Do You Understand People on a Deeper Level?
It’s not always easy to spot the signs of empathy. Some fall in line with everyday traits like loving animals or enjoying nature, while others are a bit more unique. Let’s dive into ten classic signs you’re empathetic—and ten ways to improve your empathy if you struggle with it.
1. You’re Very Sensitive
Empaths feel emotions far deeper than the average person, which means higher sensitivity. They’ll not only be more in tune with how people feel, but they may even experience sensitivities toward perfumes, loud noises, or large crowds.
2. You Often Feel Emotionally Drained
It’s easy to feel drained with so many emotions on your plate, and empaths often do. While they aren’t necessarily introverted, empaths will need more time to recharge or be alone with their thoughts.
3. People Gravitate Towards You
People can spot empaths a mile away—and many of them are often fill-in psychologists for their loved ones. Empaths can put themselves in other people’s shoes and understand problems on a deeper level, so friends and family know exactly who to turn to.
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4. You Can’t Not Care
Try as you may, empaths have a hard time walking away. Whether it’s an animal in a shelter or a person crying on the street, you may feel a deeper cut than others. That depth can also lead to emotional drains or a desire to be alone.
5. You Don’t Like Conflict
Higher sensitivity doesn’t just apply towards others—it applies to empaths, too. That’s why many of them actively avoid conflict. More often than not, it’s easier to hurt an empath’s feelings or drain them if they witness any arguing.
6. You Have Strong Intuition
Have you ever felt the tension after a confrontation? Can you tell when couples were fighting? That’s your intuition talking, and it’s pretty strong in empaths. When you experience deep emotions, you’re usually more sensitive to your surroundings, too.
7. You Struggle to Set Boundaries
Empaths have a hard time looking out for themselves. Many dive on the front lines for their loved ones, listening to problems and offering solutions even when they’re exhausted. The reason why is that empaths often feel like boundaries imply they don’t care.
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8. You Enjoy Being in Nature
Everyone loves a good nature walk, but empaths could set up camp in the woods and call it a day. Nature provides a well-needed break away from life’s stress, and overwhelmed empaths can take added comfort among the trees.
9. Tragic Events Seriously Affect You
As you might have guessed, empaths feel more affected by traumatic events. From terrible news coverage to difficult movie scenes, you might struggle to regain composure after seeing such hard things.
10. You’re Obsessed With Animals
We all love animals, but empaths are especially attuned to their needs! They’re comforted by them, go out of their way to help them, and can often understand their needs a little better.
Not everyone is terribly empathetic, however. If you struggle to relate to others, there are a few things you can try to bridge the gap.
1. Active Listening
A little listening goes a long way in conversation. For example, you’ll never fully understand where someone’s coming from without asking questions. Try not to judge until you hear the full story, either—don’t interrupt, ask clarifying questions, and make sure you pay attention.
2. Engage During the Conversation
Of course, conversations are much more than listening. The whole other side of it is talking! Aside from genuine interest, it’s important to offer advice without judgment and try to see things from all perspectives.
3. Share Your Feelings
A big part of empathy is also sharing how you feel with others. It may feel weird at first, but encourage yourself to speak freely with loved ones. That vulnerability only gets easier the more you share with others, which in turn brings you closer to people.
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4. Have Hard Conversations
Real relationships deal with the hard stuff, too—and that includes difficult conversations. Though they’re never easy, tough talks allow you to build stronger relationships with your loved ones and develop healthy strategies to move forward.
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5. Understand Your Biases
Some people may find it hard to empathize due to underlying beliefs. It’s important to work through those. Understand where they come from and potentially recruit a therapist to help you get to the bottom of said beliefs.
6. Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
People who lack empathy can sometimes improve it by stepping out of their comfort zone. Whether it’s picking up a new skill or trying their hand at a difficult hobby, those activities help make us humble.
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7. Put Yourself in Their Shoes
To better understand someone, try to put yourself in their shoes. Take a moment to envision where they’re coming from so you can properly respond to their situation.
8. Focus on the Heart, Not Just the Head
It’s easier for some people to think with their heads and not their hearts. It’s the complete opposite for others. However, the trick is to find a good balance so you can not only hear someone out, but you also help them however they need.
9. Ask Questions
The best way to let someone know you’re listening is to ask questions. Follow up on their story or clarify certain events to get the whole picture. It also lets the other person know that you’re fully locked into the conversation.
10. Speak to a Professional
Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to speak with a professional. Therapists can work with you to get to the root of your concerns and brainstorm proper, healthy ways to move forward. At the end of the day, there’s no shame about inquiring.
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