OMG, just had the biggest “ah-ha” moment of my life with this Julia! I share a very similiar life as you. Grew up in a dysfunctional alcoholic household. Started using food as my best friend and worst enemy. Have been bulimic the last 46 years of my life (2 years abstinent gratefully) used alchohol that same amount of time and also grateful for my abstinence with that as well. It took me getting sick with ulcerative colitis to have an awakening! I am an empath to the T. Never connected the dots until now. All I can say is WOW. I’m blown away. This helps my healing journey profoundly. A huge eye opener thanks to your sharing your experiences, strengths and hopes. I’m grateful to have found you. You have had and still do have a positive impact on my life. Please keep doing what you are doing.
Touching so many lives in a positive, beautiful way
Kenna, thank you so much for leaving this incredibly kind message. It means more than you know. I'm overjoyed to hear that you've found healing at last. I can't imagine struggling for such a long time and the amount of resilience and strength it must have taken. May I ask what helped you recover? Do you feel fully recovered now (aka, freedom beyond abstinence)?
I'm excited for the shifts this new awareness will bring into your life. Being an empath can be a curse if it remains unrecognized, but once seen, it becomes the biggest gift. Please keep me posted on your journey. Much love ♡
I see a lot of connection between my nature as an empath and my nature as a deeply intuitive person. I had a Reiki session for the first time recently, and the woman I worked with told me I need to work on grounding myself. It doesn't help that I have a lot of air energy in my astrological birth chart. She suggested salt baths, lots of time in nature, and carrying around dark crystaks to carry that grounding energy with me always, which I have already found so helpful.
Yes, absolutely. Being an empath and being intuitive are two sides of the same coin 😊 I‘m with you, grounding is still a practice for me. Baths are great, in addition to the items on your list and the article, I‘ve also found massages helpful. Is there anything that has helped you cultivate intuition?
Fascinating. My wife of almost 40 years, who passed several years ago was the most empathetic person I've ever known. As you described she would not only feel the pain of others both near and far, but she would also take on the physical manifestations of their pain. I was writing about her photographic memory in color in response to another post yesterday. This combination of memory and empathy in one person...... extraordinary.
Wow, Bruce, thanks for sharing. I, too, have always had a photographic memory - which makes me wonder if there‘s a connection. What do you mean by photographic memory „in color“? I don‘t think I‘ve heard that before. And can you say more about what makes the combination extraordinary?
Julia, thank you for reading and asking. I don't have a frame of reference for how others with a "photographic" memory manifest it. This is particularly true as it relates to color.
To Maxine color was just another detail in her mental "photos" of moments in time. It was as if Kodachrome were snapping continuously and sending the pictures to her memory, hard drive, that could be randomly accessed or at her pleasure. As for "color" the first time I took notice of it.... we were leaving a Chinese restaurant having finished our dinner. We passed by a table of other patrons. One of them recognized and acknowledged me. That led to mutual introductions. When one person was introduced Maxine said, "I know you, we've met"
"When and where did we meet?" Maxine answers "Oh we met at the bus stop on Conkey Avenue waiting for the number 3 bus. You were wearing red jacket, light blue sweater and brown shoes.
Everyone' mouths drop open. He sarcastically asks what color socks did I have on? Answer "argyle".
"Spot on!"
Maxine thought nothing of the incident. It was just her normal.
As I alluded in the prior post. It became kind of a dance that I would play with her when in conversation with others. If I started to tell a story invariably she would interject with details that I either omitted or was incorrectly stating. In the early days of our relationship, I would get annoyed and tell her that she was interrupting. She couldn't stop herself so my strategy was to purposely start telling a story with just enough of a "slanting" to draw her in. When interrupted "Maxine, ok you tell the story then". She couldn't resist telling it properly. And I was off the hook.
One of my grandkids has "Maxine's gift" including the "color" aspect. We dance the same conversational dance. I start the story he corrects me, I defer, and he tells the story the way Maxine would.
Does any of this help?
By the way Maxine's version of the Chinese restaurant story is vastly different than mine. Grateful for your question.
Once again, I see so much of myself in your writing.
I am that highly sensitive person who turned to alcohol (and other substances) to help numb and cope. Quitting alcohol ~2.5 years ago was the catalyst of my healing journey, and it's hands-down the best thing I have EVER done for myself. I don't quite know if I'm an empath- I've largely avoided feeling my own feelings until very recently (since quitting booze), and I was largely out of touch with my own body. So, I wonder if that's a thing? Could an HSP potentially be an empath without knowing it, due to the avoidance of their own feelings and not being in-tune with themselves/their body? I'm not articulating this quite as well as I'd like, but maybe someone else here understands.
Thank you for sharing your words and wisdom, Julia! I get genuinely so excited when I see your emails pop in my inbox. <3
Hi Chelsea, first off thank you for the kind, encouraging words, they mean so much ☺️
I‘m so glad you brought this up - the empath nature can 100% be repressed. I was what I call a „closeted empath“ for most my life, my eating disorder kept me disconnected from my body, and by extension, from my emotions, intuition, and empathy. (For the majority of my life I thought I simply didn‘t feel much, which is ironic, because it‘s the opposite!)
Returning to your empath-nature and „recovering“ it was a big part of my recovery, but it was a slow and gradual journey. As you reconnect, these qualities will strengthen in you naturally. What has helped you reconnect with your body? What is still difficult?
