Hello, and welcome to the mind of an empath. I know you've probably only heard of this term a few times thus far, but it's a word that I first started using about a year ago when I found out that I was one.

I was hanging out with a friend one summer and we were just meeting for the second time, so it was a pretty new friendship. Mind you, when I met her, I figured out right away that she was very intuitive, creative and worldly.

That day I kind of had a little meltdown, and I don't really recall why, but we started talking about things and got on the topic about being emotional, sensitive and picking up on other people's feelings in a heartbeat. Turns out I was absorbing some of her emotions that day.

"You're an empath", she said. "Just like me".

I mean, I knew what it was to be empathetic, but I guess there's this personality thing that fits them as a whole - and that is "an empath". I found it really interesting because the realization, as obvious as it was, allowed me to peak inside myself more and I learned a lot about who I was as a young woman. All my life I knew I was ultra sensitive, and sometimes I felt sad for no reason when I was with my friends growing up.

Turns out, I was just soaking in their emotions like a sponge. I was always really compassionate and caring and I put others happiness before my own. I wanted to help those that I didn't even know when I saw them in pain. And it's not just the "feeling the emotions and soaking them up" side of it. There's another side to being an empath, too - there's certain quirks and traits, if you will.

1. You're highly sensitive.
And people tell you this all the time. In fact, they don't shut up about it. Being sensitive has kind of gotten a bad reputation, but I think it's a good quality to have. I would rather be an uber sensitive empath who cries a lot and feels certain things on extreme levels than be a hollow inanimate object.



2. Negativity overwhelms you to no end.
I can't do this, man. I just can't do this. When people are in bad moods, are fighting or are just plain sour, it can send you into a whirlwind of negative emotions. It can even make you feel physically sick or exhausted. Just imagine being in a room with a bunch of angry people . . . I have, and it's absolutely TERRIBLE. It's like you're the sponge of every person's emotion. WHY!?

3. You feel other people's feelings.
This is almost the hallmark trait of an empathetic - which obviously means you share other people's feelings. It's comprehending needs, feeling and views of others and feeling incredibly connected to them. When someone is feeling sad, it's like you're literally absorbing that sadness and it becomes your own. In feeling so connected and compassionate with that person in that moment, you kind of want to give them a giant hug and tell them that it's going to be alright.

4. You need to have alone time.
There's really nothing else to say except you need a few hours (or days!!) to bounce back, and that's mainly because you're such a sensitive creature who has to recharge. Feeding off all of those emotions makes you exhausted most of the time.

5. You're extremely sensitive to sounds and smells.
I'm not quite sure why this one is, but either way . . . two words: sensory. overload. And that puts you in a bad mood. Being empathetic, we absorb everything around us. An example would be sitting in a harshly lit room. To some people, it's sort of annoying, but not really a big deal. To people like us, it's highly stressful and it makes us want to claw our eyes out. As for smells, some can be very offensive, or too much of something (like a nicely scented candle) can send us in headache mode. Oh, and loud noises make our skin crawl. No, for real. I can physically feel my skin crawl.

6. You get distracted easily and tend to daydream.
And this happens especially when you are involved with something that you aren't interested in, or that you find incredibly boring. Most empathetic people tend to stare out the window during class, or zone off into a completely different world. I've been daydreaming like a pro since I was a youngster, and it's gotten pretty extreme over the years. But the truth is, if you're not interested, you make it clear that it's just not possible that you're ever going to like whatever you're learning about in class, or talking about. You know what you like and you're never going to understand something that lacks your passionate drive . . . and that's that.

7. You are creative and highly imaginative.
Writing, dancing, singing, painting, drawing, musical instruments, you name it. The mind never quits. You want to learn new things, and the creative and lively side of life just pulls you in like nothing else. This is the part of living that most excites you, and you believe that every aspect of life should be enjoyed - nothing should be endured.

8. You often feel tired.
People make you tired, and that's just that. Even your own emotions make you exhausted. Either you're worrying about someone (or a lot of people) or you've been spending a lot of time - or, at least it's a lot of time in your world - with extroverted people, and the chaos of everything has gotten up to you. It makes you feel defeated and drained. Everything is way too damn difficult. Emotions are too damn difficult. Ugh.

9. You have lower back pain and digestive issues.
It has been proven that people who are highly emphatic will suffer from physical issues. A few of those are irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, general upset stomach, muscle aches and pains, and they're more prone to being sick. This is because of the stress that they tend to acquire from worrying and taking in a lot onto their shoulders.

