As an empath, one of the hardest things to do is consistently watch our energy. It simply is not always an option to be alert and protecting ourselves. This is where empath self care comes in.
Self-care ensures that we don't become depleted. It creates a base of grounded energy, that allows us to function without becoming overwhelmed. And most importantly ensuring we are not constantly stressed about what we may encounter. We can live our lives, without fear.
The following are the best tools I have found for daily empath self-care.
Meditation
Meditation is a fantastic way to calm your mind, recenter your focus back to the present moment. And at the same time, stay in touch with your emotions.
It doesn't have to be long. My morning meditation is 10 to 15 minutes, and that is it. But it's just enough to give me that centering and grounding that is needed for energy protection.
Journaling
Journaling is fantastic for many reasons, but the best use for empaths is to understand emotions. Use it to go through emotions that might've come up the day before or that came up in meditation. Digging in to understand what emotions are yours and what is not.
Journal Prompts for Empaths:
Movement
Movement is anything from taking a walk to yoga, to high intensity training. It should be whatever works best for you at that moment. As an empath, we have an excess of emotions – both ours and others. Sometimes all that excess energy that comes with the emotions needs to be kicked off.
And the best way to do that is through physical movement.
I allow my energy levels to determine what I do. For example, if I had an intense interaction with family, and then a work one the same day. I will do a more intense workout to shed the stress. On other days, when there was nothing major happening, I will do a lower intensity activity.
The best thing to do is check in. Are you agitated? Feeling overwhelmed? Maybe even angry? Or are you doing great. Your check in will guide you to what is the best movement for you.
Energetically Clear Space
Do a daily check in of your living and working space to see if the energy needs cleared. As empaths, we can pick up the energy from even the smallest amounts. Thus, doing a daily check of our space ensures we are not building up bad energy without even noticing it.
For my own practice, right before I go to bed, I'll do a quick check-in with the space and if it feels like I need to clean it. Depending on what I find, I'll either use a combination of the following: Reiki, palo santo, sage, or crystals.
This daily space check in is also a great way to start building your empath gifts!
Reiki
Reiki is a great tool for clearing a lot of stuff at once. It is a great way to clear your energy fields, balance your chakras and bring in good energy.
If you are not Reiki trained so you can do it daily on your own, there are a few options for you. You can hire someone but doing this everyday may not be financially feasible. The best solution for low cost but regular is to use Reiki infused meditations.
Check out my playlist on YouTube of Reiki Infused Meditations.
Watch Media Consumption
Now the next thing isn't necessarily self-care in the way that you might think. But I consider it self-care because if not careful about this on a daily basis, it can throw your entire system out of whack.
And that is media consumption, not just the news, but also social media. I am hyper aware of how much I am taking in and what I am taking in. Here are some tips to help you control the intake without completely eliminating it.
- Before you get on social media, set a timer, when it goes off make sure to get off! A good time frame is 20 to 30 minutes.
- And when on social media, watch for mood shifts. Begin by knowing how you are feeling. Write it down if you need to. Then as soon as you feel a difference, if it is bad – get off immediately!
- Be okay with unfollowing or hiding those that impact your mental health. It is not worth your own emotions and sanity to see what hurts you.
- Only check news once a day. And even then, read highlights as much as possible. I check in the morning, reading only the details that I know will impact me.
- Take occasional social media breaks. I always take off five days in March and some time in December. It is amazing how refreshing these little breaks are. And how good they are for my empathic energy.
Nighttime Shower
The final empath self care daily practice that I recommend is to shower before bed. Water washes off the dirty energy and emotions. This does not have to be a wash your hair, intense, shave shower.
Hop in, do a quick soap off your body and you're done. This can take max of a minute if you want it to.
This paired with the energy clearing of your space will help you have a great, restorative night’s sleep.
Myth Busting: Too Much Time Commitment
I hear what you are thinking. Isn’t that a lot to do every day? I already have a busy schedule!
I get it, time is valuable. But this doesn't take very long. You don't have to meditate for an hour. You don't have to journal for an hour. It can be, a 10-minute Reiki meditation, with a 15-minute journal session.
When you do energy clearing on a regular basis, it doesn't take that long to clear everything out. It’s not an hour because it hasn’t been done in a while. It might take five minutes to get everything cleared. With occasional longer sessions during intense times.
By being consistent, it makes the entire process shorter. Not to mention, if you pull back on media consumption, it can make up for what you add that is helpful!
And then if you are having a crazy day and you miss a day or two, you're not completely out of whack when you do get back to it. Because you've been doing it on a regular basis. So don't let time be an excuse for maintaining your sanity and balance.
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Empath Overload Toolkit
My favorite tools to help clear and recharge.