Ashley Jamesさんのインスタグラム写真 - (Ashley JamesInstagram)「This year has given me an even greater appreciation of nature... Although I'm not sure if that's to do with lockdown or my age?😅🌸 I've always loved nature when it comes to travelling, my favourite hobby is deep sea diving and being surrounded by the ocean and the sound of my breath, but I never really appreciated what was on my doorstep, not did I realise how important it is for me to surround myself with nature for my mental wellbeing, especially as an empath. A couple of weeks ago I talked on stories about what it means to be an empath, so I thought I'd summarize on here, as a few people have been asking about it. I know that this year will have been testing for lots of my fellow empaths, and I've learned a few valuable lessons over the last few years. The term empath comes from empathy, which is the ability to understand the experiences and feelings of others outside of your own perspective. You actually sense and feel emotions as if they’re part of your own experience. In other words, someone else’s pain and happiness become your pain and happiness. Here are some of the signs you might be an empath (this is taken from an article online by the way): Major empathy Easily overwhelmed Strong intuition Love of nature Dislike of crowds Deep caring Problem solving High sensitivity Need for rest Dislike of conflict Trouble fitting in Isolation Boundary issues Unique view Easily overloaded I used to care SO much for people and make it my mission to help them to the extent I'd overlook my own needs and desires, get burnt out, or (more often than not) feel really let down and betrayed when they wouldn't do the same back. But the biggest lesson I learned is that giving isn't giving, if you expect something in return. And giving and helping people won't force them to like you. I used to see empathy as a weakness, and used to wish I didn't care so much, but now I've learned to control it and own it, I think it's one of my biggest strengths. It's what makes us compassionate, caring, and understanding. It's an amazing power to be able to understand what people. But we also have to learn boundaries, don't get used, and make sure we put ourselves first. ❤️」6月22日 23時00分