Have you ever found yourself so affected by someone else’s emotions that it felt like you were experiencing them? Or do you seem to pick up on the energy in a room before entering it? These are just a few signs that you may be an empath.
Empaths have a unique way of experiencing the world that’s both a gift and a challenge. Feeling or sensing others’ emotions on a deeper level helps you connect with them. But absorbing these emotions may also become overwhelming.
Navigating life as an empath involves protecting your mental and emotional well-being without shutting yourself off from others. It’s a delicate balance between using your intuitive, sensitive nature to help others and managing your emotional reactions.
We’ll explore what being an empath means, signs that you might have this trait, and how to use it as a strength.
What does it mean to be an empath?
You may know what empathy is: being able to understand other people’s emotions and put yourself in their shoes. However, being an empath goes beyond this. Let’s take a closer look at a few key concepts of what it really means to be an empath.
Empaths vs. highly sensitive people
Crying during a sad movie, getting upset when hearing people arguing, or feeling overwhelmed in a noisy environment are all things that someone who’s highly sensitive may experience.
But it’s not the same as being an empath.
All empaths are sensitive, but not all sensitive people are empaths. Being an empath means absorbing other people’s emotions, not just recognizing and understanding them. Empaths tend to feel the emotions of others as if they were their own.
So if someone you’re with feels sad, you might also feel sad — even if you have no logical reason to. You’re picking up on their emotions and experiencing them, rather than simply feeling bad that something has upset someone else.
Emotional vs. physical empathy
Being an empath isn’t always about feeling other people’s emotional pain. You might also experience physical pain that mirrors another person’s stress or fatigue, like feeling physically exhausted or getting a headache. Physical empathy can leave you feeling anxious or drained without really knowing why.
These effects may come on suddenly or unexpectedly. You might enter a room and feel tired or tense right away from picking up on or absorbing other people’s stress. Or you might feel drained or fatigued after being around someone who is experiencing strong emotions. Some types of empaths may also feel symptoms of another person’s illness without actually being ill themselves.
Why empaths feel overwhelmed in certain environments
Crowds may be overstimulating for empaths, making it easy to absorb too much emotional energy at once. Dealing with a lot of noise in crowded places can add to these challenges.
Empaths might also have a tough time in situations that are conflict-heavy. For example, spending time with loved ones who aren’t getting along might make you feel overloaded with stress and tension, even if they don’t argue in front of you.
Being in highly stressful situations at home, at work, or in public spaces can be difficult to handle as an empath. You can’t help picking up on the tension of those around you.
Being an empath may feel overwhelming, and it’s okay to feel that way. We live in a fast-paced society filled with a lot of stimulation, pressure, and noise. It’s not a flaw or weakness to become overwhelmed by strenuous situations.
Know that while you may not be able to stop picking up on all that energy, there are ways to manage it, which we’ll explore in more detail later on.
Signs you might be an empath
You might suspect that you’re an empath, but how do you know for sure? With empaths and highly sensitive people sharing some similarities, it’s not always easy to tell the difference. If you experience the following, it could indicate that you’re an empath.
You feel the energy of a room before anyone speaks
Can you sense tension or other emotions almost immediately, even if no one has said anything? Empaths have strong intuition and an ability to pick up on a room’s energy right away. Sensitive individuals might not notice or sense this energy until people start arguing, complaining, or showing outward displays of emotion in other ways.
The emotions and energy you pick up on can be positive, too. You might sense feelings of joy or elation in others before they’ve said anything.
People tend to open up to you quickly
Do others usually feel comfortable confiding in you or seeking you out to discuss something personal? Empaths naturally create safe, inviting spaces that encourage others to open up. It’s not something you do intentionally — it’s your natural way of putting people at ease.
As an empath, your ability to sense others’ emotions and actively listen to them in a nonjudgmental way helps them feel validated and accepted. They sense that they can trust you right from the start, allowing them to be vulnerable and honest.
You need alone time to recharge
While you might enjoy being able to help people or just being there to listen to them, it comes at a cost. Being an empath can drain your energy. Taking on other people’s emotions isn’t something you can do without needing to step away and recover.
Spending time alone and resting can help you recharge. This solitude gives you a break from experiencing others’ emotions and energy, so you can focus on your own needs and well-being. You may need to set boundaries in order to make sure you get the alone time and rest you need for recovery.
You struggle with boundaries in relationships
Boundaries can be helpful in any relationship. But for those who are empaths, they’re even more important — and sometimes harder to set. Taking on other people’s emotional pain can take a toll on your own emotional well-being. It’s also natural for empaths to want to fix things for loved ones who are struggling.
