#empath personality

1.  We cannot change, so please don’t expect that. 

Nothing will drive an Empath further away more than if you try to change our sensitivity and emphatic abilities. YES, we are different from the majority of the people you know but so what? We’re sensitive. We’re intuitive. We get easily overstimulated. We cry. We see the beauty in everything. We feel the pain of others. Don’t try to change us. It won’t work and we will close ourselves off to you immediately.

2.  Caging us will cause damage. 

We are like birds; we need to be able to fly freely to wherever our emotions take us. There will be highs and lows and twisting and turning in-betweens. Caging us is like clipping our wings. We will lose the light that guides our way if you try to control us. If that happens, we will shut down and the love we have to give gets tucked pretty deep inside of us. The damage is hard to undo but can be avoided by not trying to cage us.

3.  Time alone is non-negotiable.

Empaths need to re-energize in a space that is all their own. It will look differently for everyone but chances are they need time to be alone. It can be tiring always feeling the energy of the people surrounding us, please don’t be mad or annoyed when we need to refuel on our own. It doesn’t mean we don’t love or want to be around you. It means we need to quiet our mind and replenish our energy. We will come back happier than before, I promise.

4.  Take what we say seriously.

Empaths are extremely creative folks. There’s always a next idea that’s popping up in their head, listen to them. Take them seriously. Believe in them, even as crazy as the idea sounds. Empaths, arguably more than anyone else, have the ability to truly change the world. Listen to them when they pour their hearts out to you. Because somewhere in between their excitement, their passion and words that get jumbled, something quite amazing is ready to be created.

5.  Being supportive helps us open up.

We know we’re different, this isn’t new to us. We know the way we see life doesn’t make sense to a lot of non-empathetic people. We also know there’s a whole world of people out there trying to change us. If you want to love us, support us. Step out on a limb and put a little faith in us. This actually helps us feel safe enough to more open about who we are.

6.  Our intuition is usually spot on.

Contrary to popular belief, we actually do know what we’re talking about. We’re empathetic, remember? We feel everything. So, when we have a good feeling about something, trust us. When we have a bad feeling about something, trust us. When we go after a dream because it speaks to our hearts, trust us. When we think somebody is lying, trust us. For a non-empathetic person I understand this is putting a lot of “blind faith” in someone but trust me, trusting the Empath in you life will show her that you believe in what she’s saying.

7.  Be honest; dishonesty destroys us.

As an Empath, most people think sugar-coating things is the way to go. I will tell you with 100% certainty being honest is the ONLY way to go. The betrayal we feel from being lied to, after we have opened up our hearts and souls to you, is something that will take a very long time to recover from. It can, and most likely, will ruin your relationship. Just be honest.The couple of days of crying sure beats losing an Empath for good.

8.  Don’t compete with the love we have for our animals.

MOST, not all, but most Empaths feel unbelievably connected to animals and have a one or two (or seven) furry friends that they ABSOLUTELY LOVE. When I say connected what I really mean is they would do anything for them. Some days you will feel like you come second to them. If you want the honest truth, you kinda do. They can’t help it. The love they feel for their pets is different from the love they feel for you and it shouldn’t be competed with. Don’t try. I guarantee your wife will love you more if you can accept and appreciate the deep love she has for her dog.

9.  We need you to make us laugh.

Some days we need someone to pull us out of our non-stop minds and remind us what it is to laugh until our bellies hurt. To have fun like children do. To live in the moment and not be so serious all the time. We need someone to push the pause button for a moment and let us know it’s OK to enjoy ourselves.

10.  Know there are some things we will never give up.

There are things in this world that speak so clearly and directly to our hearts it feels like it’s apart of us. As dramatic as it may sound, it’s almost like we won’t be ourselves without it. It could be music, painting, photography, working for a non-profit organization, feeding the homeless. It’s love and passion. Some of the most passionate people in the world are Empaths. If we lose our passion, we lose ourselves. Please don’t ask or expect us to give up on something that has changed our hearts for the better.

