Why Do I Feel So Deeply?
Why Do I Feel & React The Way I Do?
Have you ever been told that you were too sensitive or perhaps that you need to get thicker skin? Maybe you have been described as one who overreacts or tends to become easily overwhelmed. Or maybe your child, partner, family member, or friend is easily hurt and emotional.
For those of you reading this who want to yell YES!!! How did it make you feel at the time? What do you remember about your emotional response or your physical response?
For those of you reading this who can say no, I can’t remember ever being called too sensitive; I wonder if you might be the person who wonders how people can be so highly emotional.
No judgment here, to be sure! It’s just to acknowledge that we are all so very different. Would you agree?
My focus in this thought-stream is to highlight some of the characteristics ~ GIFTS ~ and some of the challenges ~ LESSONS ~ experienced by the highly sensitives among us.
Known as Empaths, Intuitives, or HSPs (Highly Sensitive People), these gentle souls are often generally described in some of the following ways: (Please note that I use the terms HSP and Empath interchangeably in my writing.)
One Who Is Emotionally Sensitive and Processes Things Deeply
One Who Cares Deeply For Others and Will Do Much to Try to Improve or Fix Things
One Who Has Their Experiences and Reactions Amplified by Emotion
One Who Tends to Be a People Pleaser and Genuinely Want Others to Be Happy
One Who Feels The Mood of a Group and Can Unknowingly Take It On Themselves
One Who Is Curious About Their “Why?” and Is Very Interested in Self Growth
One Who Often Feels Emotionally Drained and Tend to Be Hard on Themselves
One Who Has Wondered Why They Are Somewhat Different Than Everyone Else
One Who Is Emotionally Intuitive with a Strong 6th Sense
Whether you relate to being an HSP yourself or are navigating life with an HSP as a partner, family member, or friend, it is wildly helpful to spend some time understanding how differently they process and experience life as it unfolds moment by moment.
I remember the day I learned that I was an Empath. It was an instant game changer.
For so much of my life, I felt like someone who never quite fit in, although few ever knew this or would have guessed it. Like many Empaths, I changed myself to fit scenarios and situations. I created goals and dreams to mirror those with the highest public approval. I morphed to try to be like everyone else, always wishing I was different but never knowing why. It’s hard to explain.
Simply put, I didn’t know what I didn’t know! There is much more to this story, but for now, I’ll leave it as it is.
The critical point is that as I began to understand the qualities, challenges, and gifts correlated with living as an Empath, my darkness began to dissipate, my world began to expand, and my heart started to heal in ways that continue to bring tears to my eyes to this day.
I used to believe I was broken and had no idea how or if I could ever be fixed.
Imagine the joy that comes from understanding that the life and the experiences that had always seemed to evade you were simply waiting for you to accept and embrace them. Since that moment, I can confidently say that my life has just become better and better.
The next enormous breakthrough for me was learning that my daughters were also Empaths! From this moment, our relationships became stronger, and we learned how to relate to one another better than ever before. In addition to my relationship with my girls, my relationship with my husband also evolved. It was like we were learning a new language that offered us much more space and grace to love and accept each other at a much deeper level.
What is an Empath or HSP?
The simplest explanation I have heard is this: Empaths, HSPs, and Intuitives are 6 Sensory Beings living in a 5 Sensory world.
This is very lean in describing the life of an Empath. However, it cuts right to the chase… an Empath is a highly intuitive being who has access to a ton of conscious and sub-conscious energy that intensely impacts emotions and how they are processed.
Often due to emotional overload, emotional trauma, or emotional fatigue, some Empaths will disconnect from their heart in a range of degrees to protect themselves from pain and keep up the appearance of being able to handle their lives. This leads them to make decisions that don’t necessarily align with their hearts, life plans, and soul goals, leaving them feeling lost, unfulfilled, or looking for something they cannot define. They live wondering: Is this all I am meant to do with my life, or is there more to life than what I have lived so far?
In my coaching and teaching, we dive deep into the pain and suffering and connect with the healing needed to live a life filled with passion and purpose and aligned with the soul’s plan. If you are interested in exploring more, please reach out and book a complimentary clarity call. After reading this brief, toe-dipping insight into life as an HPS or Empath, we can discuss anything that comes up for you.
In the meantime, here are some tips and strategies to help transform your sensitivities into powerful and rewarding gifts that you treasure.
Expand your awareness. ACCEPT THE FACT THAT YOU ARE A GIFTED SOUL. Understand that there is nothing wrong with you. You are kind, loving, intuitive, and generous and have an essential role to play in this life of yours.
Protect your energy and emotional well-being by seeing things differently. FIND WAYS TO FEEL BETTER. As you run through the various scenarios in your mind about whatever it is that you are experiencing, be SURE to offer yourself a kinder, lighter, more optimistic angle and go with it!
Set boundaries for yourself and create quiet time to reconnect with your soul, heart, and infinite wisdom. As an Empath, being GROUNDED and CONNECTED is imperative. You do this when you take time to engage in any of the following practices: sit quietly in nature, listen to guided reflections, write, or journal. Allow yourself time to breathe deeply and experience the peaceful bliss and in-the-moment ‘Zen’ feeling that comes with it.
Create space for more LOVE and ACCEPTANCE of your beautiful self. Note your strengths. Celebrate them. Expand them. See yourself through the eyes of those who love you, whether part of the living or living beyond, and cherish your beauty as they do.
Explore your gifts and passions and DISCOVER the things that bring you JOY. Take time to get clear about why you are here! What are you good at? What do you love? What calls you? What do you want more of? What makes you come alive? Write it all down. Sit with it. Imagine it. Allow it to unfold in your world.
As you play more of an active, aware, and deliberate role in your healing and understanding of your life experiences, you will notice positive and welcome changes in your day-to-day living. Be patient as you evolve and step into your next growth phase. Allow yourself to feel excited as you begin to embrace your gifts and learn how to direct your emotional strength and personal power.
Life is good. ♥
