December 14th, 2012

finding me in me

I’ve decided to take a journey to find myself.  It’s been a long time, and I’ve lost track of who I am.  It’s easy to do, this business of getting lost.  Especially when one tends to be an emotional sponge.  I am so good at absorbing the emotions that surround me that far too often I don’t even realize that they’re not MY emotions!  In fact, it is only just now dawning on me that  more often than not, this is the case.  It’s an exciting discovery, really.  All this time I thought I was depressed or anxious, and simultaneously perplexed at how that could be.  And lo!  The internet has an explanation and a solution!  Step by step measures one can take to regroup and regain composure. I’ve known for some time that I  am blessed (or cursed) with empathy, but it was more of a general concept that I accepted, but hadn’t actually explored.

I found a bundle of information, and quite a lot of it seems to stem from Dr. Judith Orloff’s writings.  She has this handy dandy quiz, and since my answer is a resounding ‘yes’ to pretty much every item on the list, I can conclude for the moment (until Google reveals something new….  ….ah how I love the internet) that I’ve found my emotional type.

QUIZ: AM I AN EMPATH?

Ask yourself:

  • Have I been labeled as “too emotional” or overly sensitive?
  • If a friend is distraught, do I start feeling it too?
  • Are my feelings easily hurt?
  • Am I emotionally drained by crowds, require time alone to revive?
  • Do my nerves get frayed by noise, smells, or excessive talk?
  • Do I prefer taking my own car places so that I can leave when I please?
  • Do I overeat to cope with emotional stress?
  • Am I afraid of becoming engulfed by intimate relationships?
  • If you answer “yes” to 1-3 of these questions, you’re at least part empath. Responding “yes” to more than 3 indicates that you’ve found your emotional type.

    (excerpted from How to Know if You’re an Empath)

    Knowledge is power.  I can work with this.  I can follow some of the advice for finding balance.  I can give myself permission to accept that this is part of who I am, or how I am, and I can learn to live better with myself.  And others, by extension.

    There is still quite a bit to unearth.  So many days I feel the need to just ‘hole up’ and regroup or recover.  Gather my little chickies, tuck them snugly under my wings and sit tight.  I don’t want to see people, go anywhere, talk to anyone.  I just want to be quiet.

    And that’s okay.  Because that is part of me and what I need.

    And it’s okay to be me!

    This entry was posted on Friday, December 14th, 2012 at 5:58 AM and is filed under me, mental health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

    Comments are closed.