Empathy

I am fully aware that I am a highly empathetic person. I easily absorb the feelings of others. I feel everything. All the time. Deeply. I usually think this is a positive thing but, boy does it feel like a negative thing sometimes. 

• It is mentally and physically draining
• It can be extremely depressing
• it can be lonely
• It can feel like the weight of the world is on me
• It can cause conflict with my own feelings
• It makes me seem "emotional"
• It intensifies my own emotions 
• overthinking
• ugly crying 
• It leaves me feeling helpless and useless that I can not help everyone or ease everyone's feelings 
• there is no on or off switch 
• can be hard to manage at times 

On the other hand, empathy is the root of compassion and lord knows this world needs more compassion. Empathy also ...

• helps me to always look at both sides/all perspectives and to push others to do the same 
• causes less selfishness
• has made me a better friend 
• has connected me with strangers
• grounds me, makes me feel more human
• motivates me to always seek to understand another 
• encourages me to help and comfort others to the best of my ability
• allows me to better serve others 
• reminds me to be obsessively grateful everyday 
• my empathy sometimes allows others to put down their walls and express their feelings
• pushes me to do better and to be better everyday 

I don't think being empathetic alone makes you a good person but I do believe it is a quality of a good person. This post isn't me claiming to be a good person. I am just sharing my experience as a person with a lot of empathy. I know there is always debate as to whether empathy needs to be taught? I definitely believe that some people are naturally more empathetic than others. Although, I do think that you can teach someone how to be more empathetic. I also think that certain life experiences condition a person to more habitually feel what others are feeling. For those of you who are much like me and can relate to a lot of the above, you are not alone. Those who are not close to me may not see this part of me because I usually keep it to myself. To those who can't relate or only sometimes do, that is okay. Always be looking for better ways to understand and connect with another, That is where our humanity lies. That is how we make this world a better place.