Being an empath or a highly sensitive person is a superpower, not a weakness. There’s nothing wrong with you. About 2% of the population are born feeling things deeply. How many statements do you agree with?
1. You know what people are thinking and feeling.
They think you know a lot more than you do. This can work to your advantage. Having a highly sensitive nature means you pick up on things other people miss.
2. Social harmony is important.
You do backbends to keep the peace. Friends call on you to smooth things over because you have the knack. It’s your innately attuned senses at work for the good of all.
3. You’re more productive in a quiet, secure space.
Open plan offices are not your friend. You probably do best in a small team or working by yourself on projects. Everyone else’s energy surges over you in a big dump.
4. You’re deeply moved by art, nature or music.
And you think that’s a bad thing? In a world already so numb, your gentle open heart is an invitation for others. You’re an emotional leader.
5. You know when someone’s lying.
Your bullshit detector has always been excellent. As a child, you were confused when grown-ups said one thing, but you knew the truth was another. Perhaps you got in trouble for telling the truth and learned the hard way.
6. You pick up other people’s feelings and think they’re yours.
The number one thing most HSP’s feel before they develop a strong energy field and discern between what belongs to them and what doesn’t. Being wide open to feeling is not an invitation to soak up every random piece of information that floats your way. You can function well as an empath and HSP. It takes a bit of training, about the same as learning to ride a bike. And like a bike, once learned, you’ll always know.
7. Your parents were very understanding.
Not! My folks knew how to find me as a kid – follow the trail of snotty tissues. I was a big crier, and lost count of the times my Mother called me “crybaby” and ridiculed my “overactive imagination”. But that was then, and guess what, we’re still here! HSP’s are strong survivors.
8. You prefer solo sports.
Not a team player, are you? There’s too much going on and it’s overwhelming. Competing with yourself is hard enough. Solo workouts offer delicious check-in time that refills your energy systems.
9. Sometimes, you just can’t make up your mind.
You soak up everyone else’s needs and wants, and they jumble up with yours till it’s spaghetti. Plus you’re afraid of hurting anyone and in the end, you hurt yourself.
10. You are unaffected by trends.
People secretly admire your individuality. You never wanted to go with the flow anyway. Stay unique.
11. Loud noises, strong smells and lots of activity are unsettling.
It just gets under our skin, doesn’t it? Knowing when to walk away is key, and using the bathroom is a cool excuse. Headphones are an instant filter. They were created for Highly Sensitive People.
12. You like to have time to decompress.
Time alone is your happy place. You could spend days alone and be content. Too much social interaction or business is like kryptonite. Decompression can also be a short trip to the bathroom at work to re-calibrate or a coffee break.
13. Being in nature is restorative.
Let the earth’s frequency of 5MHz restore and rebalance you. For an HSP it’s mandatory. If a regular meditation practice isn’t yours yet, get out into nature. A walk in the park will do – park benches were made for us.
14. You feel connected to everything.
In a good way, because you’ve learned how to strengthen your energy field, so it buffers the crap and only lets in what’s rightfully yours. The secret power of the empath and HSP is owning a great energy field. And it’s all done with intention.
15. It’s so hard to say no.
The thing we all suck at, right? Boundaries. Every day is a chance to get better at setting the no-go-zone, so don’t beat yourself up if it’s not perfect.
16. Your sensitivity is a superpower.
Yes, it is. I help empaths and HSP’s build a strong filter and energy field so they can instantly know what rightfully belongs and what doesn’t. So they can finally say, “Not my circus, not my monkeys.”
How did you do? Could you tick off more than 10? Chances are you are a Highly Sensitive Person and recognise what a special and wonderful thing that is. I write a lot about what life is like for sensitive intuitive people like you. If you’d like to find out more, discover your psychic strength.
Earlier, I sat on a park bench under a tree and decided I must find out if there is a way to protect myself from being a sponge that soaks up everything and makes me sad and miserable and anxious (and sometimes angry). Is there a way to tune it out so that I can help without taking on the emotions. So this is well-timed… I ticked off most of the points above, more than 10 for sure.
