Sunday, August 31, 2008

Being An Empath


I have been reading the book, "The Highly Sensitive Child" hoping to gain a little bit of insight into my sweet little girl.
I think that being highly sensitive is a gift in so many ways. I too am highly sensitive and learning about what that means has helped me so much in life.
A few years ago I discovered that I am an "Empath" or Empathetic for those that aren't down with labels.
I never understood why I could be around someone negative and almost instantly end up in a bad mood. I am very in tune with other people's feelings and this has helped me so much as a Doula.
I think that discovering that there is a name for what I have experienced my whole life has been really helpful to me. No, I'm not psychic, and can't read minds. ;) But I can read others feelings. I have no idea how or why or how this works. I can tell how someone is feeling within moments of being around them or sometimes from reading a post or email from them.
I have come to realize that it is a really amazing gift that I am so grateful for. As a little girl I just thought that is how everyone was. I didn't know that the way I could feel others emotions wasn't something that everyone could do. It just was.
Tiff also has this gift, although it can be really painful for her. She reads me like a book and even if I am slightly annoyed with something, she knows and asks me repeatedly if I am mad at her. I hug her and tell her that I am not, but she can feel what I am feeling so strongly that I find myself explaining a lot to her that the other kids don't even notice or care to hear about. I'm learning to help her understand her "sensitivity" in every sense of the word, but it is hard sometimes because I only learned about my own a few years ago. I guess you could say that we are learning together.
Tiff's sensitivity is a gift but as I know, it can be a lot for a little girl to feel all at once sometimes. As her partner in life, I will always be by her side to help her understand *Who She Is* and to explain how to separate her feelings from others. I know that some of the most influential people in the World have also been "Empaths". I have learned to embrace this about myself and I am helping my daughter to also.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cute pic.

A lot of parents label themselves, too.

Anonymous said...

I feel the same way. My son was diagnosed with ADHD but I prefer to think of him as energetic, happy, and excited about life. I can't imagine him any other way.

Melissa said...

I think "sensitive" people are some of the most wonderful people on the planet. Compassionate and loving. I myself am highly sensitive. I have learned to love that about myself. If it weren't for my sensitivity I wouldn't be who I am and do the things that I do. I think of it as a gift.

Anonymous said...

Did this post change or am I having a brain fart?

I thought of this boy today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5wn7St3A14

I was really intreagued by his love of vacuums, and I was really upset when youtube commenters kept saying that he had Asperger's syndrome or other autism because of it.

Natalie said...

Trinity is very energetically sensetive like I am and have always been.I too would get close to someone or see them from afar and know what they are feeling. As a child I would take it on as my own..Very confusing and draining..I do see it as a gift now that I know how to be with it. But now that I am pregnant I feel like I am a radar for all of it..It is very hard to seperate myself..I am extemely sensetive..I am always talking to Trinity though about her gift. And letting her know what I didn't know as a child.

Cid said...

I'm "behind" in reading my favorite blogs, and just got to this post...it gave me shivers, because I just borrowed this book from a friend and it's on my reading pile :)

I see I'm in good company.....Love, Peace & Abundance, Cid