You Are Too Sensitive!

The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy. – Meryl Streep

Empathy is the most radical of human emotions. – Gloria Steinem

We live in a culture that discourages empathy. A culture that too often tells us our principle goal in life is to be rich, thin, young, famous, safe, and entertained. - Barack Obama

“You are too sensitive!”

Oy.  I’ve heard this my entire life.  And frankly, it gets old.  As if being sensitive is a bad thing?  But when people spout it off with their nose wrinkled and their lips sneered, you learn that many people would rather pretend emotions (other than happiness and joy) don’t exist. 

As a child, people would often ask me what was wrong even when nothing was.  I’ve always had the face of a sensitive soul and was never good at masking emotions.  My face wore my feelings before I felt them.  If someone else in the room felt sad or upset, I would also feel it.  Likewise when they felt happy or joy, I would feel that as well.  It was overwhelming at times and yet it was always a part of me.  An empath – a sensitive soul.  We really are born that way.

Still, it isn’t easy growing up being sensitive.  You feel a deeper sense of joy, but you also feel a deeper sense of pain.  And being an empath, you feel it for others as well.  Sometimes it is truly overwhelming.  You’ve heard the expression, “When you hurt, I hurt.”  Well, when you are a sensitive, that is the truth from the depths of your soul.  You know peoples intent and are aware of their energy, positive or negative.  You know when people are lying to you.  That’s the worst.  The knowing. 

But there are good things about it too!  Connecting with people is as natural for you as breathing.  You love deeper and with more passion.  You forgive easier.  You feel compassion naturally and without trying.  You are able to feel when someone needs you and can sense when you are loved.  You feel closer to animals and plants – all living things.  You celebrate with heart filled joy.  And this is all organic!  How is this a bad thing?  Why would anyone, ever try to take that beautiful gift away or feel it’s a negative or bad trait in a person?

We’re told that it’s ok to be happy.  That is the emotion that is acceptable.  We aren’t allowed to be sad, hurt or even depressed.  But aren’t those organic emotions as well?  Sure, they aren’t fun emotions, but they are part of us.  And if we can’t feel the not so great emotions, how can we feel the wonderful emotions fully?

I am well aware of the people that can put in a happy face even when they aren’t feeling happy and I respect that.  But I have to wonder, what if they actually allowed themselves to feel angry, sad, down?  What if they shared their grief?  Would they be told to suck it up as we empaths usually are?  Would they be told to get a thicker skin?  Would they be told to look at the positive?  Or would their emotions be embraced as a natural part of being a spiritual soul in a human body?  Why are people so afraid of emotions that aren’t happy?  What are they hiding? 

I feel that they’re hiding their authentic selves.  They are afraid of being judged.  They’ve been taught that unless you are happy, suck it up.  Get over it, move on and bury those emotions!  Nobody wants to be around a cry baby, right?  Or do they and they’re just so broken, they’ve forgotten HOW to be around them? 

I am raising sensitive souls.  One, an empath.  And I will celebrate and nourish that gift in them and will encourage them to explore it and let it guide them in their lives.  One of my sons has been able to feel what others around him were feeling since he was an infant.  He could (and can still) feel other peoples pain.  My other son refuses to fight back, ever.  He feels love on a deeper level then most.  He feels peoples' intent.  He knows when people love him, and he knows when people don't like him.  He loves very deeply and is often broken hearted because of it.  But he also forgives easier because he knows the feeling behind the action.  It's a difficult balance to embrace.  But they do.  They know these things make them part of a whole beautiful spiritual human being.  I refuse to let anyone try to squash that in them.  

Oh if only people would see the beauty in a sensitive soul!  If only they would celebrate the gifts of an empath!

There is love in the acceptance of things you might be scared of.  There is love in embracing people who may feel more deeply than you do.  There is love in celebrating the sensitive soul, the empath.

Next time you exclaim, “Oh he/she is too sensitive!”  with a sneer on your face and your nose wrinkled, remember… It’s that same sensitive soul that is able to love deeper, forgive quicker, show compassion from their heart and connect without trying.  It's the empath that is loyal naturally because they can feel your intent and know when you're hurting and organically want to protect you.

Choose love.