I was super proud and very excited many years ago when I got my degree and started my career as a social worker. It only took a few years for me to realize that being a social worker was not what I expected. It was harder, more emotionally draining, and less fulfilling than I imagined.
I came home every night feeling sad and depressed, and my body started to show signs of different illnesses.
I was (and still am) so passionate about helping others. I was really good at what I did, and yet, I felt completely unfulfilled and unhappy. I was disempowered.
Had I known back then, not only that I was an empath but that I was a disempowered empath, those feelings would have made sense to me.
I meet so many people who, like me at the time, have no idea that there is a name for their sensitivity. They often feel ashamed and embarrassed. They think that something is wrong with them. They know that they are meant to help others and don’t understand why they are drained all the time and feel no joy.
There are lots of empathetic people. But not all empathetic people are empaths.
Empaths are people who feel and absorb other people’s energy, their emotions, and sometimes their physical symptoms. If you are an empath, you are a magnet or a sponge for other people’s stuff.
Are you a disempowered or an empowered empath?
Disempowered refers to someone who had power but has lost it. Many empaths give their power away to other people, situations, and world events. They lose their power every time they get lost in somebody else’s pain and suffering. They don’t know which emotions belong to them and which emotions belong to the other person.
An empowered empath is someone who used to give her power away but has learned how to manage her sensitivity and reclaim her power.
I used to be a disempowered empath. That’s why I had to take a break from working as a social worker. It took a lot of awareness, self-healing, and inner work to get to know my sensitivity and turn it into my superpower.
Today, I enjoy being an empowered empath and serving as the beacon that I was born to be.
My passion is to teach disempowered empaths how to become empowered empaths.
First step, first: Are you an empath?
Yes? No? Are you not sure? Do you think maybe you are an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) rather than an empath?
Take this quiz that I developed and find out.
Ok. Now you know. So keep reading.
A must-have if you are an empath
If you are an empath, you must develop daily, weekly, and monthly habits to help you manage your sensitivity, clear energy that you absorb from other people, and reach your full potential as an empowered empath.
Today, we’re going to talk about your must-have daily habits.
Must-have daily habits for the empowered empath
Before you get scared by the word “routine,” know this: a routine can take 2 minutes or 30 minutes or an hour. It’s up to you. I could use a different word, such as “ritual,” “practice,” or “habit.” I purposely choose the word “routine” because the repetition of doing things at the same time of the day, every day, gives us, empaths, peace of mind and makes us feel safe.
Morning Routine
You can wake up feeding your worries, fears, and concerns, or you can wake up nurturing your well-being and tapping into pure, positive energy.
If you are an empath, develop a morning routine.
Here is mine: I give Reiki to myself and meditate. Doing that boosts my body with positive energy and makes me feel grounded, centered, and at peace. It sets the tone for the whole day and makes me less reactive and more intentional. Then I set an intention for the day and write it down in my journal. There are days when I add additional practices to my morning routine, but the self-Reiki and meditation are non-negotiables. By the way, I teach Reiki as a live online class, and you can read about it here.
The first thing you do when you wake up is crucial. In this previous blog, I share more ideas on morning routines.
If you currently don’t have a morning routine, start small! 5 minutes is better than nothing.
I meet so many people who have no idea that there is a name for their sensitivity. They know that they are meant to help others and don’t understand why they are drained all the time and feel no joy.
If you want to live as an empowered empath, you must give yourself permission to pause, reset, and re-tune in the middle of the day. Doing it in the evening is not enough. The energy you pick up from others accumulates in your body. Develop a midday routine, no matter what. Again, for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 30 minutes—it’s up to you! Go outside, get fresh air. Move. Take a quick walk around the block. The fresh air neutralizes the negative energy you absorb.
Evening is when you want to spend (you know what I’m going to say, right? 20 minutes, 10 minutes, or even 5 minutes) tapping into your superpower: your sensitivity. Your creativity. Your intuition. What did you love doing when you were a kid? Drawing? Playing games? Knitting? What is an activity your soul craves? My recent favorite is making mandalas. I draw them on stones, on paper, on wooden circles. A few minutes every evening, and I’m in the zone!
Getting to bed emotionally charged can lead to anxiety. Your anxiety might keep you awake at night. Before bed, you really want to clear the unwanted energy that weighs you down so your energy is “clean” and your vibration is high. You can read in one of my previous blogs why you can’t sleep at night. When you go to bed feeling like an empowered empath, you wake up like one.
Here are some ideas for a bedtime routine. Choose just one!
- Journal and let your emotions out on the paper
- Spend a few minutes, even just 5 minutes, practicing Reiki or yoga to release the stress from your body
- Clean your face; massage your face, hands, and body with moisturizer; brush your hair
- Listen to quiet music and say gratitude
- Turn your pain over to a spiritual power: God, spirit, universe, however you want to call it
Start small. 5 minutes, 4 times a day, of feeding and nurturing your empowered empath self is all you need!
Here is a summary of the empath resources I created for you:
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Take the “Are You an Empath?” quiz to find out if you are an empath.
- Take the Empath’s Empowerment Online Course if you know you’re an empath.
- Join a Reiki class and learn to clear and balance your energy.
Hi michal we could be soul sista’s! I became a nurse for similar reasons like you – and it drained the life line right out of me! Little fulfilment or joy! Many thanks for sharing. I need to do more self work! Good night. Geri
Thank you for taking the time and writing, sister! Being a nurse can get very demanding and not wonder it drains you energetically! Glad you are here, stretching yourself to learn ways to bring joy to life!
Michal,
As I read your article I cried. I finally found out why I am the way that I am. I was always told to stop crying and I need to toughen up. I was starting to think that I was crazy, or depressed or just trying to put a label on what could be wrong with me. I did know that I learned a long time ago that I had to step back and just not talk to anyone for a while, I didn’t know that It was to recharge. I have become an introvert and have lost alot of friends because it’s exhausting taking on their pain and emotions and trying to help fix them, so that has left me very much alone. It sucks that at 37 I’m finally finding out how I am going to disengage for a while to work on me so that I can be a help to other people. Thank you so much for writing what so many would be afraid to write.
Sincerely, Elizabeth
Your comment touched me deeply, Elizabeth. I used to feel hopeless and alone for many years. Nothing is wrong with you, dear. Your sensitivity to energy is a gift to humanity. Please email me at [email protected] for additional support.
hello, i just discovered your site.in the quiz i am a strong empath and it feels so natural to me.my brother is a narcissist and it is so difficult for me to get him out of my life, because i feel that i am the separator of our family.