Part 2. Empaths & Social Media. The Alternatives
What are the Alternatives for an Empath using Social Media? Let’s refresh first. The basic profile of an Empath is well established. In my previous article, Empaths & Social Media, The Never-ending Story, some basic common traits were described.
Highly sensitive, of course. They are sensitive in all areas, and it is not something that can be turned off. Lecturing an Empath about toughening up, reminding them no one else pays their bills so don’t worry what others think, or even asking them why something bothers them so much is a frustration an Empath feels that others can’t seem to grasp.
They don’t know why, they just do. It’s all they’ve known. It’s who they are. You can surely bet they’ve agonized and analyzed to themselves far many more times than others have even attempted to understand. A majority don’t think “That’s an Empath” and it wouldn’t be difficult to believe that some may not even know what it is. After all, someone may be highly intelligent, doesn’t mean they think and feel deeply. If they did, they’d be an Empath too instead of just lecturing one.
When Empaths get overwhelmed, they hibernate. However, can they escape? Well, they are also sensitive to t.v, videos, movies, news, and surely SOCIAL MEDIA. Each one, in some way, exposes them to emotional drama, violence, pain, injustice, hypocrisy, and so much more. The exposure to it can easily bring them to tears. At times, they can feel physically ill.
Social Media has become the do all and get all of today. Just scroll and you get your news articles, pictures of abandoned and tortured animals, celebrity drama, political rants, hissy fits, relationship quarrels, and even weather reports from friends. You can also do just about anything. This is where YOU have control by just making a few changes.
1. Go over your friends list. Don’t scan it. Look at each person and think why you have them there. Some of them you may be surprised to see. The ones that you’ve never seen any posted activity. Well, no harm, no foul. You can keep them or leave them.
As far as the others, ask what is their purpose? If they’re there posting things that drain you, you have options. You can delete them of course. Maybe you don’t want to let them go, maybe it’s a family member and you want to check on them now and then because you still love them and care. Whoever they are, whatever the reason, hide posts, or put them in a separate list. It’s about quality, not quantity.
Remember this. Don’t feel guilty letting someone go if you need to. Take care of you. After all, aren’t they the ones saying no one else pays your bills but you so why do you care? Well, there you go.
2. Groups! There are many positive groups with like-minded people. There are numerous ones just for Empaths where everyone basically understands each other. Try other keywords, sensitive, introverts (many are) and so on. Also join groups dedicated to your own hobbies and interests.
Best of all, create your own. Make the rules. Any negativity or behavior not to your liking, end it. Dismiss them from the group. Be open to groups that are about other hobbies and activities you’ve never tried. If you haven’t already, be open to meditation by reading up on its’ benefits. Join a group on it and ask people questions.
3. What you should NOT do is create another account or use someone else’s to check up on the person you had to let go of. This is a hard one, especially if you care for them. However, you let go for a reason. You let go for your peace of mind.
For example, imagine that you’ve been forgotten by family and you’ve been hurt long enough. Maybe you moved away and your sister hasn’t visited in years stating there’s financial hardship and every other excuse. You then see from her posts, she just went on a nice tropical vacation and a few weeks later is renting a home with a friend on the beach. The truth hurts sometimes, yet what you don’t know, won’t. Don’t check up on them when it will only reinforce what you already know. Let go.
One can say, how about just logging off and connect with nature?
Good advice. There’s endless ideas but today, it’s about the alternatives within social media. Tell a mom for instance who is waiting for the kids to come home from school and cooking dinner with her laptop open to social media, that she needs to log off and connect with nature. She’s not going to log off but she’ll tell you to ummm…. well, you can imagine something.
Empaths know they make some of the best partners, friends, and caregivers. They just need to remember to care for themselves. If you know one…..let them. If you don’t think you have one in your own little circle, step out and get to know one. The balance that you find when two opposites meet is priceless. They may learn how to minimize the constant analyzing, and you may learn how to feel and think more from a different perspective and deeper level.
Think back to high school. Everyone naturally had their group of friends. The athletic stuck together, the brainy, the popular and so on. I have. I’ve imagined that if I had stepped out of my circle more, I might have leveled out. I might have made friends with the brainiacs and realized studying wasn’t a waste of time. Life is a lesson every day. Some of the best ones are from other people even if they are just to learn what is NOT good for us.
We are here on this Earth to learn or at least I imagine. We each have a purpose. Any lessons not learned, we are likely to repeat until we do. Before you can turn the page, slow down and simply just study the one you’re on. Social media certainly can be much like high school. If you hadn’t learned certain lessons then, well here is your chance now.
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