Recently I shared an article on Facebook that I read about empaths titled, 15 Things You’ll Notice When You’re in the Presence of an Empath.

As I write this, that article has been shared 145 times from my post. It definitely hit home for many! Some leaving a comment that they now, for the first time in their life, understand why they are the way they are.

It absolutely struck home for me as I, too, am an empath. Most of the items on that list fit me to a tee. But I’ve known this about myself for quite some time now. Though, I didn’t always. Sharing that article and hearing the relief in other’s words to have a better understanding of who they are made my heart happy to know it helped others.

While I’ve come to understand being empathetic as a gift, I whole-heartedly understand what many also said that sometimes it can feel like a burden. We feel things deeply.

Being that not only do we feel deeply our own issues and challenges, we take on the emotions of others too, just as the article stated. For me, especially those that I love, and if I don’t manage it, I can get caught up in carrying a heavy load of emotions about the world’s problems also – which as we are all experiencing, is quite rocky right now.

I’ve learned over the years that I have to work to stay grounded and centered. I’ve also learned to tune into my body, heart and mind on a regular basis and trust what I’m feeling. Not that it is always easy and I do fall off the path time now and then – but the more aware I’ve become of who I am, it seems the time in between something that feels a burden, is shorter. Meaning, I’m able to recognize sooner why I’m feeling an emotional overload and can then work to move more easily back into a balanced place within myself.

Being an empath requires a way of being that others might perceive as being selfish. I need alone time. I need ritual. I need silence for processing. I need outlets for letting go and expression, which has come in the form of talking with trusted friends, journaling and writing. I’ve learned that I need to feel my feelings – all of them. I can’t just shove them down or set them aside. I have to process them in a constructive, meaningful way in order be the best I can be.

And being an empath, hearing the distress from some of the burden being an empath can be, I wondered how I could help—hence the reason for this blog post today—and spoken just like a true empath to want to try and do something to help!

So I wanted to share two books that have helped me greatly. It also has me pondering the idea of a SoulCollage® workshop I want to facilitate in the future around this subject in hopes that it can be of value and help for others.

The other resource as I reflect on this that has helped me is working with a life coach various times in my life. When we can understand why we feel the way we do, or how we respond to what is around us, it helps us to manage our own lives in a way that not only serves us in a positive way, but those around us, too.  So a life coach, I’ve found, to be quite valuable in helping me along the way, too.

Book Resources for Empaths

While there are many other titles, these are the two books I personally read that greatly helped me, along with my continued work on a personal level.

I truly hope this helps all empath’s out there! We need you and I just felt it so important to share this and to let you know that you are a gift.

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