11.  Our hearts break daily.

It’s overwhelming being an Empath. Some days all it takes is for somebody to say one “wrong” thing to me or to see an image of something terrible or hear a story about a person I don’t know who’s gone through the unthinkable and I’m crying like a baby. Our hearts break easily. It can be devastating at times to be an Empath so on those days, let us cry. No questions or advice needed, just accept our hearts are heavy from this world and we need to cry it out.

12.  Understand we love with great intensity.

It’s no surprise that when you feel deeply connected to almost everything, you love with great intensity. We truly feel “one” with our surroundings! So when we love somebody we feel one with them and our love is intense. It’s powerful. It can heal but in the wrong hands, it can be dangerous. In the right hands, it will change you forever. And for the better.

13.  Accept our abilities to feel the world around us.

Poking fun at our sensitivity is one thing. Judging, ridiculing and belittling who we truly are is another. Acting as if “this” is something we will “get over” is a kiss of death when in a relationship with an Empath. Accept us. Love us. We have a unique ability to see and feel the world differently. Don’t judge us, please.

14.  Don’t cast your insecurity on us.

It takes a secure man to really love an Empathetic woman. That is the God’s honest truth. If you want to tear her down by casting your insecurity on her, sadly it may work. Feeling how others feel isn’t something she can turn off. But I know if you do that, she will hide the best of her from you. She will temporarily clip her own wings and it will be your loss. The beauty and most amazing parts of her happen when she’s in motion.

15.  If it is too much, please leave gracefully.

Maybe you’ve met her at the wrong time, or it wasn’t meant to be forever or this is too much for you right now. Either way, love her by leaving gracefully. Do not cage her or put her down or make her feel insecure about who she is. Love her by leaving with respect and honesty. She will love and thank you for it.

If you get the chance to love an Empath even just once in your life, you are lucky. It won’t always be easy but it will most definitely be worth it.

It is often said and written that empaths are very intuitive people, and this is true for some, but there is nothing that says an empath must be intuitive, or that an intuitive must possess great empathy.

While the words are seen as interchangeable by some or intrinsically linked by others, it is very much the case that not all empaths are intuitives and not all intuitives are empaths.

In fact, the two abilities – empathy and intuition – are quite different in one important respect.

Empathy is, very generally speaking, the ability to sense and feel the emotions and energy of other people and your surroundings. It is almost entirely outward facing and concerned with things other than oneself.

Intuition, on the other hand, involves turning inward and consulting your unconscious mind and ‘gut feelings’ to assess and understand a situation. It certainly relies upon absorbing and processing the world around you, but the final element is very much internal.

Thus, the assumption that people endowed with highly levels of empathy are equally as blessed with intuition is misguided. They are distinct aspects of one’s personality and should not be merged into a single trait.

With this in mind, how can you be sure whether you are an intuitive empath, or some other type of empath? What marks one apart from the other?

Here are 4 signs that you are an empath with a high degree of intuition:

1. You Can Tell The Difference Between Your Feelings And Those Of Others

One of the major struggles facing many empaths is the assimilation of other people’s feelings into their own mind and body. The energy they absorb merges with their own and pollutes their inner river. They often become like those around them because they cannot tell what’s theirs and what’s not.

For instance, if they encounter angry people, they grow angrier; if they meet an anxious person, this feeds their own anxieties; and if they come across sadness in others, they become sad themselves.

It’s very different for an intuitive empath. They are so in-tune with their inner state that they are able to easily differentiate between it and anything they might soak up from their surroundings.

They are less influenced by the emotions of others. While they can still recognize and feel these emotions, the impact upon their own mental state is less noticeable than it is for other empaths.

They are better at creating a permeable, but controllable, barrier between their own feelings and those of others. They are able to let the two merge should they wish, but they can also keep them separate for the most part.

2. You Can See Beyond Feelings To The Reasons For Them

While empathy allows you to detect and embody the feelings of others, it cannot, by itself, tell you why they are feeling that way.

For non-intuitive types of empaths, this can be a source of great confusion because they end up feeling something that they can’t fully understand or explain.

One of the traits of an intuitive individual, however, is the ability to take a step back and view things from a broad perspective, and this allows them to identify the links – both direct and indirect – between cause and effect.

