Breaking Free from the Empath Stereotype

Send us a text

Ever felt like you're walking on empath eggshells, trying to live up to the impossible standards society has painted for you? I'm Kristen Schwartz, and this episode smashes through the myths that box empaths into a one-dimensional frame. 

We're talking real talk about the complexities of being an empath—the pressure to be a perpetual peacekeeper, the expectation to read emotions flawlessly, and the notion that we're all zen, all the time. 

But let's face it, we're human, which means a whirlwind of feelings, including those days when anger makes an unexpected guest appear, or we can't muster up the empathy we're famous for.

Join me as we navigate the often misunderstood journey of empaths, acknowledging that our sensitivities come with misreads, missteps, and the occasional loss of cool. 

With honesty and a touch of humor, we uncover the importance of self-care and setting boundaries, how to handle the desire to be liked by everyone, and why it's okay not to have all the answers. 

This conversation is an invitation to embrace your empathic self in all its imperfect glory, cherish the connections that feed your soul, and have a hearty laugh at the stereotypes we're ready to leave behind. No guests, just us, and a whole lot of empathy unpacked.

Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!
Start for FREE

Instacart - Groceries delivered in as little as 1 hour.
Free delivery on your first order over $35.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Thanks for tuning in to the Realized Empath Podcast! 🎙️

If you're vibing with us, there's so much more to explore. Head over to RealizedEmpath.com for free resources, blog posts, and a community of like-minded souls. 🌱

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook @RealizedEmpath for daily inspiration and empath hacks. Until next time, stay sensitive and strong! ✌️💕"

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to the Realized Empath Podcast,
where we get real about lovingand stumbling through our
sensitive lives with your hostand holistic counselor, Kristen
Schwartz, who helps redefinewhat's possible for an empath
who embraces a path ofself-healing.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Hello everybody, welcome back to another episode
of the Realize Empath podcast.
I'm Kristen Schwartz and I'mhere with you as we swim into
our sensitivity to unravel,question and celebrate what it
truly means to be an empath intoday's world world.

(00:51):
Today, we're going to delveinto a topic that is important,
that might strike a chord withyou, and one that has been a
topic of conversation in my liferecently, beyond the empath
stereotype, embracing our fullspectrum.
So being an empath is oftenseen through a lens of
stereotypes, like never gettingangry, always understanding

(01:12):
others' feelings, having moreempathy than anyone else, or
being a constant beacon of calmand kindness.
But let's get real.
We are beautifully complexbeings, not confined to a
checklist of qualities, eventhough those posts on my
Instagram might be the ones thatmost of you interact with.

(01:35):
So what I would love for you todo is grab a comfortable spot,
maybe your favorite beverage,and let's explore the full
spectrum of being an empathbeverage.
And let's explore the fullspectrum of being an empath.
All right, let's start byshattering a few stereotypes.
First is the notion thatempaths never get angry.
I remember a situation where myanger bubbled up and surprised

(02:01):
me and also the person I waswith.
It was during a drive, whensomeone cut me off and my
tensions rose and so did myfrustration.
So the moment of anger didn'tmake me any less of an empath,

(02:22):
it made me human.
So emotions like anger arenatural and can be a call to
action, maybe a boundary or aspark for change.
And what about always knowingwhat others feel?
Truth be told, there are timeswe get it wrong.
Empathy involves connectingwith others' emotions, but

(02:47):
doesn't grant us psychicabilities to read minds or
emotions flawlessly, especiallyif we have past trauma, past
pain, which, let's get real,most of us do have pain in the
past that affects how we show upin the present.
So acknowledging this can freeus from the pressure to always

(03:09):
get it right and remind us ofthe importance of communication.
Moving on the idea that weinstinctively know how to help
everyone is another myth thatneeds dispelling.
Each person's journey and needsare unique, and sometimes the
best help is simply beingpresent or listening.

(03:32):
There was a friend Idesperately wanted to help
through a tough time and I triedeverything I could think of,
but nothing seemed to work, andeventually I realized they
needed space more than solutions.
It was a humbling reminder thatour empathy guides us, but it's
not a one-size-fits-all key.
And what about keeping our cool?

