions are very hard and accepting them can be become quite hard at times.

~~~ Most empaths tend to be introverted so even though you might have something to say, you feel unworthy since others stories seem way more interesting than yours.

Whew! That does sound like a lot of information, doesn’t it? Empaths do have it hard and am sure you can relate to many on this list. The GOOD that comes out of all this is that you have an advantage with connecting to the Universe in so many ways because of your empathetic self. Just remember to stay positive without others bringing you down. I know firsthand all about those “energy vampires” and it does require lots of assertiveness to stand your ground! The main thing is to stay focused to your own being while giving kindness to others. Being true is a very difficult concept and us empaths don’t want pity—just respect and understanding. Everybody does really but once I realized the positives that could happen for me being an empath, it opened the doors to accepting signs from the Universe.

If you are feeling too drained at times, just calm yourself with meditation or some deep breaths. Repeating mantras or positive affirmations can work too. Try making a vision board with lots of inspiring words, pictures, or anything that motivates you. Dance to that loud music~~~ you deserve it!!! Run, laugh, and play your heart out! This will give you so much joy that your worries will just float away…. Honor yourself since that is who you are and deep inside will always be. Surround yourself with good energy that fills you up!

I hope this guides all you empaths out there or helps you realize it is OK to have these traits and nope~~~ you are not “too sensitive!”

~~~ Next week, I will be discussing those “clairs” I’ve mentioned and how being empathetic fits with all of them! Do you know your strong ones? Stay tuned spirit intuitives and follow that intuition everyday!!!