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You're listening to the Realized

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Empath Podcast , where we

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get real about loving and stumbling

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through our sensitive lives with

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your host and holistic counselor

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, Kristen Schwartz , who helps redefine

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what's possible for an empath who

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embraces a path of self-healing .

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Hello everybody , welcome back to another episode

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of the Realize Empath podcast

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. I'm Kristen Schwartz and

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I'm here with you as we swim

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into our sensitivity to

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unravel , question and celebrate

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what it truly means to be an empath

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in today's world world

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. Today , we're going to delve into a topic that is important , that might strike a chord

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with you , and one that has been a topic of conversation in

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my life recently , beyond

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the empath stereotype , embracing

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our full spectrum

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. So being an empath is

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often seen through a lens of stereotypes

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, like never getting angry

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, always understanding others'

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feelings , having

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more empathy than anyone else , or

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being a constant beacon of calm

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and kindness . But

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let's get real . We are beautifully complex

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beings , not confined

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to a checklist of qualities , even though

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those posts on my Instagram

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might be the ones that

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most of you interact with . So

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what I would love for you to do is grab a comfortable

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spot , maybe your favorite beverage

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, and let's explore the

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full spectrum of being an empath

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beverage

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. And let's explore the full spectrum of being an empath . All right

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, let's start by shattering a few stereotypes . First is the notion

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that empaths never get angry

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. I remember a situation

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where my anger

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bubbled up and surprised

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me and also the

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person I was with . It was during

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a drive

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, when someone

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cut me off and

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my tensions rose and

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so did my frustration . So

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the moment of anger didn't make

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me any less of an empath , it

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made me human . So emotions

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like anger are natural and

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can be a call to action , maybe

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a boundary or a spark

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for change . And

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what about always knowing what

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others feel ? Truth be told

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, there are times we get

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it wrong . Empathy involves

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connecting with others' emotions

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, but doesn't grant

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us psychic abilities to read

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minds or emotions flawlessly

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, especially if

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we have past trauma , past

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pain , which , let's

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get real , most of us do have pain

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in the past that affects how we show up in

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the present . So acknowledging

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this can free us from the pressure to always

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get it right and remind

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us of the importance of communication

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. Moving on the

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idea that we instinctively

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know how to help everyone is another

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myth that needs dispelling . Each

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person's journey and needs are

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unique , and sometimes the best

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help is simply being present

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or listening . There was a friend

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I desperately wanted to help through a tough

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time and I tried everything

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I could think of , but nothing

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seemed to work , and eventually I

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realized they needed space more

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than solutions . It was a humbling

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reminder that our empathy guides us

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, but it's not a one-size-fits-all

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key . And what about keeping

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our cool ? Let's say that's not

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always the case . High-pressure

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situations can challenge our calm

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, especially those involving conflict

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or emotional stress . I've

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had my share of moments where keeping

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cool was the last thing on my

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mind . This doesn't diminish

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our empathic nature . It

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simply showcases our need for

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self-care and setting boundaries

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. This brings us to another point

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. Always being empathetic

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is an unrealistic expectation

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. Our capacity to empathize

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can be affected by so many

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factors , including mental health , stress

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levels , even physical well-being

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, so there will be days where you're

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not going to feel connected

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. You're going to feel more disconnected or maybe less

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capable of deep empathy , and that is okay

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. It's a reminder that caring

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for ourselves enables us to

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care for others more effectively . Now

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where this crosses over to is

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if you believe , or

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if someone else in your life believes a stereotype

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that being an empath means

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that you have the corner of the market on empathy

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, or you have the corner of the market

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on always being kind

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and putting others' needs first . Then

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it goes to say that

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, or someone might think that an

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empath would be loved by everyone

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, that would be liked by everyone . This

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is one of the hardest stereotypes . To break

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free from Our empathic nature

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can sometimes lead us to seek approval

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and love from everyone

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we meet , but the truth is not

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everyone will understand or appreciate your

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depth of feeling , and that's not

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a reflection of your worth , but rather

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a fact of life . The

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key is to cherish the connections

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that nourish you and learn to

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be okay with the fact that we

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can't be everyone's cup of tea . Lastly

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, the idea that there's

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a checklist of qualities that

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confirm your status as

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an empath is limiting your

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sensitivity . Empathy and the way

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of experience in the world are as

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diverse as you are . I've

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met empaths who are introverts , extroverts

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, thinkers , feelers , artists

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, scientists the list goes

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on . Thinkers

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, feelers , artists , scientists the list goes on . What binds us is not a set of rigid qualities

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, but a shared depth of experiencing and processing

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the world around us . Let's

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embrace the diversity within our

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community and celebrate our differences

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and support one another in our

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unique journey . There is no empath

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club and membership criteria

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. You're with us if you feel

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deeply , care deeply and

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live deeply , and if you're imperfect

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, diving deeper into our empathic

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identity . Let's talk about the positives

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of labeling ourselves as empaths

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. So this label can be incredibly

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validating , right ? It helps

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us understand why

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we experience the world in such a vibrant

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, often overwhelming way , and

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discovering the term empath was

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like finding a map to navigate

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my emotions and interactions . It

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connected me with a community of like-minded

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individuals , providing me a sense

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of belonging and understanding , which was very

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healing . The label can

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empower us , giving us a

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name to our experience and

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making finding resources and strategies

