Last week I got this email from a reader, who, like me, is an empath. Here’s what she said:
“For a long time now I’ve been trying to find out where I belong as a future social worker. The more I experience the dysfunctions of the world the more wisdom I gain. But it affects me so deeply because I’m an empath. I’m determined to do the work because I love people. All I wanted for myself was a secure, stable job that pays well. But it never happens because of my sensitivity. I feel deep emotions which is so hard to turn off. I feel stuck in a low paying job despite my diverse experiences. And my empathic abilities are not helping me. I had so much opportunities but my sensitivity got in the way of it.”
she asked me if I had anything to say about it and indeed I have a lot to say on this.
But the first thing I want to talk about is giraffe. Yes, giraffe, the animal.
If you go to the zoo and you see a giraffe, would you be thinking, “Oh giraffe, I feel so sorry for you. You have this ugly long neck, which means you cannot reach your toes, which means you cannot reach the grass on the ground, so you have less food to eat. And also you run slow, which makes you a easy prey to other animals.”
Or would you be thinking, “oh giraffe is so beautiful! Look at that elegant and graceful neck. Look at how unique this animal is. This planet earth is lucky to have it!”
And if a giraffe comes to you and says, “Hey you know what? I’m so sick and tired of this long neck thing. It’s killing me. it’s blocking all my opportunities for advancement in life, because…what can I say…I can’t even touch my toes!”
What would you tell that giraffe?
And if you’re able to look at the giraffe and see it as a beautiful and amazing animal, why can you not see yourself the same way?
If you have a dominant trait that you find hard to change no matter how hard you tried, it’s here for a good reason.
Have some respect for your “weakness”, because whether you know it or not, this trait is not some random glitch in your genes. It is here because it’s a tool that enables you to make your unique contribution to the world. It is an essential tool that makes you uniquely powerful for doing that you came here to do.
In this video I’ll tell you what to say to yourself when you feel bad about your perceived weakness. And for you empathic superheroes out there, I’ll also talk about why you were born the way you are and what you can do to make your energetic sensitivity work for you, instead of against you.
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