The Challenges of Being An Empath in May 2020

I’ve been wanting to put out another post for a couple of weeks now. It’s been almost a month since my last one. However, I’ve had a difficult time finishing whatever post I begin. Partly, the problem is the challenge of being an empath in May 2020.

Being an empath these days has its difficulties to begin with. The world as we know it has grown more cruel and narcissistic over the past ten or more years. Humans are less likely to show kindness to each other today than they were in previous generations.

Covid-19 has dominated every media outlet available since the beginning of 2020. People terrified of dying hide in fear. Others are afraid of losing loved ones. World economies have taken a nosedive. Small business owners are in ruins. There are many people who have no income anymore. Reactions to the virus have changed our world.

Anxiety And Fear In The Collective

Being an empath means I feel my own emotions as well as the emotions of other people. When a large group of people share the same emotion, it is much stronger and harder to put up barriers against or ignore it. It is this challenge that is causing my personal writing block.

Anxiety and depression are no strangers to me. I had them before Covid-19 invaded the world. However, with the onset of these new complications, they are working twice as hard as before to take my clarity. My train of thought is riding along in a fog unable to see anything clearly.

I tried multiple times to start a post. The problem was that I couldn’t keep clearly in my head everything I wanted to say. Emotions were there, but I couldn’t transfer them from my heart to my fingers. I couldn’t put them into words.

Hard To Write Emotions Down

Most of my posts don’t even need research, because they come directly from my personal experiences, my mind, and my heart. Often, I let my emotions speak directly to my fingers. Usually, there’s a direct highway between the two.

That isn’t the case right now. The emotions are there in my heart, but those emotions are scrambled before they reach my fingers. Or maybe they are somehow translated into a gibberish language that I can’t understand. Whatever the cause, it’s been nearly impossible to put my emotions into a legible post that makes some sense to read.

Tonight I felt I had enough clarity to put this post out. Yet, I’ve really struggled to keep my thoughts together and organized. Granted there have been a couple of distractions that pulled me away and it was hard to find my mental bookmark when I returned. But, there’s also been what I can only call the empathic fog that has surrounded me for a while.

Shadowy Fog-like Filter

What I am feeling is not confusion about any particular issue or subject. It is simply a vague shadowy distraction that is ever-present. Describing it accurately, even for a writer like me, feels impossible. The artist in me sees it as a black shadowy fog surrounding me, almost like a filter.

This “filter” wasn’t there before the world-wide epidemic appeared so I know they are related. Being an empath, I feel the emotions of the “collective”, or life as a whole. I can only assume that this shadow has been created by the collective emotions from around the world at this time. It contains a lot of fear, anger, and hatred. It whispers at me, wanting me to pay attention to it.

I refuse to consciously give it my time and attention. If there was a way to banish it, perhaps then I would look at it directly and tell it where to go. But, if I am correct, and this is the result of combined emotions the virus created, I would have to destroy the virus and all it brings with it to banish the shadow. I’m not crazy enough to think I have that power!

So, how do I survive being an empath right now? How do I get rid of the shadow, the fog that is clouding my thoughts? What do I have to do to come out of this alive?

Survival Strategy

I’m no professional anything to be giving out advice, but I can share what has helped me. The biggest thing which helps me find sanity when things are really crazy is to get away from all electronics and get out into the fresh air. Rain or shine, breathing in the fresh air clears my senses.

Getting away from electronics means no cell phone, radio, or electronic game. It means a full separation from anything needing electricity. If you think you will be bored, find ways to fill the time without electronics. Connect with the writer or artist within and create something. Take extra time to play with your favorite pet. Find a way you could use the time to leave an inspirational note for someone else to find.

Secondly, keeping away from news, social media and any fascination with Covid-19 is critical for my sanity. People glued to every word about it are the ones creating the emotions of fear, anger, and hatred. And often, their emotions are misdirected.

Connect with your spiritual side. Pray for guidance during these difficult times. Ask for clarity in mind and heart. Take time every day to browse a book of devotional quotes.

Be gentle with yourself and others. This is a hard time for all of us. When we are stressed, our patience levels fall drastically. We all need extra love and care. None of us are alone. Sometimes it’s just hard to remember that.

Being an empath in May 2020 may be a challenging life. We have this gift for a reason. We are the shoulders for those who need emotional strength. But, we have to take care of ourselves first, if we want to help others.