OMG, just had the biggest “ah-ha” moment of my life with this Julia! I share a very similiar life as you. Grew up in a dysfunctional alcoholic household. Started using food as my best friend and worst enemy. Have been bulimic the last 46 years of my life (2 years abstinent gratefully) used alchohol that same amount of time and also grateful for my abstinence with that as well. It took me getting sick with ulcerative colitis to have an awakening! I am an empath to the T. Never connected the dots until now. All I can say is WOW. I’m blown away. This helps my healing journey profoundly. A huge eye opener thanks to your sharing your experiences, strengths and hopes. I’m grateful to have found you. You have had and still do have a positive impact on my life. Please keep doing what you are doing.
Touching so many lives in a positive, beautiful way
Much love and gratitude
Kenna, thank you so much for leaving this incredibly kind message. It means more than you know. I'm overjoyed to hear that you've found healing at last. I can't imagine struggling for such a long time and the amount of resilience and strength it must have taken. May I ask what helped you recover? Do you feel fully recovered now (aka, freedom beyond abstinence)?
I'm excited for the shifts this new awareness will bring into your life. Being an empath can be a curse if it remains unrecognized, but once seen, it becomes the biggest gift. Please keep me posted on your journey. Much love ♡
Relatable! Quitting alcohol for a long time really helped.
I see a lot of connection between my nature as an empath and my nature as a deeply intuitive person. I had a Reiki session for the first time recently, and the woman I worked with told me I need to work on grounding myself. It doesn't help that I have a lot of air energy in my astrological birth chart. She suggested salt baths, lots of time in nature, and carrying around dark crystaks to carry that grounding energy with me always, which I have already found so helpful.
Yes, absolutely. Being an empath and being intuitive are two sides of the same coin 😊 I‘m with you, grounding is still a practice for me. Baths are great, in addition to the items on your list and the article, I‘ve also found massages helpful. Is there anything that has helped you cultivate intuition?
Fascinating. My wife of almost 40 years, who passed several years ago was the most empathetic person I've ever known. As you described she would not only feel the pain of others both near and far, but she would also take on the physical manifestations of their pain. I was writing about her photographic memory in color in response to another post yesterday. This combination of memory and empathy in one person...... extraordinary.
Wow, Bruce, thanks for sharing. I, too, have always had a photographic memory - which makes me wonder if there‘s a connection. What do you mean by photographic memory „in color“? I don‘t think I‘ve heard that before. And can you say more about what makes the combination extraordinary?
Julia, thank you for reading and asking. I don't have a frame of reference for how others with a "photographic" memory manifest it. This is particularly true as it relates to color.
To Maxine color was just another detail in her mental "photos" of moments in time. It was as if Kodachrome were snapping continuously and sending the pictures to her memory, hard drive, that could be randomly accessed or at her pleasure. As for "color" the first time I took notice of it.... we were leaving a Chinese restaurant having finished our dinner. We passed by a table of other patrons. One of them recognized and acknowledged me. That led to mutual introductions. When one person was introduced Maxine said, "I know you, we've met"
"When and where did we meet?" Maxine answers "Oh we met at the bus stop on Conkey Avenue waiting for the number 3 bus. You were wearing red jacket, light blue sweater and brown shoes.
Everyone' mouths drop open. He sarcastically asks what color socks did I have on? Answer "argyle".
"Spot on!"
Maxine thought nothing of the incident. It was just her normal.
As I alluded in the prior post. It became kind of a dance that I would play with her when in conversation with others. If I started to tell a story invariably she would interject with details that I either omitted or was incorrectly stating. In the early days of our relationship, I would get annoyed and tell her that she was interrupting. She couldn't stop herself so my strategy was to purposely start telling a story with just enough of a "slanting" to draw her in. When interrupted "Maxine, ok you tell the story then". She couldn't resist telling it properly. And I was off the hook.
One of my grandkids has "Maxine's gift" including the "color" aspect. We dance the same conversational dance. I start the story he corrects me, I defer, and he tells the story the way Maxine would.
Does any of this help?
By the way Maxine's version of the Chinese restaurant story is vastly different than mine. Grateful for your question.
Yes, that‘s beautiful, thanks for sharing (and the vivid storytelling). What a joy that those qualities continue to live in one of your grandkids 😊
You write beautifully, Julia! I always love getting your emails 🥰
Ginger, thanks for these sweet words, the mean a lot. Glad to have you here 🥰
Once again, I see so much of myself in your writing.
I am that highly sensitive person who turned to alcohol (and other substances) to help numb and cope. Quitting alcohol ~2.5 years ago was the catalyst of my healing journey, and it's hands-down the best thing I have EVER done for myself. I don't quite know if I'm an empath- I've largely avoided feeling my own feelings until very recently (since quitting booze), and I was largely out of touch with my own body. So, I wonder if that's a thing? Could an HSP potentially be an empath without knowing it, due to the avoidance of their own feelings and not being in-tune with themselves/their body? I'm not articulating this quite as well as I'd like, but maybe someone else here understands.
Thank you for sharing your words and wisdom, Julia! I get genuinely so excited when I see your emails pop in my inbox. <3
Hi Chelsea, first off thank you for the kind, encouraging words, they mean so much ☺️
I‘m so glad you brought this up - the empath nature can 100% be repressed. I was what I call a „closeted empath“ for most my life, my eating disorder kept me disconnected from my body, and by extension, from my emotions, intuition, and empathy. (For the majority of my life I thought I simply didn‘t feel much, which is ironic, because it‘s the opposite!)
Returning to your empath-nature and „recovering“ it was a big part of my recovery, but it was a slow and gradual journey. As you reconnect, these qualities will strengthen in you naturally. What has helped you reconnect with your body? What is still difficult?