Intuitive empaths spot things that other empaths don’t; they let their unconscious reflect on what they see, and it provides them with insight into why a person may be feeling they way they are.

They don’t necessarily do this with any conscious intent; it is simply a natural instinct and skill that comes from having both empathy and intuition in abundance.

Sometimes an intuitive empath may even have a better understanding of a person’s feelings than the person does themselves. This is a major reason for the next sign.

3. You Help People Understand Their Own Feelings

If you’re an intuitive empath, there is a good chance that you’ve helped many people figure out what they are feeling and, more importantly, why they are feeling it.

You probably enjoy talking with others about their emotions, their thoughts, their dreams, and their worries. You just seem to be able to ‘get’ what it is they are telling you even if they can’t really put it into words.

Like most people, you have probably experienced the full spectrum of feelings during your lifetime and these are stored, along with the relevant context, deep within your unconscious. It is your intuitive ability to perceive and understand the signals sent by this part of your mind that prove so valuable in identifying why others feel a certain way.

You aren’t just able to put yourselves in their shoes from an emotional standpoint; you can grasp their rationale and the wider circumstances too. These help you to piece together a more detailed picture and give them potential reasons for their feelings.

4. You Are The Go-to Person For Advice And Counselling

With their abilities to understand and appreciate the feelings of others and their inclination towards taking a bird’s eye view of things, intuitive empaths make ideal counselors.

You are probably the person others turn to first when they are facing a problem and are unable to see a solution to it. Once you have spoken to them, felt what they feel, and understood why they feel that way, you have one last trick up your sleeve: your creativity.

Intuitives tend to be creative people and their knack for thinking outside of the box means they are exemplary problem-solvers. You are able to suggest various ways of approaching the situation and offer the pros and cons of each.

Where third parties are involved, you are also adept at stepping into their shoes so as to consider how they might respond to each given option – even if you have never met them and are simply going on what you’ve been told.

All of these things mean you are often called upon by friends and family members to lend an ear and provide advice. You become a confidant of sorts; someone that they can discuss anything with and someone they know will give a frank, but constructive response.

Are these signs apparent in you and your life? If so, perhaps you are an intuitive empath after all. Leave a comment below if you are.

There are a lot of people who use the word “empath” without knowing exactly what it means. What is an empath actually? This is a type of person who tends to feel various feelings, sometimes all at once. This person does not only feel their own emotions and energy, they also tend to get the emotions and the energies of the people that they are with.

You do know that you are highly sensitive to the feelings and emotions of the people that you love because you care for them but an empath can strongly feel the emotions of other people even if it is the first time they have met.

This is one type of ability that not everyone has. Some empathics are not only connected to others through their emotions and feelings, they also have a tendency to know when their intuition is trying to tell them something. Do you believe that you are a highly intuitive empath? Perhaps you can check out some of these signs to determine if you are.

1. YOU NORMALLY FEEL WHEN A BAD SITUATION IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN AND YOU TURN OUT RIGHT

There are times when you feel like you should not push through with a certain plan or you have to stop someone from embarking on doing one thing but because you did not trust your gut feeling, something bad did happen. If you are normally right about the emotions that you are feeling, you may be naturally empathic.

2. YOU FIND WAYS TO GET THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT

There are a lot of people who have to work their hardest in the things that they do just to become noticed or just to reach their goals but for you, it is easy to do everything. All the opportunities line up just for you.

3. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO KNOW HOW THINGS WILL WORK OUT EVEN BEFORE THE EVENT ACTUALLY TAKES PLACE

You already know the possible scenarios that will occur even before an event takes place. This allows you to be prepared for everything.

4. YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO SENSE EVEN IN A QUIET ROOM

You may be in a room that is unnaturally quiet but you cannot sense the silence. You are aware of the emotions that people are going through as well as some of the things they may possibly be thinking.

5. YOU NORMALLY GET DREAMS ABOUT FUTURE INCIDENTS

There are incidents that you dream about that are good and there are also some that are bad. In the beginning, you may assume that the dreams are simply coincidences and there is no way that your dreams are telling you details but actually, you sense that there is some truth to what you are dreaming about.

