Empaths often experience a lot of anxiety in their lives. There are several reasons for this, but luckily it is possible to learn how to calm anxiety with the following techniques.
Empaths pick up on the emotions of others. While this a great gift to have, it has a shadow side. Empaths are prone to depression, stress and anxiety as a result of ‘catching’ other people’s emotional states. For an empath, it is vital to learn how to calm anxiety to stay healthy and balanced.
Here are 12 techniques that can show you how to calm anxiety and help you stay emotionally balanced as an empath
1. Develop boundaries
Empaths are givers. Because we experience other people’s emotions so strongly we want to help. We want to ease other’s pain because this also eases our own pain. Unfortunately, constantly putting others first is not a healthy way to live. This is why we empaths so often experience depression, stress and anxiety.
Developing boundaries is essential for empaths to maintain an emotional balance. Every empath is different, so the boundaries you need will be different from the boundaries I need. But it is important to spend some time thinking about what will help you to feel well. If you get anxious, burned out and stressed, you will be less able to help others, so putting your own needs first is not selfish but sensible. You may want to introduce some practices in your life that help you to maintain your emotional balance. These may include:
- Scheduling some quiet time each day to recharge.
- Limiting the time you give to people who are emotionally draining.
- Making time in your life for the things that are important to you.
Make these things a priority in your life. You have a right to live your life your way and not give all your energy away to others. By doing this you will find you can reduce your anxiety and feel happier with your life.
2. Being aware of your body
The emotions of others can affect empaths in a physical as well as an emotional level. When we pick up other emotions they can cause us uncomfortable sensations such as headaches, fatigue, aches and pains. For this reason, it really is vital to look after your physical needs. You might like to start with some simple grounding techniques to help you feel comfortable in your own body.
- Developing a simple yoga routine to de-stress and ground yourself.
- Spend time walking in nature to ground and recharge.
- Get a massage or massage your own hands, feet or shoulders.
Us empaths often spend a lot of time in our heads. Becoming more aware of how your body feels can give you a different perspective on your life and interactions with others. Listening to your body is vital for good health and wellbeing.
3. Balance Your Nervous System.
Empaths often have all their emotional channels open. They pick up on the anxieties and pain of others. When you spend time listening to other people’s fears and complaints it can trigger your nervous system into overdrive. Being stressed and anxious can also cause long-term health issues such as high blood pressure and autoimmune diseases. You can learn how to calm your anxiety by following some techniques to soothe the nervous system. These might include:
- Taking time for a meditation or mindfulness routine to calm your nervous system.
- Using relaxing essential oils such as lavender, chamomile or bergamot. You can either use these oils in a diffuser or add a few drops to massage oil or a bath.
- Protect yourself by learning emotional shielding techniques to help you keep other’s emotions separate from yours.
Being aware of your nervous system can help you step out of flight or fight mode and remain calm even when you experience difficult situations.
4. Find yourself
Empaths often find it hard to distinguish what emotions belong to them and what to others. This is why empaths often feel anxious without knowing why. In order to disentangle our own thoughts, feelings and emotions from those of others we have to get to know our innermost selves better. You might like to try:
- Journaling about your thoughts and feelings regularly
- Engaging in creative pursuits such as art, cooking or gardening to tune out thoughts and express yourself
- Getting out and about on your own from time to time so you can enjoy things without worrying about how others are feeling.
It is important that you spend time on your own pursuits, goals and dreams and enjoy doing the things you really want to do. Rest assured that you will be able to help others better when you feel rested and restored and feel like you are living on purpose.
Closing thoughts
I hope that these techniques will show you how to calm anxiety as an empath. If you are suffering from severe anxiety, however, it is important that you get help from a medical professional. We’d love to hear your tips and techniques to ease anxiety. Please share with us in the comments section.
This article originally appeared at Learning Mind and is reprinted with permission
How to Calm Anxiety as an Empath (and Why Empaths Are More Prone to It)
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