2983: The Art of Self-Care for Empaths and Sensitive People by Judith Orloff with Highly Sensitive Refuge on Emotional Boundaries

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[00:00:55] This is Optimal Relationships Daily, The Art of Self-Care for Empaths and Sensitive People by Judith Orloff with HighlySensitiveRefuge.com. Self-care is essential for all empathic people. When you mindfully and lovingly practice it each day, your sensitivities will flourish.

[00:01:14] The self-care practices, perspectives, and meditations I present as daily offerings in my new book, Thriving as an Empath, will support you in being a compassionate, empowered empath without shouldering the suffering of others or trying to fix them. They offer gentle day-by-day reminders about how you can be loving without becoming codependent or a martyr, and I'd like to offer two of them here today.

[00:01:38] As a psychiatrist and empath, I am fierce about my own self-care practices and teach these principles to my patients. I feel so strongly about them because I want to keep enjoying the extraordinary gifts of sensitivity, including an open heart, intuition, and an intimate connection with spirituality and the natural world. Shallow emotional waters don't appeal to me. I love going deep, and my sensitivities take me there.

[00:02:07] Still, a big challenge for all sensitive people is how to be compassionate without absorbing the stress of others and the world. We don't have the same filters as most people. We are emotional sponges who feel everything and instinctively take it in. This differs from ordinary empathy, where your heart goes out to others in pain or happiness, but you don't take on their feelings.

[00:02:30] We empaths are helpers, lovers, and caretakers who often give too much at the expense of our own well-being. Research suggests that our mirror neuron system, a part of the brain responsible for compassion, is hyperactive, which can burn us out. This is not how I choose to live. I want to be loving, but over-helping and absorbing someone's distress just puts me on sensory overload, which is painful to my sensitive body and soul.

[00:02:58] It also doesn't serve the other person in any lasting way. To stay healthy and happy, you must be prepared with an effective self-care practice so you're ready to deal with stress. If you're interested, you can learn more in my book about how to keep yourself balanced and whole by trusting your intuition, setting boundaries, and protecting your energy. The secret to an empath's well-being is to break the momentum of sensory overload before it consumes you.

[00:03:25] The strategies and attitudes that I'll share, which have been life-saving for me, will quickly bring you back to center when you are overwhelmed or emotionally triggered. Here are two selections from the book that I hope you enjoy. Each of them ends with an intention you can set, which is a powerful way to guide your mind away from harmful habits and into transformative growth. Self-care for empaths and sensitive souls 1. The gift of being different

[00:03:54] Like many empaths, you may feel as if you don't belong in this world. You experience life so intensely and love so deeply. It's sometimes hard to find kindred souls to whom you can relate. As a child, I always felt different from my peers. Other kids loved going to crowded parties and shopping malls, whereas I preferred climbing trees with my best friend or writing poetry.

[00:04:19] As an only child, I was alone a lot and found companions in the moon and the stars. Often, I felt like an alien on Earth, waiting for a spaceship to take me to my true home. Similarly, Albert Einstein said, I am truly a lone traveler and have never belonged. I have never lost a need for solitude. End quote. As I've grown as an empath, I can appreciate the gift of being different. I am moved by this anonymous quote.

[00:04:49] Quote, End quote. Sensitive people are meant to bring light into the world. Empathy is a strength, not a weakness. I applaud everyone who looks different, feels different, or thinks different. The world needs the difference you will make. Set your intention. I will honor the gift of being different.

[00:05:14] I will fully be my unique self and not let anyone take my power away. I will shine my light brightly. Number two. It's not your job to take on the world's pain. As an empath, you have an open heart. You don't have the same emotional guard up that many others do. You feel people's pain, both loved ones and strangers, and you instinctively want to take it away from them.

[00:05:39] In fact, many of us have been taught that being compassionate means it's our job to remove other people's pain. This is not true. You can hold a supportive space for someone without absorbing their distress in your own body. Finding this balance is the art of healing. Inwardly, you can say, This is not my burden to carry. It is impossible to fix someone, and it is really none of your business to try.

[00:06:04] More than 20 years of being a physician has taught me that everybody deserves the dignity of their own path. Set your intention. I can be compassionate without becoming a martyr or taking on another person's pain. I can respect someone's healing process without trying to fix them. The Empath's Loving Heart I wrote this book of days, this book of seasons, as my tribute to an empath's loving heart and to the sacredness of time.

[00:06:34] My greatest purpose is to be in service to the goodness of empathy and love. As sensitive people, let's marvel at our lives and our many openings to grow. Every day the mystery unfolds. No matter what, keep loving, keep taking deep breaths, keep looking at the starlit sky. Allow time to help you remember your timelessness. You just listened to the post titled,

[00:07:02] The Art of Self-Care for Empaths and Sensitive People by Judith Orloff with HighlySensitiveRefuge.com Hey, it's Justin from Optimal Living Daily. Before we start, I want to share a super powerful practice I use called NSDR, or Non-Sleep Deep Rest. In just about 10 minutes or so, this Yoga Nidra practice leaves you feeling as refreshed as after a nap without actually sleeping. Experience it for yourself on our guided podcast.

[00:07:30] Search NSDR and look for the one from Optimal Living Daily. And a great post today from Judith. We thank her for that. There's always so much value in recognizing and playing to our own strengths, whether they're learned or genetic. But this can be particularly hard when our strengths are classically seen as weaknesses, which is often the case when it comes to empathy and empaths. And for that reason, it's of utmost importance for those who are and are not empaths

[00:08:00] to read or listen to articles like this. But in addition to taking them in, it's important to take action on them too. Thinking about using your own strengths as an empath might be hard to translate into action, you know, if you feel as though the world around you will regularly reinstate reason for you to believe that empathy is a disadvantage. So, use Dr. Judith's intention setting and take it seriously. Consciously plunging into action and setting intentions will be especially important for empaths.

[00:08:30] So, I'm going to leave you guys for now and let you get to it. Thank you so much for listening today, everyone. It was a great post, a pleasure to read, and I'm appreciative to all of you for staying all the way to the end. I'll be back with you guys tomorrow for another one. And that's where your optimal life awaits. Thank you.