“Compassion hurts.”- Andrew Boyd
Empathy is what makes us human. The ability to put ourselves in somebody else’s shoes and momentarily see the world through their eyes.
However, sometimes Empaths need to protect themselves from the tsunami of negativity coming at them daily. You can do this in five ways.
Look at both sides
Often there seems to be so much wrong with the world that Empaths are left in despair. So Empaths should try to look at the positive and negatives of a situation. For example, instead of just reading articles about the violence in Syria, Empaths should also read inspiring stories of Syrians that survived and thrived despite all circumstances.
Surround yourself with loving people
If you look around and realize that your friends are using you to vent and dump all their problems and you can’t do the same with them, you have a problem, young Empath. It’s important to surround yourself with loving people who listen to you vent as well. It’s also important to have friends that aren’t always spewing out negativity. Surround yourself with bubbly, sunny friends who can see the bright side of situations even when you can’t.
Carve out some me-time
Sometimes Empaths get so busy trying to help others, they forget about themselves. Dear Empath, don’t forget to make some time for yourself everyday. Use this time to reflect, meditate, pray; anything that relaxes you.
Get some laughs in
Instead of switching over to the news every time you open the TV, spend some of that time watching your favorite comedy show. Instead of reading graphic articles about crime and violence, read a funny fictional novel.
It’s not about ditching the news and becoming completely oblivious to the happenings in the world, but making some time to relax and chuckle. Laughter is the best medicine!
Do something!
Instead of feeling down all alone in your room, use your empathy in a productive way! If you feel bad about your friend who got dumped, take them out for lunch and have an amazing day. If you feel bad about flood victims, organize a fundraiser. If you feel bad about victims of sexual abuse, take some time out to educate the men around you about consent.
And remember, Empath, that your empathy is not a weakness. Using these steps you can control the negative side effects of being too empathetic. And once you do that, your empathy can be used to achieve great things. You can change lives by listening, by caring.
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
― Leo Buscaglia
