Last Updated on January 10, 2024 by Avia
If you’re new to this website, you might be wondering why you should take heed of these self-care tips for intuitive-empaths. Fair enough. Allow me to introduce myself and explain why I’m qualified to share these suggestions.
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Avia’s Experience With Intuitive Burnout
Now, I loathe labels, but for the sake of establishing trust – here we go. Hi, I’m Avia, a certified medium, certified tarotist, spiritual interpreter – and yes, I’m an intuitive-empath. For over 20 years I’ve been reading for others on an energetic, highly empathic level.
I’ve had my fair share of burn-outs. In fact, at the height of my interpretive reading career, I became so emotionally and physically drained I was unable to function normally.
Although the damage from burn-out wasn’t permanent, it did leave its scars. To this day, I’m a self-proclaimed hermit; choosing to be sequestered and alone. Why? Because as an intuitive-empath, public interaction became jarring and overwhelming for me.
I pick up on thoughts, feelings, and energy in people (dead or otherwise) and detect energetic shifts in the environment. If you can relate to this, read on about how to protect yourself and get self-care tips for intuitive-empaths that will save you from suffering the same breakdowns I did in the past.
What Makes Intuitive-Empaths Different?
Intuitive-empaths are special folks who are ultra-sensitive to energy in the environment and can pick up on feelings or thoughts from other people. They have special abilities to perceive thoughts or feelings from others around them and typically employ genuine empathy to help, heal and guide folks in their midst.
If you identify as an intuitive-empath, you aren’t just sensitive to other people’s emotions, you actually absorb them. Oftentimes, you might not know why your mood has suddenly shifted. Or, you may be baffled as to why one minute you are totally hunky-dory & yet you succumb to a deep depression in the next minute. For intuitive-empaths, this is frequently the result of soaking up emotions and vibes from others.
Intuitive-empaths are highly in-tune with other people’s energies. While it’s true, this gift can be extremely helpful in many situations, it can also be a curse. You see, intuitive-empaths don’t always have filters in place to protect themselves from energies they’re absorbing around them.
So, if you are one of these remarkable people, read further about self-care tips for intuitive-empaths that can make your life in this hustle-bustle world a lot easier for you (and you can avoid some of the mistakes I’ve made, lol!).
Why Intuitive-Empaths Should Protect Themselves
Being an intuitive-empath without proper protection is like walking around naked as a jay. You are exposed to harm without anything to protect you from cuts, bruises, etc. – only instead of physical vulnerability – your spirit and emotions are laid bare. Without proper defense systems established, intuitive-empaths can sustain long-term damage.
Trust me, I’ve been there. This is why self-care tips for intuitive-empaths are so critical for your health and well-being. Without self-protection, empaths can get crushed under the heaving weight of toxic energy – or worse – overwhelmed and consumed with all the energetic data in their environment to the point of utter exhaustion.
This is what happened to me. I became practically catatonic because I neglected the importance of self-preservation in my work as an intuitive-empathic reader. That prompts me to share one of the most important self-care tips for intuitive-empaths…
1. Take Care of Numero Uno (YOU!)
The funny thing is, as a certified medium, I actually studied under seasoned veterans of mediumship and learned ways to protect myself. Nevertheless, I still suffered a psychic breakdown. Looking back, it was really my fault. I was so intent on helping others, I neglected myself. This is perhaps the biggest oversight for many intuitive-empaths – especially those who are using their gifts to help others.
In fact, most intuitive-empaths are inherently geared towards helping others. Many of these soulful peeps seek professions caring for others in the medical industry or as caregivers in some capacity. Myself included. My first career was serving in a family medical practice as a medical technician, and later I became an EMT.
At any rate, the instinct of most intuitive-empaths is to help others first. Self-care for these gifted people is typically secondary. This is an egregious mistake. As mentioned, neglecting yourself if you are empathic can lead to some serious consequences to your health.
Think about that speech airlines give about using oxygen masks in case of emergencies during a flight. Attendants tell you to apply the mask on yourself first before tending to others – even children. For the noble empath, this can seem unthinkable. But the reality is – if you can’t breathe, you can’t help anybody else breathe either. So above all else (especially if you are using your intuitive gifts to help and heal others) – take care of YOU first!
2. Keep on Breathing
While Dory’s motto in Finding Nemo was “keep on swimming” – if you’re highly intuitive you’re motto must be, “keep on breathing.” The breath is your number one tool for connecting with energy as well as clearing it from your essence.
Don’t believe me? Consider the word respiration. It is linked to the Latin word spirare, which means “to breathe.” The word spiritus is also connected to the word respiration and it means “breath of god” in Latin. Add the suffix re into the mix, and in Latin, respiration means: “to breathe and re-breathe the breath of god.” The ancient Greeks understood that breath is akin to spiritual connection, and you can use your own breath to cleanse your energy.
