by “I am who I am” is a simple but powerful statement. It’s born of self-reflection. “I am who I am” suggests strength from deep and accepting self-knowledge. The sentence mirrors self-confidence. “I am who I am” means that one is self-aware without being self-conscious.
Empaths are known for feeling deeply, but we also are deep thinkers. Considerers. We are bold in a quiet way. We have the ability to feel a situation as soon as we walk into a room. This is a gift that takes time to learn to manage. Empaths sense the emotions around them quickly, but we need time to process what that means for us and for the others in the room. We feel. We listen. We think. But often between listening and thinking, we need to exit the situation for time to process. We need time in the day to pause away from others for clarity of thought, word, and deed.
Knowing who you are in a given situation and knowing who you are when you are alone comes from self-reflection. It is the joining of the public and private you. It is the “I am who I am.” Empaths tend to be more conscious of this duality. When self-acceptance and self-expression become friends and exist hand in hand, our lives are more peaceful. And empaths enjoy the swirls of emotion but crave the contentment of peace.
There are many paths to increase self-knowledge and self-perception to create a more peaceful life. Do whatever works for you. Feed your spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual soul. Appeal to your senses. Build daily time in your schedule for this endeavor. Try different activities to see what works for you. I am a candle lighter. (Scented tea lights are portable and will burn out on their own.) I am a dog walker. (I go out in nature daily.) I am a sayer of prayers and affirmations. (Help! Thanks! Wow!) I am a yoga practitioner. (Daily – to help my back.) I am a listener of music. (Loudly, alone in my car every day with music available to express every emotion.) I am a reader. (Especially of memoirs and historical fiction.) I am a nurturer. (I spend as much time as I can with those I love and who love me back.)
Who are you? What do you or can you do to nurture yourself, to claim, and to know “I am who I am.”?
