The light bulb moment.

I can remember the day I found out I was empathic. I was working in a metaphysical shop in Sedona, AZ. Mind you, I'd never really heard of the term empathic. Sympathetic, empathetic - yes, but empathic? I'd been meeting people who can see things, hear things or know things, but as it turns out, I really feel things. 

Growing up, I'd always been labeled as over sensitive, over dramatic or too emotional. I'd often pick up on others' emotions. If someone was crying, I'd start crying. If someone was angry, held contempt or disapproval, I felt it big time. But, I never connected the dots. I didn't realize that these were not even my emotions and in most cases had nothing to do with me. I was just a super sensitive person...right? 

What a relief to finally find out I wasn't crazy or an emotional basket case - I'm empathic. Man, did that ever explain a lot! But... with the awareness, with opening up to it and using it more and more, I'm even more sensitive now. There are times when I feel like I'm having a heart attack because a person walks by me who's going through something very traumatic, or their heart is too closed off or, possibly, they have a physical issue. It's very difficult for me to be around a lot of people at once. A crowd can be massively overwhelming. Being around people who are drinking or on drugs leaves me physically ill. This means I have to be careful of where I go and what I do. I have to work on really shielding myself from other people and figure out how to not let their energy affect me so much. The upside is I can use this in the work I do. I can feel where people have blocked energy. I can usually feel the exact place where someone has a trapped emotion. I can also feel the chakras. When I connect, or tune into someone, I can feel which of their chakras are really out of balance. What I've been finding interesting is I can also feel the deceased. I mean, where they have/had trapped energy or how they're feeling on the other side. But, that's for a different blog entry.

I'm learning that being empathic means I really have to take care of myself. It's something I'm working on and am learning about with each new day. It's been a blessing to finally understand this important aspect of myself. It's been amazing to be able to use it to help others. There are "downsides" that I'm still learning to cope and live with and try to see as "upsides." I constantly ask for guidance to be shown how to protect myself and not let myself be run over by others' emotions or issues when I'm out in public spaces. I'm certain that one of these days I'll figure it out. 

So the next time someone tells me, "You have no idea how it feels..." Guess what, I actually do. And, thanks to that light bulb going on, I know why that is. 

Love, Light and Hugs - Adrienne :) 

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