Wow, I hope I can express what’s been on my mind lately. It makes sense to me. I just hope it makes sense to you.
Have you ever been in a situation where you feel overwhelmed by your family member, friend, or even co-worker’s challenges (for lack of a better word)? I don’t want to sound unempathetic because I do care, and maybe that’s why I do become overwhelmed. It’s just that sometimes the energy of whatever is going on with the other person is now weighing down on my shoulders, and I feel I need to take a break and step away for a bit. I’ll stay in touch because I do care, but also stay a little out of reach. It feels like I need to protect myself and do a little self-care.
I tend to take on the negative emotions of the other person and that’s not good for me. I can feel that it affects me physically, down to my core. So, I have to do something. When I feel like I’m absorbing the other person’s negative energy, I’ll ground myself back into the present moment and take some deep belly breaths.
I believe self-awareness is important when you are sensitive to other people’s feelings. You need to acknowledge your need for alone time. Maybe spend time with your own emotions. And, I know this is a hard one, but don’t judge yourself. Be aware of what brings you joy and do that. I read somewhere that “being more self-aware will enable you to cultivate different ways to acknowledge emotions that do not belong to you without absorbing them”. That makes sense to me.
Being an empathetic person also means that you need to have strong boundaries. You need to know what you can handle. Certain people and situations can be draining for you, so you may have to limit your exposure to them. Set boundaries to help limit the drain on your energy. I believe the key to being empathetic without the negative side effects is to maintain a strong sense of self. And, isn’t that what we all want…a strong sense of self.
“A self-aware woman is something to fear. She will speak the truth and make you see your own.” — the goddess rebellion
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