6. YOU GET AN INSTANT CONNECTION WITH SOME PEOPLE

When you meet people for the first time, you can normally sense what they are like. There are also times when you would feel that other people’s energies are “off.” If you normally get drawn to other people, you normally end up being close friends or you may end up helping each other out.

7. YOU CONSTANTLY FEEL THE NEED TO RECHARGE

When you are with a large group of people, you normally feel exhausted because the energies that people are sending out are coming through you. As a result, you would need to spend time doing nothing all alone. It will be the recharge that you need after a stressful time.

8. YOU KNOW WHEN A PERSON IS LYING OR NOT

It is easy for you to sense if a person is just trying to say things or is actually speaking the truth without realizing or knowing how or why you know.

Do you think that you are an empath? What reason mentioned above convinced you?

Are you an Empath? If so, it can be tough to stay empowered and healthy; always feeling everyone’s hurt often leads to putting your own needs aside to do whatever it takes to stop the pain.

It’s time for you to take care of you so that you can keep on taking care of those you love (if you don’t, you will get sick and tired and be unable to function).

To do so, you need to implement these 5 lessons immediately:

Lesson 1: You can't save everyone.

Since you feel others pain and suffering so acutely, you feel compelled to try to end it. This is a lovely thing, but it also makes it likely you'll run to the rescue of every sad story or cause that crosses your path.

You'll throw yourself into saving the person, animal, or cause with your whole heart and soul, oftentimes taking on several rescues at once. This not only over-stimulates your empathic center, but it also will wear you out in short order.

While there is certainly more need in the world than there are people willing to fix things, my advice is to pick one cause that you can put your focus on. You'll do more good for the world if focus your energy on a single cause, leaving you with energy for yourself to spare.

If something is wearing you down, it's also okay to take time away from it, too. If you don't develop the ability to set limits on what you can and cannot do, you will end up seriously ill and will no longer be able to help anyone at all.  

Lesson 2: Sometimes you can't save the one you want to, either.

I can't tell you how many times I have bent over backwards to help someone who SAID they wanted or needed assistance, when in reality, they either kind of enjoyed the drama they were dealing with or they just wanted me to do all the work to fix things for them and not have to make any effort themselves.

This is not a healthy situation; you must be discriminating in both who you help and in the kinds of help you offer. If you aren't, you can very quickly get yourself in over your head and get very sick, worn out, or even financially broke, depending on the situation.

And, even if you have been helping someone, there are times when you must detach because they are either unwilling to help themselves or will take you down with them if you don’t (or both).

It’s okay to save yourself. It really is.

Moreover, if you give all your energy to helping someone who is just going to keep doing the same problematic things, you don't have any energy to help those who would both use and appreciate your assistance. If you really want to help the world, isn’t it better focus on those who will do something with it?

Do that, okay?

Lesson 3: If a situation is awful, you must get out—even if others won't.

A couple of years ago, I was helping to run a start-up company filled with people I cared about and considered friends. Unfortunately, it was run by a pretty awful narcissist whose reign of terror included total submission to her will and complete loyalty to her vision, even if there was something seriously wrong with that vision.

Dealing with the constant emotional turmoil caused by this woman was taking a serious toll on my overall wellbeing. Worse, I no longer trusted or respected her ability to create a viable company. I knew I needed to walk away. However, I didn't immediately do so because I was so worried about the fact that if I left, the company would implode and everyone in the company would lose something they had been working so hard towards (I was literally holding up half the company).

I ended up staying longer than I should, finally dealing with being slandered by this awful woman so she could discredit me and therefore discredit the objections I put forth about how she was running things. More amazingly, all of these people that I had been so worried about immediately unfriended me on Facebook and never contacted me again. I was literally shunned by the very people I was hurting myself trying to save.

Please learn from my mistake: If you are in a situation that is making you sick, you must get out, even if no one will come with you. Remember that we each have the same ability to take care of ourselves; if they won’t save themselves, it’s okay for you to save yourself.

Lesson 4: Putting up healthy boundaries will piss people off; do it anyway.

