Judith Orloff, a psychiatrist, told business insider “an empath is an emotional sponge.” Empaths absorb the stress and positive emotions into their bodies from another being.

No filter

Empaths have no filter, for them, it’s not just all about having compassion. They don’t have the same process of thinking other people do, they feel, others think. They have no choice but to take in and often take on, what is happening around them. Empaths are very sensitive to noise, smell, crowds and talking; they get overwhelmed. They feel exhausted absorbing so much, and they often need to retreat and recharge.

You are an empath

When you realise that you are an empath, it is natural to feel trapped in a life of overstimulating emotions, but don’t despair. There are many positive benefits to having extra sensory receptors. Here is a great list to remind you, that you are awesome.

Know when someone lies

Whether you know the person or they are a passing acquaintance, if they lie to you, you get a light sensation in your stomach. You can tell straight away when someones tell’s you a lie. This is a priceless gift and very useful against energy vampires.

Clear patterns

Not only are you sensitive to others, but you are also aware of your own internal feelings. Which is great because you can tell when something is off. Allowing you to connect with your energy then release it.

Our feelings inform us of any unhealthy patterns, and the best way we can remove them is by releasing them. If you do this often, then you will feel centred and grounded.

Creative

As an empath you are creative, that’s who you are, and you use it to express yourself. You can efficiently channel your feelings into a piece of art. When you have the right mentality and space, your creations can move people to feel emotions they never expected.

No matter what age, you are never too old to start painting or doing anything creative. Realise how creativity can help you explore and teach you more about yourself.

Natural Healers

Healing is one of the natural gifts of an empath. You can gift healing energy to others through your hands, voice or even by playing an instrument. Most empaths become energy healers as they feel an inner calling to heal themselves and others.

A heightened sense of smell

Your heightened sense of smell allows you to enjoy food and beverages and other lovely scents. You can nurture and develop this gift. At its height, it will let you smell impending death or disease in a person or animal. Which often leads to saving lives.

Sense danger

Empaths are more in tune with their sixth sense than others. You can sense potential danger.

Okay being alone

Most people who are not so empathic are not okay being alone. As an empath, you crave time alone to recuperate. Resting is never a bad thing, it shows that you are more self-aware of what your body needs.

There is a scientific reason why an empath is okay being alone; you can read the article here.

Nonverbal communication

Research has shown sensitive people are good at sensing nonverbal communication. This intuitive gift allows you to sense the needs of those who can’t speak for themselves, for example, young children and animals.

Conclusion

As an empath you are gifted with many abilities, you are someone who is more in tune with your emotions than others. Your empathy extends to feeling others emotions and using your special gifts. All this allows you to make a big difference to the lives of others. You will need to nurture your abilities, but with time, practice and patience being an empath will become second nature to you.