Empathy (n.)- the ability to understand and share the feelings of another
I am sure that many reading this know and understand the idea of empathy. A human characteristic that most, if not all people share. Throughout my life, though, the experience I have with empathy has been a bit different than most. It has taken me many years to understand that the way I experience empathy towards others is much more intense than the average person.
It all started when I was a little girl, where truly the smallest thing could bring me to tears, or make me feel unimaginable joy. It was as if I was a million times more sensitive to things than the other kids I saw around me were. I noticed that it wasn’t just my own experiences that would make me feel emotions, but also others. For example, if one of my close friends was sad, I too would feel just as sad even if what they were sad about had nothing to do with me. My mom always assured me that being sensitive like I was, was a good trait to have, and that it meant that I was feeling all the feelings the world had to offer. But at the time I didn’t believe her.
As I grew up I had an easier time controlling my emotions, or at least keeping them to myself when I felt as if they were “too big”. In highschool I would always warn those who were close to me, like friends or boyfriends, that I was a big crier and that I was pretty sensitive to things. Sometimes my big emotions would negatively affect these relationships, especially because it was hard for me to explain something even I didn’t completely understand. Questions like “why are you upset about that?”, “why is this such a big deal to you?” and “why are you crying?” were constantly being said to me. During this time too, I began to notice that I could always tell the way people were feeling just by their presence. My best friend could walk into a room, say nothing to me, and I knew how she was feeling just by the vibe she was giving off. Sometimes I found myself knowing when other people were upset about something before even they realized they were feeling that way. The more self aware I became, and in tune with the emotions I was experiencing, the easier it became to distinguish what the cause was. I came to understand this cause was empathy. After a quick google search for “constant feelings of empathy”, I realized that there were other people who experienced the same thing I do and that they’re known as “Empaths”.
It was here where everything clicked and I realized that I am always being empathetic and that I too am an Empath. It was comforting knowing that I wasn’t just some very sensitive overemotional girl, and that this was a trait in myself that I could recognize and be in control of. Today, I still have to catch myself when I realize that I’m overinvesting myself in other people’s emotions and experiences. But at least now can see all of the benefits that come with being an empath. One benefit being that in almost all situations I can usually understand where others are coming from, and how big and scary emotions can be sometimes. Being an Empath makes me always want to help and support those around me through tough times. But hands down my favorite part about being an empath is that with the big sad feelings also come enormous feelings of joy, and happiness that go down to my core. So to all of those that feel like they feel too much, I want to tell you that it’s okay and that you’re not strange.
Feelings are wonderful, the good and the bad, and remind us that we are human. I believe that it is always important to embrace the way that you feel and that it is normal to have a range of emotions, big and small. Empathy creates deeper connections to the people around you and leads to a greater understanding of why people do and act as they do. All in all, embracing who you are and the feelings you have will make you stronger, and practicing empathy is a great way to cultivate meaningful lasting relationships. Empathy is a superpower that anyone can have as their own, even if you don’t identify as an empath, and can make the world a more loving place.