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tailored to your needs much easier

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. It's like finally being

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able to read the signs

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along a path we've been

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walking all of our lives . However

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, with every coin there's a

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flip side . Labeling

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ourselves strictly as impasse

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can sometimes box us in too . It

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might limit our perception of our

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capabilities , making us feel

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that our sensitivity defines all of who we

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are . This label can

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also lead to self-fulfilling prophecies

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, where we might ignore parts of our personality

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that don't fit the empath

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mold . We might overlook

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our resilience , our strength and

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even our ability to disconnect when

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necessary , and

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labels can create an

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us-versus-them mentality , distancing

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us from non-empaths and

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potentially missing out on diverse

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perspectives and experiences . So it's

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crucial to remember that being an empath

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is just one facet of

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your complex self . Now let's

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scour the overlap between

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empaths , highly sensitive

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people , hypervigilance

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and neurodivergence

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, while these terms

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share common ground , particularly

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in sensitivity and sensory processing

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. They bring a unique lens

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to understanding our experiences

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. Empaths and highly

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sensitive people . Both have an heightened

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ability to perceive and

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feel deeply , but not

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all HSPs might identify

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with the empathic ability

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to intuit others' emotions

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. Hypervigilance , often

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rooted in anxiety or past trauma

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, shares the intense awareness

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of our surroundings , but

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it's more about a constant state

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of alertness for potential threats

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. It's crucial to

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differentiate this from

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your natural sensitivity as

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an empath and an HSP , because

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hypervigilance is often linked to

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your stress response . Now

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, neurodivergence , which includes conditions

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like ADHD and autism , often

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involve unique sensory

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processing and emotional experiences

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. Many neurodivergent individuals

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find overlap in their experiences

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with those of empaths and HSPs

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, such as deep empathy

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or sensitivity to stimulus . Recognizing

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those overlaps can create

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and foster a better understanding

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and acceptance of our nuanced experiences

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. What it does is it highlights

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the importance of a personalized

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approach to self-care as

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you navigate the world In embracing

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our full spectrum as empaths

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, it's essential to celebrate your

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positives , so your

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empathy , your deep connection , your

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intuitive understanding of the world . But

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also it's equally important to

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acknowledge the challenges right

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Overwhelmed , the need for boundaries

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, and navigating a world that doesn't always

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understand your depth of feeling

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. So understanding the nuances

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between being an empath , an HSP

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, experiencing hypervigilance

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or being neurodivergent

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allows you to better comprehend

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your individual experiences . It

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guides you in seeking the tools

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, the communities and

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practices that are going to support

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your well-being . So I want

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you to honor the similarities

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and the differences , and

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then everything in between . So

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, as we near the end of our time together

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, let's chat about a fundamental

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truth that binds all of us

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that incredible

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uniqueness of each human

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being . This theme of

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uniqueness resonates deeply

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within the empath community , but

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its value stretches far and

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wide , touching every soul on this planet

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. Our uniqueness isn't just

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about our empathic abilities

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. It's woven into

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the fabric of our being , from

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how we perceive the world to how

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we interact with each other . This

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uniqueness is your strength , a

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gift that allows you to contribute to

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the world in ways only you can

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. Embracing this

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within yourself is the first step toward

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living authentically , but

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the journey continues beyond

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there . It's equally important to recognize

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and celebrate this uniqueness in others

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. When we do that , we

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enrich our lives with diverse

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perspectives and experiences

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and we foster a sense of

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belonging and acceptance many

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yearn for . Let's be champions

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of individuality in a world

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that often seeks to categorize

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and standardize . Let's

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encourage others and ourselves

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to shine in our authentic

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light , embracing the quirks , the

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idiosyncrasies and the

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depth of our souls . Remember

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the beauty of humanity lies in our

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diversity and the countless hues

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that paint this tapestry

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of the human experience . As

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empaths , we deeply feel this beauty , but let's honor

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it in ourselves and everyone

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we meet . As this episode now

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comes to an end , I want to extend

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a heartfelt invitation to each of you . If

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you found resonance in our talk

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today , comfort in our shared

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experiences or curiosity to

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explore a little bit further , I want

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to invite you to join our community at realizedempathcom

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. Our website is a sanctuary

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for empaths from all walks of life , where

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you can find resources , support and

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connection . Joining our community

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means finding a space where you're understood

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and accepted and contributing

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to the collective of compassionate

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souls dedicated

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to growth , healing and understanding

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. Together , we can navigate the challenges

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of high sensitivity , celebrate our victories

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and support each other on

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our unique journeys . So whether you're seeking

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guidance , longing for connection

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or eager to share your insights , you'll

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find open arms at realizeempathcom

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. Let's continue this conversation

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beyond the podcast , building a community

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where every empath can

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thrive . Thank you for sharing this time

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with me . Your presence makes

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this collective journey all the more

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meaningful . Until we meet again , keep

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embracing your uniqueness , spreading empathy

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, and remember you are a vital part

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of this beautiful empathic community

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. Until next time .

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Bye everybody . Thanks for listening to the

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Realized Empath Podcast . Revisit

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past episodes or contact

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Kristen at realizedempathcom

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. Did you love this episode ? Please

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share it with a friend . Thanks

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for tuning in , until

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next time . Sensitive souls .