When you suddenly stop running to everyone's defense and begin taking care of yourself, all of those who were used to taking from your “endless” supply of energy will react with anger. They will call you everything from "selfish" to "cold-hearted" to a "bitch" or "bastard." They may lie about you to others. They may blaspheme your name.  

Know this. Practice your response before it happens. You are going to have to hold tough against this assault if you want to be able to be an Empowered Empath.

My favorite response is, "It's not true, but you are welcome to think that if you want to."

If they keep it up, I repeat this over and over. It's a great response because it takes their power away; after all, what they are trying to do by verbally assaulting you is pressure you back in line with their desires. If you don't give them any emotion, they can't get the upper hand.

It also stops you from trying to defend yourself to someone who isn't going to listen to you anyway. People who will call you names are not the sort of people that are going to care what your opinion is, nor ever deal logically with you. Accept this. Anything you say to try to defend yourself will only be misunderstood and used as fodder against you with people like this.

Lesson 5: Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish, it’s essential.

Being an Empath means that you instinctively take care of others and will put yourself last on your list.

I'm giving you permission to move yourself to the front of the line.

Make a list of things that make you feel good. Do you love to cook healthy dinner? Enjoy dancing? Love taking walks or long baths? Put it all down.

Now look at your list. How many of these things have you had time for in the last day? Week? Year?

No one has time to do all the things that make them happy all the time, but if you are an exhausted Empath, it's likely you can't remember the last time that you did anything for yourself.

It's time to change that trend and start scheduling non-negotiable time for doing things that are important to your wellbeing.

Being in a relationship is tough work every day. Being in a relationship with an empathetic soul requires more than tough work. It is imperative that you have the right attitude and the frame of mind to continue a romance with one having an out of the ordinary frame of mind. Empaths are very sensitive and can be misunderstood at the drop of a hat. You need to understand that these people need love and can give you love endlessly. They cry easily and can be quirky, but are amazing lovers. Here are the things you need to know about loving an empath:

Empaths need you to be honest with them and hate dishonesty, it destroys them: Most of these people are sensitive and beyond a point emotional. They are good at reading body language and get the vibe of person quite easily. It is important to be truthful with an empath. They do not like lies being told in a relationship and can pick up on your deepest emotional issues even if you fake it. Most hate lies and deception and will not forgive you easy if you are dishonest with them.

They wear their hearts up their sleeve: Since most empaths have a history of heartbreak before you, you need to exhibit a certain amount of sensitivity when you deal with one. You need to feel from the heart at what you do with an empath and stay away from useless drama. They love deeply and it is a journey of rollercoaster emotions when in a relationship with one!

They are not good at expressing themselves verbally: The empaths are overly sensitive and make sense of feelings more than any tact and precision. You feel royally loved without logical expressions when loving one. These people are great at showering affection but hardly can speak about it.

Empaths are deeply passionate and very intense: If you are able to show passion in your relationship with an empath, chances of you driving that relationship is high. The spontaneity and the innate fire will almost set the heart afire in an empath. Most of them are moody and withdrawn. They need constant affirmation of their love and affection. You should be able to handle the feelings that most empaths show. You should be up to it at a relationship with them!

Learn to give and love when with an empath: Most empaths shower gifts on their lovers. They derive a sense of happiness in giving. The feeling of being appreciated after giving is extremely powerful when you love an empath. Empaths are openly expressive and expect a giving partner.

Empaths cannot change that easily, they are hardwired to be sensitive: If you are dating or married to an empath, do not for a single notice imagine that you can change his or her nature. Most empaths are hardwired and need special care and concern. You should be typically inclined to love an overly sensitive person.

They are intuitive and need support: Contrary to popular beliefs, empaths know what they are talking about and can feel deeply. It makes a lot of sense to actually support an empath. They have the right mind at the right place often! If you put blind faith on one, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Caging an empath is damaging to say the least: Most such people require a good amount of freedom both individually and in terms of intellect. You should not cage an empath at any time. All they need is space and freedom to do what best- feel deeply! Caging one may just be counterproductive and the damage too deep for a relationship. So be aware and less controlling of an empathetic partner!