One of the best things you can do for yourself as an intuitive is to just stop, take a deep breath, and get into a mindful state. Because you are easily influenced by the energy around you, you need that stop-gap or meaningful break within time to consciously breathe.
Better yet, practice mindful breathing meditations (if you don’t already). This is when you get quiet and centered and focus exclusively on your breath. As you zone in on your inhalations and exhalations, visualize breathing in the essence of god (or positive energy) and exhaling negative energy. If nothing else, use Nature to help in your breathing practices by visualizing and saying something like, “Smell the flowers (inhale). Blow away the dandelion seeds (exhale).”
Practicing conscious breathing (whether in meditation – or just purposefully throughout your day) can work wonders to renew and refresh yourself.
3. Unplug Yourself
Unfortunately, social media can be really tough on intuitive-empaths. All of the drama, bickering, negative comments impact empaths harder than most people. In fact, just about everything related to social media can be toxic to your mindset. If you really think about it, social media is invasive. Meaning, it invades your consciousness. You have no control over what you’re being fed or what is shoved in front of your face.
Guard yourself against unnecessary exposure to negative vibes by just taking a break from social media. You’ll be amazed at how restorative this can be for your energy. If you are an empath, it is a good idea to have at least one part of your day where you log off, turn off notifications, and put it away.
Furthermore, watch what you put in your head and heart in terms of your programming. Overconsumption of TV shows or online movies that consistently hammer a negative message can be damaging for your spirit and psyche.
Remember, as an intuitive-empath you are far more susceptible to absorbing energies than others. Negative messages in the form of movies can bring you down just as easily as anything else. When you do watch the tube, opt for uplifting and inspiring shows. Or, subscribe to a spiritual network such as Gaia for more enlightening programming.
4. Get Grounded (Preferably in Nature)
Grounding is essential among the self-care tips for intuitive-empaths, especially if you are using your abilities to serve people. Highly empathic people tend to need grounding a little more often than most, so spending time in Nature can be super healing.
I’ll give you an example. Back in the day, I was often asked to do tarot readings at various psychic conventions in New York. The first time I attended one, I got the stuffin’ knocked outta my psyche. The 100s of readings I did took a brutal toll on me.
At one point, my guides yanked my attention and insisted I go outside. Not only did I do so, but I also ran like a rabbit to the first patch of dirt I could find. I must have looked a complete nitwit, but I dove into that dirt as if it was my last salvation. Within minutes, my head started to clear, and I could feel the grounding effects of Nature working within me. Gotta love dirt!!!
If you can’t get grounded through Nature every day, try to schedule some Nature time for yourself as part of your weekly grounding & self-care activities. Maybe every Sunday morning you could go to a park or your favorite Nature spot by yourself to savor the healing, nurturing powers of Mother Nature.
5. Go Solo
I don’t recommend going to the extremes I did by becoming a full-on hermit. However, I do advise empaths and intuitive types to spend time alone. Find time to spend by yourself so you can expunge emotional and energetic impurities. When you devote time alone with yourself, you are giving yourself the gift of detoxification and purification. This is essential to survive in this world as an intuitive-empath.
If you’re surrounded by people every day, then commit to having a self-date night when you can escape for some quality you-time. And don’t buy into the common excuses that guilt you out of giving yourself time, like “My family needs me.” Or, “I’m too busy & don’t have time.” I say hooey to this! If you don’t make time for yourself, then you can’t enjoy your time with anybody else or work effectively at your job.
Ideally, carving out alone-time is something you can include in your daily routine. Perhaps you can fold in quiet solo time during your morning rituals, or before bed when you have a moment all to yourself. This might be in a healing bath, while you do meditation, affirmations, or breathwork. Or maybe you can snag a few minutes sitting at your desk in seclusion to regather yourself.
My Last Word on Self-Care Tips for Intuitive-Empaths
Being an intuitive-empath isn’t easy. However, it is a unique experience and affords tons of benefits. That said, being uniquely gifted also demands special self-awareness so you can ensure your health and protection. And however you go about your self-care as an intuitive-empath, never ever discount what you are feeling.
For years I was told I was just being “overly sensitive.” Well, duh – yeah! But this brand of sensitivity is real and valid. It’s not a result of over-emotionality, weakness, or wearing your heart on your sleeve (or whatever people may perceive you as).
Believe me. I’m a bad-ass intuitive-empath in that I’m tough as nails, I do not get hysterical or dramatic, and I’m about as emotionally delicate as an iron anvil. But I am deeply affected by my environment and the vibrations coming from the people in it.
If you can relate, don’t ever, ever let someone tell you to just “get over it” – because it’s a gift, and it needs to be honored and respected. Likewise, you must honor yourself and keep yourself safe.
Hopefully, these self-care tips for intuitive-empaths will help you stay harmonious and happy as you continue to be the gloriously gifted empath that you are! As always, thanks for reading!
Mighty brightly,
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