TRAITS OF AN EMPATH | HIGHLY INTUITIVE

Being intuitive is hard to describe when shared with others.  A person believes that they know something even without evidence or reasoning.  For some, it is having a sense of people, a good deal or when to back off.  This instinct, unexplainable, fosters bravery when something is right and warns of danger when something is wrong. 

While highly sensitive people and empaths are attuned to the energy around them, intuitive people are attuned to the energy within them. Intuition involves turning inward and tapping into one's unconscious mind and ‘gut feelings’ to gain insight, wisdom, and understanding of a situation. It does involve some sensing and processing of the external world around one, but intuition itself is a highly internal phenomenon.

How do you know if you are highly intuitive? Here are some signs: 

1. Unexplained feelings, emotions, or sensations.

It's not uncommon to experience feelings or emotions that arise seemingly out of nowhere.

2. Experiencing any of the 4 "clairs" of intuition.

The four “clairs” (French for clear): clairaudience (hearing voices), clairvoyance (seeing images), clairsentience (recognizing feelings), and claircognizance (knowing). 

3. That gut feeling is often correct.

Intuition is real, but it is not logical.  It is difficult to explain why you feel certain; you just know. 

4. Sensitive since childhood.

Most people with a highly developed sense of intuition have been that way since childhood. Over time, this sense grows and matures with enough attention.

5. Easily overstimulated.

Chaotic environments are difficult for empaths, but for highly intuitive people, they can be exhausting.

6. Easily pick up on the energy of the physical environment.

Empaths who are highly intuitive pick up energy not only from people by from the physical spaces surrounding them. 

7.  Need strong boundaries and time to recharge.

It is important for highly intuitive empaths to set boundaries and learn to say no.  It is vital to carve out time for rest and rejuvenation. 

Writing as an intuitive empath

Something that always helped me in my days as a photographer was the ability to anticipate someone’s next move, even in a fraction of a second.  This meant I pressed the trigger button at the moment it happened, not a quarter of a second later.  Writing is similar in that I can gauge what my characters will do next when the balance between strong foundational creation and storyline development is right.  Instead of ‘counting’ in my mind, like with photography, writing is more like ‘watching’ as I imagine what my characters will do or where the story will be taken.

I am approving my sense of when something in my writing is working and when something does not.  It could be that, as an avid reader and film enthusiast, I do have a sense of good writing and what isn't.  More so, I believe it is this intuitive streak that nurtures a healthy sense of good writing and warns when there is bad writing.  Knowing the difference between the two is a powerful motivator.  Good writing helps me to aspire to what could be, and bad writing encourages me to move forward.

The balance comes down to a healthy dose of intuitive understanding of when I am writing well and when I have entered the dark recesses of perfectionism. A perfectionist in childhood, I have worked hard over the years to push myself out of the emptiness of doing everything right all the time.  The beauty of writing is that I know bad writing happens.  In fact, I have written some bad lines, bad paragraphs, bad scenes, and even a bad first draft of a bad book.  Disjointed, meaningless, unmoving, unnecessary, unmemorable words.  And yet, I am still here. That horrible writing showed me what not to do, and now I can focus more on what works.

How to embrace being highly intuitive

• Worry less about rationalizing or using logic to make sense of a feeling.  There are emotions, and then there are senses.  Utilize this gift to recognize when things are right and when they are wrong.

• Self-care is important to help prevent burnout and support creativity.

• Learn to pause, breathe, and assess.  Take time to formulate a thought or an idea after allowing time for the intuitive mind to work.

• Work on sensory shielding. Create a mental barrier to protect from overstimulation and negativity.

Cover Image: Guercino. Woman in Profile, Pointing with Left Hand, 1611-1799. The Art Institute of Chicago