(03:54):
Let's say that's not always thecase.
High-pressure situations canchallenge our calm, especially
those involving conflict oremotional stress.
I've had my share of momentswhere keeping cool was the last
thing on my mind.
This doesn't diminish ourempathic nature.
It simply showcases our needfor self-care and setting

(04:18):
boundaries.
This brings us to another point.
Always being empathetic is anunrealistic expectation.
Our capacity to empathize canbe affected by so many factors,
including mental health, stresslevels, even physical well-being
, so there will be days whereyou're not going to feel

(04:38):
connected.
You're going to feel moredisconnected or maybe less
capable of deep empathy, andthat is okay.
It's a reminder that caring forourselves enables us to care
for others more effectively.
Now where this crosses over tois if you believe, or if someone
else in your life believes astereotype that being an empath

(05:00):
means that you have the cornerof the market on empathy, or you
have the corner of the marketon always being kind and putting
others' needs first.
Then it goes to say that, orsomeone might think that an
empath would be loved byeveryone, that would be liked by
everyone.
This is one of the hardeststereotypes.

(05:21):
To break free from Our empathicnature can sometimes lead us to
seek approval and love fromeveryone we meet, but the truth
is not everyone will understandor appreciate your depth of
feeling, and that's not areflection of your worth, but
rather a fact of life.
The key is to cherish theconnections that nourish you and

(05:43):
learn to be okay with the factthat we can't be everyone's cup
of tea.
Lastly, the idea that there's achecklist of qualities that
confirm your status as an empathis limiting your sensitivity.
Empathy and the way ofexperience in the world are as

(06:04):
diverse as you are.
I've met empaths who areintroverts, extroverts, thinkers
, feelers, artists, scientiststhe list goes on.
Thinkers, feelers, artists,scientists the list goes on.
What binds us is not a set ofrigid qualities, but a shared
depth of experiencing andprocessing the world around us.
Let's embrace the diversitywithin our community and

(06:27):
celebrate our differences andsupport one another in our
unique journey.
There is no empath club andmembership criteria.
You're with us if you feeldeeply, care deeply and live
deeply, and if you're imperfect,diving deeper into our empathic
identity.
Let's talk about the positivesof labeling ourselves as empaths

(06:50):
.
So this label can be incrediblyvalidating, right?
It helps us understand why weexperience the world in such a
vibrant, often overwhelming way,and discovering the term empath
was like finding a map tonavigate my emotions and
interactions.
It connected me with acommunity of like-minded

(07:10):
individuals, providing me asense of belonging and
understanding, which was veryhealing.
The label can empower us,giving us a name to our
experience and making findingresources and strategies
tailored to your needs mucheasier.
It's like finally being able toread the signs along a path

(07:32):
we've been walking all of ourlives.
However, with every coin there'sa flip side.
Labeling ourselves strictly asimpasse can sometimes box us in
too.
It might limit our perceptionof our capabilities, making us
feel that our sensitivitydefines all of who we are.
This label can also lead toself-fulfilling prophecies,

(07:56):
where we might ignore parts ofour personality that don't fit
the empath mold.
We might overlook ourresilience, our strength and
even our ability to disconnectwhen necessary, and labels can
create an us-versus-themmentality, distancing us from

(08:16):
non-empaths and potentiallymissing out on diverse
perspectives and experiences.
So it's crucial to rememberthat being an empath is just one
facet of your complex self.
Now let's scour the overlapbetween empaths, highly
sensitive people, hypervigilanceand neurodivergence, while

(08:39):
these terms share common ground,particularly in sensitivity and
sensory processing.
They bring a unique lens tounderstanding our experiences.
Empaths and highly sensitivepeople.
Both have an heightened abilityto perceive and feel deeply,
but not all HSPs might identifywith the empathic ability to

