The Traits of an Empath.
Have you ever wondered why you feel different to those around you?
Noticing that you experience the world in a different way, feel more sensitive to the energy of your environment and people around you.
Well you may in fact like me be an Empath…
I am going to take you through 27 different traits of an empath, that will explain to you why you feel they way you do…
1. Knowing
Have you felt like you just know things without being told?
You just know something when you probably shouldn’t know it…
I feel this goes even deeper than intuition, it is just a real knowingness, deep in your core.
Coming from our ability to sense energy and being highly attuned.
2. Being in public places can be overwhelming
This is a big one for empaths, it can feel so overwhelming.
When you think about going shopping, attending sports event or concert, you feel all the energies coming at you at once.
This can feel so overwhelming and confusing, as you have so many different energies and emotions coming at you.
You may find yourself feeling extremely tired and exhausted, after only a short time in the space of other people and energy.
3. Feeling the emotions of others
You feel how other people are feeling, and this can lead to confusion.
As it can be hard to determine, and differentiate between your own feelings, and those of other people that you are picking up.
You are absorbing the emotions of others, and thinking that they belong to you, so think about a time where you have really noticed your mood change for no apparent reason.
This is due to you absorbing the emotion of another person and taking it on as your own.
4. Watching violence on TV
This one affects me as an Empath on quite a deep level.
Have you noticed when you are watching TV, it may be the news or just a drama, thriller or horror movie, and start to feel the affects of what the actor is experiencing.
This is another sign that you are an Empath, as you are literally soaking up the emotions of the person on the TV, be that real or fiction.
5. You know when someone is being dishonest
As an empath you are like a human lie-detector, you just know when someone isn’t being truthful with you.
Whether its a white lie or a big whopper they are trying to pull over on you.
This can be a challenging one especially in relationships.
Is this something that you have noticed?
6. Picking up physical symptoms off others
You may notice when you are around other people, all of a sudden you notice a physical ailment, such as a headache or stomach pain or any physical pain really.
This is you absorbing the energy off others, and taking on their physical pain.
This is one to be aware of, and learning how to release that energy aka physical pain back to its owner.
7. Digestive disorders and lower back problems
As we pick up the energy of emotions of others, it can really cause you to suffer with these issues, due to your system being weakened.
Lower back problems are connected to you being ungrounded.
That’s why as an empath its very important to have a routine, of keeping yourself grounded, allowing you to cope with the energies and emotions, coming at you from others.
8. Always advocating for other people, especially those in need
Empaths can sense those in need, zone in on those who are in need of your support and protection.
It really comes from our strong compassion, and we can’t help but step in and advocate for them.
9. Others will tell you their life story
You may have noticed that people just open up to you really easily, even strangers.
You may be at the supermarket and next thing you know the cashier is telling you their life story, and you now probably know way more about them than you needed to.
We tend to become a dumping ground for others problems, as we are very compassionate, and with our open hearts people just feel comfortable off loading on us.
10. Feeling tired and exhausted all the time
Feeling fatigue constantly comes from taking on the energy of others all the time, as an empath you are like a sponge, just soaking up all the energy around you. This is why its so important to take time for yourself, away from others, having that quiet time and that is ok.
11. Addictive Personality
To cope with absorbing the energy of others we turn to a drug of sorts to help protect us against the pain we are experiencing, especially when we don’t know what it is they we are protecting against. The addiction may be food (my drug of choice), alcohol, drugs or even shopping (which can be a double edged sword with shopping equaling people), each of these distracts you and protects you from all the energy and emotions coming at you. Good news is once you learn about being a empath and learn the coping skills you can become reformed on your drug of choice, such as emotional eating for me. I am now a recovering emotional eater.
12. Healing and Holistic Therapies resonate with you on a deep level
You may feel you radiate towards energy healing in different shapes and forms, this is all part of your path as an empath being drawn to and resonating with healing modalities that are going to support your gift as an empath. For me I was very drawn and resonated with the Law of Attraction, oracle cards and Emotional Freedom Techniques. What do you feel drawn to or resonate with?
13. Creative Flair
Empaths tend to express themselves in a creative way and even more than that it is an important outlet for the energy they have absorbed, as I was talking about in trait #11, this is a more healthy way of releasing energies and emotions from others. I know sometimes when I say creative, people feel like no I am not creative at all, but the fact is, we all are in one way or another. You have the obvious creative paths like dancing, singing, painting etc but then there are other not so obvious ways such as thinking in more creative ways about a problem, re-organising your space (empaths love this).
