Embracing the Empathic Entrepreneur Within

Merriam-Webster defines an empath as one who experiences the emotions of others.

While that is the textbook definition, the reality of being an empathic person is a multi-dimensional experience that oftentimes defies definition. You experience it everyday in many ways. How do I know? Because...

...you are a beautiful, highly creative, sensitive woman who wants to have

a thriving and profitable business, help others, and make the world a better place for everyone. Amiright??

This is what makes you amazing at what you do! But...

...feeling the emotions of others, taking them to heart, and being sensitive to the tone of voice and body movements, and unspoken feelings of others can sometimes be difficult.

Empaths often:

• Feel overwhelmed in situations with lots of people and strong agendas
• Become overwhelmed with the suffering and confusion of the world
• Are highly sensitive to noise and crowds
• Feel the need to check out numb themselves
• Prefer to spend time with animals or only people they know and trust
• Have a strong ability to sense what others are thinking or feeling
• See the potential in people and situations with great accuracy

Being an empath is probably one of the things that drove you to become an entrepreneur because:

• You have the ability to understand the needs, feelings, and motivations of your clients 
• You are excellent at guiding and assisting others on their journeys of healing and self discovery 
• You prefer to be self employed rather than work under the guidance and energy of others 
• You love to connect with clients directly, whether that through 1:1 live conversations or through courses and programs that are highly focused on their growth.  
• Intuitively you know just what is needed next for your clients and you can avoid the hoops and red-tape that accompany working for a company or others.  
• You move very quickly to the next step with your clients and get right to the root of the problem, or the heart of the matter.    

As an empath myself, I know that I have to make the most of my sensitivities in my work. That means I have to express my intuition, honor my connection with clients in a way that feels whole and authentic to me, and give space for my vision and creativity in what I want for myself and others. If I had to work around the expectations and requirements of a corporation or workplace, I’d go bonkers!  

With a little shift in perspective, you can come to see what a gift your ability to empathize with others is for your business, how it can help you connect deeply with clients, provide a level of service others can’t, and ultimately make more money because of those gifts!

To illustrate this, let’s take a few of the “downsides” we listed above and turn them on their heads. The truth in the messages we tell ourselves don’t change, truth never does, but our perspectives can help us accept them, embrace them, and make the most of them.

You feel overwhelmed in situations with lots of people and strong agendas:

That means you’re well suited for entrepreneurship. You get to develop close relationships with those clients YOU choose to accept, those that are right for you and who believe in your ability to help them. YOU set the agenda. It’s your business, you know how to help people, and you can do it your way. No getting bulldozed by other, louder voices, no trying to be heard over others’ drama. Just you and your wonderful clients.

You become overwhelmed with the suffering and confusion of the world:

Becoming overwhelmed isn’t good, and there are ways to deal with it when it happens, but the fact that you feel the suffering and confusion is the gift that spurs you to take action. Those who aren’t empathic see what’s going on, too, but it is those of us who feel the intensity who are moved to get off the sidelines and help. Most empaths are natural healers who choose to use their abilities to help others.

And you don’t have to be a healer in the traditional sense. Entrepreneurs who view their services as ways to help others minimize their stress, relieve a burden, or create freedom are healing their clients in their own ways! Think a bookkeeper isn’t a “healer?” Just ask the client who lost countless nights of sleep from stress over money but who now has someone in her corner, taking care of her, watching her books, and nurturing her investments. That’s as important to her health as it is to her bank account.

You feel the need to check out and numb yourself.

“Checking out” is simply a way of saying “caring for yourself.” You have a built-in mechanism that warns you when it’s time to take a step back and recharge. Many people without this intuitive alarm bell work themselves until a physical or mental emergency causes them to shut down. Heeding your warning system helps you take the necessary steps to protect yourself before that happens.

Numbing yourself is something to watch out for. Be mindful that you don’t resort to destructive ways to numb yourself in order to recharge. Instead, use the creativity most empaths possess to find healthy alternatives. Frozen jade roller between your eyes while taking a hot bubble bath, anyone??

You have a strong ability to sense what others are thinking or feeling.

You can read emotional and physical cues that others miss. You can read between the lines to discern deeper meanings. You are attuned to tone and attitude. All of those abilities provide you with more information than the average person has, making you better at providing deeper, more meaningful solutions to problems. And because empaths are usually creative in their thinking, your solutions may be unique and refreshing to your clients!

The gifts and abilities you possess will serve you well as a powerful, visionary, intuitive, and successful entrepreneur.

So go ahead! Embrace every aspect of your beautiful, empathic self!

For more about How to Thrive As An Empath in Business, watch my video here.