Dear Life Energy Expert,
I can tune into peoples’ emotions pretty easily. I usually know how a person will react emotionally to my words and actions, but sometimes I speak even if I feel their reaction will be negative. And I can always tell if someone has ulterior motives. When I call people out, it embarrasses them, but when I don’t, it really frustrates me. How am I supposed to act if I want to keep my friends?
Sincerely,
Emotional X-Ray
Dear Emotional X-Ray,
Congratulations on being in touch with your feelings and being aware of the people around you. Of course, all humans operate with some level of empathy, but there are those, like you, who have become conscious of their empathy. My question for you is what will you do with it?
Empathy is sensitivity with heightened awareness. It means you are feeling what the other person feels. Recognizing your empathy is only the beginning, because your awareness brings its own set responsibilities. Your sensitivity and awareness does not give you the ability to control what someone else thinks or feels; these spring from individual choice. It can instead make you more aware of your own thoughts and feelings. From an energy perspective, you become aware of people, places and things that resonate with you. So, you pick up on thoughts and feelings that relate to your own.
Your empathy is calling you to be more aware of what's going on internally for you. It does not mean that you need to remain silent; sometimes speaking up may be the best way to do your personal growth work. Make sure that you check in with yourself first, see how things relate to you. Then you can speak and act from a place of empathy, rather than judgment.
Want to heighten your empathy? Try this meditation:
Sit quietly and place your hands over your heart. Take 3 deep breaths and exhalations. Imagine at least 10 people you know. You don't have know them very well, just be able to recall their faces. Close your eyes and imagine each person happy and smiling. Do this for 2 minutes.
As you breathe and exhale, you will notice yourself becoming more relaxed. Visualizing these people will help lighten the way you feel about these people. Maybe you will release judgment; maybe you will release some anger or resentment; maybe you will begin to recognize how connected you are.