14. A love of nature and animals
Nature is a real solace for empaths, it is where we go to balance, ground and rejuvenate our energy. You may notice you just feel so calm when you are in nature and whilst you’re there notice animals are attracted to you.
15. Need for alone time and solitude
As an empath it is so important to have your down time, you may notice if you don’t get alone time you start to feel exhausted, overwhelmed, confused and lost. Taking time out is #1 important task for an empath.
16. Get bored very easily
You may notice you get bored very easily if you are not doing something that really stimulates you. When an empath becomes un-stimulated that is when you may find yourself daydreaming or doodling and really not paying attention, not the best thing at work or school.
17. Find it hard to do things you don’t enjoy
I have noticed this one within myself, its a real struggle to do things I don’t enjoy and one of those things is small talk. It just really doesn’t do it for me and feels like a waste of time and energy. Have you noticed that within yourself? Bring me a deep conversation and I’m all in, just don’t talk to me about the weather.
18. Truth is so important, a real deep core value
As empaths truth is so important, honesty for me is a top deep core value, I don’t cope well with people that are not being truthful. As in an earlier trait #5 we know when people are being dishonest and this explains why we find this so difficult.
19. Always on the search for more knowledge, wisdom and answers
An empath is always on the search for answers and if they are not given a good explanation they have to keep searching until they feel comfortable with the answer or it resonates with them on a deep level. As I mentioned in an earlier trait #1 when an empath has a knowingness they will search for confirmation on what they know to be true.
20. Adventure and travel is an empaths soul food
Travel, freedom and adventure is so important as an empath, we need to have a lifestyle that allows this to happen on a regular basis otherwise it can start to feel like in trait #15 no alone time, a sense of overwhelm, exhaustion and a bit like a trapped animal that wants to roam free.
21. A dislike of clutter
This is something that empaths really can’t handle, clutter, we need to have a nice clean, organised and crisp space that is cleansed of any negative energy. I know for me I am always de-cluttering and re-organising our home and I just love that feeling when our space is clear of clutter and cleansed of any negative and stuck energy.
22. A love of daydreaming
Does this sound like you? Finding yourself off with the fairies, daydreaming the time away. Yes me too, my husband used to call it “she’s zoned out again”, this is a great sign that you are an empath, a love of daydreaming.
23. Great listener
As empaths our sensitivity makes us great listeners, we don’t just hear the words, but we notice the body language and of course sense the energy behind the words. Making us great listeners and explains trait #9 why others tell us their life stories.
24. Struggle to cope with narcissism
This is something that unfortunately empaths have to deal with quite a lot, as people that have narcissistic tendencies actually seek out those that are empaths. Yet empaths detest narcissism, so it can be a real challenge to deal with these people when they are craving you and you just want them to get out of your space and take their narcissistic energy with them.
25. Antique furniture is a no-go
Like in many of the traits above where I have talked about the absorbing of energy, this is no different, we tend to not like antique or pre-owned furniture because we feel what the previous owner was feeling when they were in contact with the furniture. For me I also avoid library books for the same reason otherwise I am flooded with the energy and emotions of the previous reader/s.
26. Sense the energy of food
Have you noticed some foods affect your body in strange ways? This can be a sign that you are an empath and picking up on the energy and emotion of the animal, especially if it is a meat product. Pay attention to this and make adjustments if needed.
27. Appearing moody, shy or disconnected
Like I mentioned earlier in trait #22 my husband thinking I was zoning out, this is how we can come across due to different reasons, maybe we are daydreaming or maybe we are distancing ourselves as a form of self-protection and this can come across as us being in a bad mood, or shy or sometimes even arrogant. A cross we bear as an empath and trying to have a balance between protecting ourselves and still being available for others.
Well done on getting to the end of our 27 traits you are an Empath! So how many did you resonate with? I would love to hear, you can comment below.
How you can work with me privately:
I offer 1-1 private Holistic Counselling that is provided online from the comfort of your home. Giving you the space you need to uncover what is causing your emotional turmoil.
As a highly sensitive woman and/or empath it is important for you to feel supported and learn more and understand more about your unique gift.
I am passionate about supporting you to move through empathy burnout and thrive as the deeply empathic woman you are.
Book your free virtual coffee chat.