10. You get bored easily.
Empathetic people have a problem with this thing called "small talk." Let me demonstrate it for you:
"Hey."
"Hey."
"How's it going?"
"It's pretty good. Just been busy. You?"
"I'm good. Just hanging out."
"Ahhh, very nice."
"Yep."
"Haha."

Hopefully people don't get offended, by if a conversation is going in this direction, chances are that the empathetic individual is long past boredom. I know that sounds bad, but it's the truth. They don't want to just sit and talk about the weather, or how things are going in generally. Call them high maintenance if you want, but they want to talk about passions, about music, about the world. They want to chat for long hours into the night about their fears, their ambitions. I know it sounds cheesy and unreal, but it's true. I personally struggle with small talk and I am instantly bored or turned off if the conversation is too typical. I'm sorry, but I can't help it. I feel kind of bad to be honest, but it's just who I am and how my brain works, among a lot of other people who are the same way.

11. You're an amazing listener.
Because empathetic people are compassionate and understanding for the most part, they have a warm heart and feel the need to be there for people that they care about - and even people that they hardly know. There's something about listening to a person talk about their issues and needing advice or just venting that pulls us empaths in. You suddenly have this urge to help them in anyway possible. It's just in your nature. You have this effect on people that make them want to come to you when they need to talk, which is pretty cool if you ask me.

12. You can't stand egocentric people.
Because you are easily drained by negativity, being near narcissistic people is a no go. You don't have time for people who are so into themselves and reflect this sort of artificial personality where their lives are all about them. It's difficult for empathetic people to understand egocentric people because they're so into helping others and feeling the individuals emotions, rather than just feeling their OWN.

13. You can tell when someone is lying.
Just like feeling a current of emotions coming your way from someone, you can easily feel the "lying sensation" radiating off of them, too. I mean, it makes perfect sense. Empathetic people are very in touch with others and they are also extremely intuitive. Don't lie, please. We know . . .

14. You feel like all you're good for is a "vent machine."
You act as though you are a "sounding board" for others, so that they can vent and share their problems with you. You love helping people and being there for them, but sometimes it gets exhausting, when you feel as though that's all you're good for with those kinds of people. You're really sensitive, so it's hard not to think about these things.

15. You have a strong intuition and are very intuitive.
People that are empathetic just know. It's sort of hard to explain, but they have knowledge of something before it actually happens or before learning about it. They can feel this in their gut, and they know that they're right. It's not that they're psychic or whatever, but they have this extra sense that tells them what's up.

16. You often think of others happiness before your own.
You tend to put other people before you because you're kind of a people pleaser in being the empath that you are. It's a good thing because it shows that you're truly compassionate and caring about those around you and those who you love. But, it's also a curse because your happiness is equally important - if not, more sometimes. Either way, you continue to put those ahead of you, just so you know that they're taken care of. Sighs . . .

17. You're often at peace when surrounded with nature and outdoors.
There's something tranquil about being with the animals, the earth and exposing oneself to mother nature. People that are empathetic tend to spend a lot of time contemplating life and their moods far away from people in the woods, or by a beach. I think it has to do with the fact that nature symbolizes this "being grounded" factor in which makes the person feel happier and calmer. I know that's how it is for me.

18. Prefers clutter free atmospheres/surroundings.
You don't like messy things. They need to be in order. ENOUGH SAID. If there is clutter, you will have a mini heart attack and you won't know what to do with yourself. Again - sensory overload.

19. You struggle to remain in the present, especially during chaos.
With all those things coming at you - people, voices, loudness, lights, smells . . . all of the clutter, the disarray and pandemonium, it all makes up for some pretty overwhelming feels. It's like your body wants you to be apart of everything and anything, but you know that's impossible because it's making you go crazy. But breathe, you will be okay.

20. And finally, you're always drawn to buying antiques or second hand things.
You have a knack, an appreciate if you will, for the old and used. You enjoy thrifting and finding certain objects with a past to them. There's something unique and special about a vase with a pretty pattern on it from the 1950s, or an old book that smells wonderfully nostalgic. You have a sort of old soul that makes you feel relaxed and it's nice being connected to something that has a story.

So . . . are you an empath? Do any of these traits seem familiar and just click with you while reading them?