An empath by definition is a highly-sensitive individual who can easily gauge other people’s moods, feel what they are feeling. An empath understands what other people are feeling from within their frame of experience. They are extremely forgiving and healing in nature. Some extreme empaths can even experience emotions to the point where they take on the pain of others at their own expense. They tend to keep others before themselves which can sometimes lead to emotional and spiritual fatigue. Sometimes, a person might not know they are empath and can get confused by their own overwhelming feelings. Are you one of those? Below are 10 trademark traits of an empath that will help you figure out.
To an Empath, Vibes Matter!
Empaths are highly sensitive and receptive of the vibe that dominates the room. They are like sponges who soak vibrations. If an empath is surrounded by calmness and joy, he/she flourishes. A room full of creative artwork like paintings, sculptures, and antiquities can move them to the point of tearing up. Similarly, a room full of negative vibes, such as depression and anger, can drain an empath of energy. Some empaths are very mindful of the energy in their homes and rooms. They can even prevent others in bad moods from entering their rooms or creative studios.
Psychic, Empaths Have Deep Sense of Knowing
Perhaps unsurprisingly. Empaths have a deep sense of knowing that is unswerving and unquestionable. They have great talent of reading other people’s moods and just know without obvious cues. This also makes them excellent lie detectors. Empaths can tell when something is off or someone is being dishonest for selfish reasons. Since they can easily understand and feel other people’s emotions, they are bond easily. When it comes to managing groups or solving conflicts, no one does it better than an empath.
Empaths are Highly Compassionate
Empaths are not just effective listeners but also very compassionate. They are tolerant and uncritical of other people’s flaws, insecurities, weaknesses, and mistakes. Since empaths understand others within their own frame of references, they are often able to see themselves in others. This trait makes them kind and considerate even towards those who might not deserve it.
Clutter and Chaos isn’t Acceptable
Empaths hate being messy. They want their work desks, wardrobes, shoe racks, and drawers organized. An empath may not even have a junk drawer. They believe that the external clutter would reflect within and might weigh them down. Empaths prefer sun-lit rooms and love open windows even on a chilled, breezy day. They like to place their furniture and plants in a way that energy flows through everything.
Many Empaths are Introvert in Nature
Just because someone is an extrovert does not imply that they cannot be an empath and vice versa. However, many empaths like to be by themselves and prefer less crowded places. They limit their communications to closest friends, family, and the good-spirited. Even if an empath is not an introvert, he/she will tend to get overwhelmed in public places or during interactions with large crowds. Being highly sensitive, they easily get emotionally exhausted and like to save that energy by limiting social interactions.
Empaths’ Senses are Highly Tuned and Easily Frayed
Empaths often deal with hypersensitive senses. Loud and shrill noises, extra sweet scents, scratchy tags, little less soft fabric, and even unaesthetic color palettes can cause unpleasant sensations. They can also come off as frustratingly picky eater. They are especially prone to becoming misophonic. Their eyes can hurt or even tear up in a room that has a lot of sensory input like neon lights or bright contrasting colors. While they are kind, frayed senses can put them in a whole other mood like uncontrollable anger.
Empaths Are One with Nature
Feeling other’s emotions as if they were their own drains them quickly. Being with nature not only calms their mind but also replenishes their emotional and spiritual strength. Unlike the artificial sounds and lighting, nature feels soothing. Warm sunlight, rustling leaves, tuneful chirping of birds, and the scent of earth ease overwhelmed empaths. The experience stills their hypersensitive mind and allows them to separate their own emotions by releasing those that do not belong to them.
Empaths Have a Hard Time Saying No
An overwhelming wish to make everyone happy no matter makes saying ‘no’ a real challenge. Empaths do not like to see others disappointed or sad, probably because they will just absorb that negative energy. Having established their identity as a healer and a listener it becomes difficult for empaths to do something that goes against their personality. This is why many empaths end up giving too much and become easy prey for emotional vampires.
Empath and Relationships is a Bittersweet Duo
Empaths can face trouble dealing with too much togetherness. While they love being loved, they also need time to be alone. Empaths feel deeply, express too much, and wear their hearts on sleeves. They love deeply and feel all the emotions intensely when they are together with their partners. This leads to burn out and a need to take some time out for self-care, even if it is by falling asleep, journaling, watering plants, or reading a book.
Empaths Need and Enjoy Alone Time
This is one of the biggest hallmarking empath characteristics. It goes without saying that empaths need time to be just with themselves. They even enjoy the silence of an empty room. In fact, an empath, even if an extrovert, might never get bored of his/her own company. Being alone prevents emotional overload and recharges them. Empaths are all for taking their own vehicles to parties or social gatherings so they could leave whenever they like. While they are warm and welcoming, they might always have the right excuse to keep friends from stopping by.
If you relate to every one of these traits, you are definitely an empath. A word of advice would be to safeguard your emotional health by drawing boundaries. Make sure that while you are an empath to others, you are also being an empath to yourself. Practice self empathy by saying ‘no’ more often and dodging energy vampires.