I’ve just found out
I get a lot of questions from people who say: I’ve just found out I’m an Empath. What do I do?
There are an abundance of resources and support groups for the Empath, but I thought we’d look at what would be helpful for any Empath to know when they discover they are one.
Personally, I had no clue how to write this, so as usual, when stuck for ideas, I asked my guides to assist.
Their responses are in italics
So, what are the first things any newly discovered Empath should do?
We’ll look at seven steps that may well help any new Empath. While they are not in any particular order, they will be presented as one leading to the other.
Acceptance
Trusting in yourself.
Research
Self-awareness
Practicing your abilities
Grounding
Creating
Today we’ll look at Acceptance and Trusting in yourself.
Yes
Step one:
Acceptance.
One of the main problems with finding out that you’re an Empath is the doubt one feels. The first question they generally have is: Am I really an Empath?
The answer, as a rule, is, yes, you are. This is certainly true for those who fit the traits of an Empath. However, to their mind, it seems like such a big thing that they can’t comprehend it.
It’s as though you suddenly discover you have psychic powers (and you do) but in your mindset, this is something that only occurs in movies and fantasy fiction.
Comprehending that you are actually an Empath is hard because the first thought that tends to go through one’s mind is: It’s only me. I’m no one special. There must be some mistake!
I’m sure not everyone thinks that way, though.
Some are born self-aware and some have that self-awareness drummed out of them by their parents, peers and the religion they are born into. Generally, if you tell your ‘non-psychic’ friends that you may have some abilities, they will be prone to dismiss this, most likely saying that you are just too oversensitive. This leads to invalidation and doubt.
There is a strange perception that someone else must know more than you do, even though they aren’t living your experiences. We let other people’s points of views and belief systems overwrite our own, and thus, we, ourselves, invalidate our belief systems.
So be aware of that. No one can really tell you what you feel and experience. You need to validate that for yourself.
You don’t need outside Validation
Which brings us to the second step:
Trusting in yourself.
The biggest stumbling block with any psychic ability is that there is no trust that it is real, or that what you are feeling is correct.
It cannot be repeated often enough that your feelings are your truth. If something feels right for you, then it is right for you. If it doesn’t, and your intuition feels like it’s in panic mode, then take notice of that.
You don’t need outside validation. No amount of that will help you anyway. You will always doubt in your heart. You have to listen and trust in what you feel.
Next: Part two: Research and Self-awareness
Excellent article. I am going to read the rest of the series. I’ve been empathic for a long time, but your article is a good reminder to me of what it is like to be new and have doubts. I sometimes have clients and students who are new to empathy and I think your article will help me to help them more effectively.
Thank for your feed back. Hope it helps others.
Gary this brings up a question that was already puzzling me. I was raised to be a Christian, a combination of Salvation Army who are quite strict in their beliefs, and Anglican which is one step away from Catholic. Is there any way that religious beliefs and being an empathy can coexist? Is it possible to believe in Jesus Christ and still not only be an empathy but develop fully as one and reach one’s own potential?
Of course I meant to say Empath not empathy, stupid autocorrect 🙂
That’s one of those sensitive topics where you might find truth stranger than fiction. Generally, people have this idea of Christ stuck in their head which was nothing like how he really was. Yes, he was real. He didn’t teach about hell and eternal damnation, though (as I’ve read in some Bible). Those are words attributed to him.
The message was not you can only go to Heaven though me, it was, you can be like me. We are all one and love is all there is.
If you want to believe in Jesus, believe in what he really was. Someone who was here to try set things right, heal people, give them back their power and tell them love is really the way.
And this means that He would not only accept your empathy, but encourage your growth, because that was the message. Giving your power back to you.
As I said, a sensitive topic, and many who would happily kill someone in Christ’s name for saying such a thing. Odd if you think about it, though. It’s exactly the opposite of what he stood for. It’s exactly what his nemesis would have done instead.
The way you have put it not only makes sense but also feels right to me. There were a lot of things that just didn’t jive with me regarding people who devoutly follow scripture, in fact one could argue that the old and new testaments conflict in their message at times. However, it can be very powerful when you are raised from day one to believe that if you do not believe in Jesus Christ as our one and only savior you will burn in everlasting fire. I also had reservations as I believed that Karl Marx was right when he said the religion was the opiate of the masses. It has been used in many of the religions that I have little knowledge about but still in Christianity it is thought that those who suffer most in this lifetime will reap benefits in the next. Also, the cast system in India leads people to believe that some are born better than others but don’t worry if you do as you are told you will rise to a higher level in the next life. And as you mentioned, killing in the name of religion has gone on in all religions since the beginning of recorded time. Thank you once again for making things clearer for me…I do believe you rock! 🙂