Having limits in place helps protect your well-being, though setting them is usually easier said than done for empaths. You might feel guilty about these limits or feel uncomfortable communicating them to others. Keep in mind that setting boundaries is a form of self-care, not a selfish act.
You’re deeply affected by media or world events
Does watching or reading the news, or seeing certain movie,s feel emotionally overwhelming or draining? Sensitive people might have a hard time watching media that’s violent, scary, or sad. For those with empath traits, though, these feelings go beyond a bit of discomfort. You might not be able to handle consuming certain kinds of media due to the intense emotions it makes you feel.
Empaths might also struggle with world events, such as those that involve injustice or suffering. Even if you’re learning about these events from afar, they often hit much harder for empaths. Your empathy allows you to feel what victims of these events are feeling, but you’re not in a position to help ease their pain.
How to embrace your empathy as a strength
Being an empath comes with many benefits, like having enhanced intuition for better decision-making and being able to form strong relationships with others. But it’s not without challenges. Having ways to manage these difficulties allows you to make the most of your empathy, using it to achieve personal growth and help others improve their lives.
Learn emotional regulation tools
Being able to regulate or manage your emotions can go a long way toward helping you avoid getting overwhelmed or drained as an empath. You may not be able to block the feelings of others and their energy, but certain tools can help you ground and process the emotions you absorb.
Journaling helps you explore your empathic experiences and process emotions in a safe, reflective way. Getting these thoughts out of your head and onto paper can help you learn more about yourself while also processing your emotions.
Doing breathwork helps you focus on your breathing, reducing stress and boosting your mood. You can try a simple exercise, like deep abdominal breathing, to help calm yourself in stressful situations.
Mindfulness is another way to ground yourself and work through your own emotions. Being mindful means focusing on the present moment, not dwelling on the past or future. It helps raise self-awareness and clear your mind.
Set clear, loving boundaries
Again, healthy boundaries are an important part of life as an empath. Setting these limits in a loving, respectful way helps you safeguard your own feelings and emotional well-being. You’re not rejecting others; you’re practicing self-respect and self-love.
When you set boundaries, do so in a clear way to avoid misunderstandings and reduce the risk of conflicts over these limits. You can work on being direct and saying no when others ask you for something that you’re not comfortable with, or simply don’t want to do. You might also create limits around alone time so you can recharge.
Prioritize energy hygiene
Keeping your own energy field safe takes effort. As an empath, other people’s feelings and energy can easily affect yours, causing stress or other negative effects that drain you. A few simple practices can help you make energy hygiene a priority in your daily life.
Consider energetic cord-cutting to eliminate negative or unhelpful emotional ties to people or experiences and focus on healing and inner peace. Energetic cord cutting is a spiritual practice aimed at releasing unhealthy emotional, mental, or energetic ties (or “cords”) between yourself and another person or situation. These cords are believed to form through intense emotional experiences, relationships, or recurring thoughts and can drain your energy, influence your emotions, or keep you stuck in old patterns.
The practice involves:
- Grounding yourself through meditation or other methods.
- Visualizing a cord of energy.
- Symbolically severing this cord.
- Cleansing your energy field and replacing negative emotions with compassion and love.
Other ways to focus on energy hygiene include going for walks in nature and doing a digital detox. Natural surroundings can help ease stress and give you a quiet environment to enjoy that’s free from others’ emotions and energy. Digital detoxes help you reduce stress and other negative energies that come from social media and other online environments.
Use your empathy in service to others
Your heightened sensitivity and attunement to the world around you can offer a fulfilling purpose in life. Consider using your empath abilities to build a career that allows you to serve the needs of others, such as becoming a life coach or caregiver. Or you might use your empathy to do creative work that touches other people’s lives and inspires them.
Discover how your empathy can become your calling
Empathy isn’t something you need to “fix” or change. It’s an opportunity to understand and channel your ability with intention, creating meaning in your life. This deep emotional understanding may be part of your greater purpose.
Consider exploring life coaching as a way to serve others with compassion and authenticity. As an empath, you’re in a unique position to truly understand clients, be a good listener, and help them improve their lives.
Are you ready to use your gift to serve others as a coach? Join the Jay Shetty Certification School today!
*Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended for general informational and wellness purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you experience physical symptoms or emotional distress, please consult a qualified healthcare or mental health professional. Practices such as energy hygiene and cord-cutting are spiritual in nature and should be approached as personal or complementary tools, not replacements for professional care.
