You’re Allowed To Be An Empath #shirtstory

Accepting being an empath has been a long journey for me. My childhood was turbulent and loud and unsettling. For an empath, it was hell. But the word, let alone the reality of an empath was unheard of in my childhood. So survival mode kicked in. Shutting down and pretending became survival methods. And so began the long walk away from my authentic self.

In my early teens I had major anxiety — again, not heard of back then. Or at least not freely spoken of like it is today. When I look back at my inability to walk into shops and ask for something, the sheer terror of public transport, I now know what I was experiencing. I knew something was wrong, and it crossed my mind many times that I thought I might need help.

But money was survival back then, and it supported my ability to drink and smoke, which had both become such coping mechanisms that they held priority over everything else.

Fast forward to a long learning curve of constantly running from authenticity whilst never being able to silence the calling to return to me. I managed to pour a lot more alcohol onto that call over many years, to keep it quiet.

Because I was ashamed of being an empath. I didn’t know how to not be influenced by the energy of others, no clue how to protect myself, no idea that I had a right to not have toxic energy in my life.

The road back to authenticity has been long. And very curved. But well worth it.

Now I know how to make instant decisions about the energy I allow in my world. I know how to shield myself and reground myself when my energy gets rattled. I know how to leave a room, a meeting or a date if it’s messing with me. Without embarrassment or shame. It’s who I am. And it’s nice to be home.

#shirtstory is a range of articles explaining the why behind a shirt or range of shirts on Soul Stuff. All the shirts are designed to support us through our journey to self love.