7 Signs That You’re An Empath
Not sure if you’re an empath? These common 7 signs will help clarify this question and provide an understanding of this complex gift.
What is an empath and how can you know if you are one?
An empath is someone who is highly receptive to the emotions of those around them to the point of feeling those emotions themselves. Empaths are fully aware of others, their pain, and what they need emotionally.
Here are seven common signs that you are an empath:
1. You take on others emotions as your own
This is the number one trait of an empath. If you are an empath you pick up on emotions someone else is feeling even when they don’t show it. Not only do you pick up on others’ emotions but you may actually feel them as if they are your own.
Basically, if you have high levels of empathy you are likely to also have extremely active mirror neurons. Mirror neurons are a part of your brain that reads emotional cues to figure out what someone might be thinking or feeling. In short, if you’re an empath you can pick up on very minor changes in expression, body language, or tone of voice that is commonly missed which allows you to sense someone else’s feelings.
2. People open up to you
Empaths emit empathy whether they want to or not. If you are an empath, specifically a new empath who hasn’t yet controlled their gift, you emit strong energy of warmth. This warmth is felt by many, even people you don’t know, which makes people feel safe and open to you.
3. You are a natural healer
Healing is something that comes naturally to empaths. If you are an empath you may find that after allowing someone to open up to you they feel better. This is not only because they got whatever was bothering them off their chest but also because you have absorbed their emotions. If you leave most of your conversations feeling drained and “off” it is due to the fact that you have transferred their pain to yourself.
4. You cannot see someone in pain without wanting to help
Empaths have a hard time witnessing pain and sadness without wanting to help. If you are an empath, your natural instincts of nurturing kick in, and you feel compelled to heal those going through hardships. This need to heal is almost uncontrollable as you may find yourself feeling uneasy when you can not help.
5. You are a walking lie detector
An empath’s ability to process social cues makes it almost impossible for someone to hide their true intentions. If you are an empath you have a strong intuition of knowing when someone is not genuine.
6. You feel overwhelmed with unexplainable emotions in public
If you’re an empath, you might dread going to public places because you tend to find yourself overwhelmed with emotion that came out of “nowhere”. That emotion has a source and that source is from someone else in the area. Wanting solitude is not abnormal when you are an empath because going out in public requires protection from numerous energies.
7. You deeply care for babies, pets, and animals
Many people adore babies, pets, and animals but if you are an empath you may feel this connection much stronger. You may find yourself holding your pet in the same regard as a human ( ain’t nothing wrong with that!) or connect with the emotions of an abandoned animal. You may feel magnetized to care for a baby or child that is not your own.
Final Thoughts
Being an empath is a blessing and a burden. It is beautiful to heal and connect so deeply with others but it is also extremely draining. If you have this gift, take it seriously and learn to take care of your own wellbeing.