(09:03):
intuit others' emotions.
Hypervigilance, often rooted inanxiety or past trauma, shares
the intense awareness of oursurroundings, but it's more
about a constant state ofalertness for potential threats.
It's crucial to differentiatethis from your natural

(09:24):
sensitivity as an empath and anHSP, because hypervigilance is
often linked to your stressresponse.
Now, neurodivergence, whichincludes conditions like ADHD
and autism, often involve uniquesensory processing and
emotional experiences.
Many neurodivergent individualsfind overlap in their

(09:46):
experiences with those ofempaths and HSPs, such as deep
empathy or sensitivity tostimulus.
Recognizing those overlaps cancreate and foster a better
understanding and acceptance ofour nuanced experiences.
What it does is it highlightsthe importance of a personalized

(10:06):
approach to self-care as younavigate the world In embracing
our full spectrum as empaths,it's essential to celebrate your
positives, so your empathy,your deep connection, your
intuitive understanding of theworld.
But also it's equally importantto acknowledge the challenges

(10:27):
right Overwhelmed, the need forboundaries, and navigating a
world that doesn't alwaysunderstand your depth of feeling
.
So understanding the nuancesbetween being an empath, an HSP,
experiencing hypervigilance orbeing neurodivergent allows you
to better comprehend yourindividual experiences.

(10:47):
It guides you in seeking thetools, the communities and
practices that are going tosupport your well-being.
So I want you to honor thesimilarities and the differences
, and then everything in between.
So, as we near the end of ourtime together, let's chat about

(11:08):
a fundamental truth that bindsall of us that incredible
uniqueness of each human being.
This theme of uniquenessresonates deeply within the
empath community, but its valuestretches far and wide, touching
every soul on this planet.
Our uniqueness isn't just aboutour empathic abilities.

(11:31):
It's woven into the fabric ofour being, from how we perceive
the world to how we interactwith each other.
This uniqueness is yourstrength, a gift that allows you
to contribute to the world inways only you can.
Embracing this within yourselfis the first step toward living

(11:51):
authentically, but the journeycontinues beyond there.
It's equally important torecognize and celebrate this
uniqueness in others.
When we do that, we enrich ourlives with diverse perspectives
and experiences and we foster asense of belonging and
acceptance many yearn for.

(12:12):
Let's be champions ofindividuality in a world that
often seeks to categorize andstandardize.
Let's encourage others andourselves to shine in our
authentic light, embracing thequirks, the idiosyncrasies and
the depth of our souls.
Remember the beauty of humanitylies in our diversity and the

(12:34):
countless hues that paint thistapestry of the human experience
.
As empaths, we deeply feel thisbeauty, but let's honor it in
ourselves and everyone we meet.
As this episode now comes to anend, I want to extend a
heartfelt invitation to each ofyou.
If you found resonance in ourtalk today, comfort in our

(12:58):
shared experiences or curiosityto explore a little bit further,
I want to invite you to joinour community at
realizedempathcom.
Our website is a sanctuary forempaths from all walks of life,
where you can find resources,support and connection.
Joining our community meansfinding a space where you're
understood and accepted andcontributing to the collective

(13:19):
of compassionate souls dedicatedto growth, healing and
understanding.
Together, we can navigate thechallenges of high sensitivity,
celebrate our victories andsupport each other on our unique
journeys.
So whether you're seekingguidance, longing for connection
or eager to share your insights, you'll find open arms at
realizeempathcom.

(13:41):
Let's continue thisconversation beyond the podcast,
building a community whereevery empath can thrive.
Thank you for sharing this timewith me.
Your presence makes thiscollective journey all the more
meaningful.
Until we meet again, keepembracing your uniqueness,
spreading empathy, and rememberyou are a vital part of this

(14:02):
beautiful empathic community.
Until next time.

Speaker 1 (14:05):
Bye everybody.
Thanks for listening to theRealized Empath Podcast.
Revisit past episodes orcontact Kristen at
realizedempathcom.
Did you love this episode?
Please share it with a friend.
Thanks for tuning in, untilnext time.
Sensitive souls.