Summary

The article discusses an empath's journey to understanding their purpose, which involves recognizing and managing external emotions, practicing self-healing, and using personal growth to positively influence others.

Abstract

The author shares a personal experience of feeling disconnected from gratitude despite having reasons to be thankful. Through introspection and physical distancing, the author realizes the ability to discern between personal emotions and those absorbed from others. The article emphasizes the importance of perspective and self-awareness in managing emotions as an empath. It suggests that by healing oneself, an empath can indirectly heal others, challenging the notion that one should directly attempt to heal those around them. The author advocates for the observation of thoughts as a means to achieve clarity and detach from external energies, ultimately leading to personal growth and the ability to positively impact others through one's own transformation.

Opinions

Empaths can inadvertently absorb emotions from those around them, affecting their own state of mind.
Physical distance can help empaths distinguish their own feelings from those of others.
Self-healing is crucial for empaths; by healing themselves, they create a ripple effect that can heal others.
Empaths should not force interactions or try to change how others feel towards them.
Observing one's thoughts from a distance can provide clarity and help in understanding that not all thoughts are one's own.
Empaths often carry wounds that, once healed, equip them to heal similar wounds in others.
The act of releasing thoughts and gaining perspective is a form of emotional healing for empaths.
Empaths have the opportunity to turn their past struggles into a source of healing and light for others.

The Empath’s True Purpose

Yesterday, I couldn’t feel gratitude even though I have amazing things happening in my life. It didn’t make sense since gratitude isn’t something I usually have a problem with.

So I questioned the thought.

“Do I feel grateful about x, y and z?” The answer was absolutely, 1000% “yes!”

So what was the deal? Why can’t I feel happy right now?

I realized the feeling belonged to someone close to me. I knew that if I switched locations and went somewhere further in proximity from them, I would feel differently.

So knowing that, that’s what I did. I went to the further gym. I went to the further coffee shop. I saw the world in it’s beautiful, newfound glory through my new ‘perception lenses’.

Gifting ourselves with perspective is often the greatest gift to ourselves we can give besides love.

Perspective allowed me to create space for my own thoughts, feelings and interpretations of events. It allowed me to see the bigger picture in ways the person I had tuned into could not.

But she would. Through my example.

I don’t believe in telling people what to do. I believe in showing them.

Gratitude isn’t always easy

A state of gratitude is not an easy place to be if someone feels slighted or victimized. The feeling of victimization brings with it a sense of powerlessness. People say and do things to enforce their own autonomy and sense of boundaries, which can sometimes hurt those who don’t understand. To understand where a person is coming from, I like to go within my own body and bring my awareness into myself, by breathing and feeling whatever my body or mind needs to feel. I ask myself what I’m feeling emotionally in that moment so I can see it to release it.

Healing others begins with you

I am an empath…albeit an empowered one. Releasing thoughts helps me gain perspective and ultimately heals me on an emotional level, which creates a butterfly effect and heals others. Sometimes a friend or family member will confide or say something related to the exact thing I wrote. This allows me to share the exact thing they need to hear. Other times, I compose a post from notes in my phone.

Many people have it backwards. Out of shame or guilt, they try to heal others, depleting themselves of energy or resources. The only person a person in pain should be healing is themselves. By healing ourselves, we heal everyone we are connected to. Everything shifts once you work on yourself and the emotions you’ve bottled up for too long. Everything.

It took me decades to realize this, but now I know.

I know that if I have a problem with someone else’s ways or actions, I have to take a look at myself and figure out what it is I’m asking for. What is it I’m seeking? One of the hardest things I ever had to realize is that not everyone will like me and sometimes, for no reason. Seeking a smile from someone who might not want to smile at you is like squeezing water from a desert.

I used to attempt miracles a lot, apparently. But now I catch myself and know better. I recognize that after twice smiling with nothing in return, there is a reason that is none of my business. Some people just don’t like to smile back and that’s that. Sometimes they’re going through something. See them through compassion and move on.

Observation of thoughts is the key to clarity

I’m sure by now you understand our thoughts are not always our own. Sometimes, they are fragments of energy released by others while they were focusing on an idea, thought, worry or fear. Therefore it is so important to be able to distance your mind from your thoughts, just like you would distance yourself from a situation to see the larger perspective.

The wounds empaths often carry are usually the very same ones they will heal in others, once they heal their own. The guilt and shame I once felt for simply being alive growing up with so many health issues as a food allergy kid are the very same wounds I can access in others.

Each wounded soul is uniquely gifted with an opportunity to turn their wounds into light that shines on others so brightly, they have no choice but to heal, too.