Hi Colette, thanks so much of the comment – and this is the number one thing most empaths experience. I’m in the process of creating two guided meditations and a series of tips for empaths to build up their energetic “skin” so stuff doesn’t soak through as easily, and when it does, they are more able to spot what belongs to them and what doesn’t. You’re on my mailing its, so you’ll be hearing about it soon. Love,Dxxx
Thank you for being a light at the end of the tunnel. xxx
Great stuff Denise. Thank you
Thank you,as always! Hope you had a laugh.
Thanks for sharing, Denise! Absolutely loved this and enjoyed the gifs… Fantastic. Lots of love to you. XO
Denise, I could relate to all if the things you listed so closely.. I’ve only recently put the words empath and intuitive together with my name.. I have never talked about it and never knew why I’m always crying, why songs make me cry, why beautiful Art makes me tear..why at times my emotions are all over the place and why when someone sometimes enters a room my mood changes.. Thank you for letting writing about this 🙂
Hi Elinor,
I’m so glad this connected with you.Empaths and sensitives feel deeply and that’s a gift, not a curse. Only it can feel like one, because no one ever gave us the handbook on how to drive our amazing abilities.
So glad you found the blog, because I write extensively about how to manage your life and I also coach other empaths to discover they can use their gifts – most don’t know they can receive information that others don’t, but here’s the secret:
We can also transmit.
That’s why you can be the one entering the room and people’s mood changes because YOU’RE in there, filling it up with your gorgeous light. It can be done.
I Periscope most days about being an empath and sensitive, made some quick you tube vids on this if you want more info, otherwise, I’m so happy you found the blog, I”m here to help.
You tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAkW9xZd2kzv9fKb3DmMGQA
Find me on Periscope & Twitter: @denise_psychic
This is great! I definitely relate, and it’s refreshing to hear such a positive spin put on the abilities of an empath. Thank you!
In #14 you said: ” The secret power of the empath and HSP is owning a great energy field” and I was just wondering what you meant by that and if you could elaborate? 🙂
Hi Kerina, Thanks for the lovely comment -and yes I can elaborate. The secret power of an empath is ALL about energetic hygiene, and that starts with a healthy and strong energy field. If you a small, tight find that’s not bright and has holes in it, “stuff” gets in, that’s the stuff that ordinarily knock you about as an empath, and it’s what we commonly feels that we “Soak” up.
A strong energy field resonates at a much higher frequency, so it naturally repels anything that’s not also high. Think of bugs sliding off a windshield. It also renders the practice of “protection” useless, because with strong, bright energy field is it’s there is no need.
I’ve created the “My Shiny Light” meditation specially for that purpose. It’s a ten minute guided exercise to increase the amount of light you can hold in your field, and you build it up gradually. Hope that helps, and thanks again for asking.
#5 & #16 have been particularly relevant for me lately as I heal, shed ego layers and grow spiritually closer to source. Thank you for this well-written message.
Hey Doreen – so glad you liked it – the gifs are a fun way to get a message across!
Yes to ALL THIS! I knew I was an HSP, but I needed an earthbound guide to help me create a strong energy field. Thank you for writing this. I shared this on FB with my people as my “coming out” post so they know I’m an HSP and what that really means. I’m also using it as a way to connect with other HSPs.
woo hoo! Yay for you “coming out”! How does that feel? And YES we do need a strong energy field – that’s the first thing we work on when I teach others how to use their gift. You’ve taken a HUGE step now – congratulations!
i’m yes to all of them sigh highly highly senstive even the energy of the days and weeks effected me the moon the sun energys dang it.
but i love love nature and animals and crystals and music and being creative……. 🙂
Hey Virginia – sounds like you know what works for you and what doesn’t – it’s a juggle isn’t it?
wait how did I miss this blog post!
Love it! Totally me!! Now I know I’m not weird. Just sensitive! Ha!
Dearest Denise. I get caught out every time. I soak up other people’s stuff. I go through a week of hell by owning it as my own. Only to finally work out that its mot mine. Soooooo exhausting.
Hey Lorna, it gets easier the more you spot it. Good work!