Daily (often multiple times) for weeks now, I have been checking to see if Bloglovin’ was back up again this month. As of the time of writing, it still is not.

Prior to adopting Bloglovin, which is a free service with no cap (that I am aware) on the number of sites users can follow, I used Google’s feed reader.

This was a terrific feed reader and I would still likely be utilizing it were it not for the fact that Google shut it down ages ago now (despite impassioned pleas from users for them to keep it alive).

There are certainly other feed readers beyond Bloglovin’ out there. However, the majority of them only allow you to have a relatively small number of blogs that you can follow for free with their service (25 – 100 tends to be the norm across freemium feed reader providers).

Beyond that cap, they want to charge you to upgrade in order for you to be able to follow a greater number of sites. Such costs are typically applied monthly, quarterly, or annually.

Ideally, I would prefer not to have to pay for a feed reader. That said, if Bloglovin’ continues to be down for long periods (or never returns altogether), I will have to come up with some sort of alternate solution here – be it free or paid.

As will, no doubt, many others who have stuck with the Bloglovin’ platform over the years – even after its mid to early 2010s heyday.

To add insult to injury, not only is the feed element of Bloglovin’ down, but the very same error message (in the screenshot above) appears when I click over to the page that normally shows me the extensive list of blogs that I follow.

Nooooooo!!!

Therefore, if I cannot gain access to that list (which I do not have recorded anywhere else), I will need to refollow those of you who comment here through whatever alternative to Bloglovin’ that I end up going with.

I am hoping that things don’t come to me having to abandon Bloglovin’, but by the same token, missing out on commenting on many of your sites in recent weeks is not something I want to continue experiencing all summer (or longer!) by any means.

If I am a regular or even semi-regular commenter on your blog, could you please leave me a comment below with your site’s URL so that I can start composing a new list of my regular blog reads to use if/when I do have to switch to a different feedreader? (Thank you very much in advance!)

And by the same token, I know that a fair number of you follow this site via Bloglovin’. So that we don’t risk losing touch, please feel free to sign up for my newsletter (located on the upper right-hand sidebar of this site).

At present, this simply emails each new post I publish on Witchcrafted Life to your inbox, so you won’t be inundated with actual newsletters (though, one day, I may start sending the occasional one out) and will still be able to follow along here if you are not planning to decamp to a different feedreader yourself.

As well, if you happen to use or know of any reliable, enjoyable feedreaders that are either free or very well-priced, likewise please share it/them in the comments below.

(I will be investing a number of Bloglovin’ alternatives featured in this post on the subject, but would love to hear more about your faves and recommendations, too!)

And, as you likely deduced after reading the above paragraphs, this is the sole reason why I have not been leaving blog comments on many of your sites over the past 3 – 4 weeks. I am very sorry about that, everyone, and really hope to get this issue sorted out ASAP!

Now, on with our latest edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me.

In Leo Tolstoy’s renowned classic, Anna Karenina, he penned the line, “spring is the time of plans and projects.”

This is a sentiment that I very much agree with. However, I do feel that it usually rings even truer for me during the fall.

After all, they don’t call Samhain / Halloween the Witch’s New Year for nothing! And what new year would be complete without a few new hopes and ambitions?

As winter waned and the first telltale signs of spring returned – despite the ever-worsening state of my physical health (I do not have any positive updates to report there, unfortunately, and so will say no more on the topic for the time being) – I was suddenly struck with one of the biggest waves of creativity that I have ever experienced.

It struck me like a bolt of lightning sent down by my muse and, I am very happy to say, is still going strong.

I have been floating on a crafty cloud nine all spring long and have jotted down literally hundreds of possible project ideas over the past few weeks.

This has been a joyous state to experience and one that is doing wonders in the process for my mental health, which is a terrific added bonus.

Periods don’t like this don’t come along every day for a lot of us and I am trying to soak up and be grateful for every second of amped-up creativity.

Weather wise, despite the fact that snow stopped falling in our neighbourhood a touch earlier than most years (late March vs the usual some point in April), we had next to no proper spring this time around.

Cool weather tinted in shades of worn pavement and faded blue flannel filled the bulk of our days. Enough rain to have one wondering if Amazon sells ark kits torpedoed itself at the ground for days – sometimes even weeks – very nearly on end.

Now, to be fair, I rather adore cool, grey weather and share Wednesday Addams’ sentiment that it is, “so nice and gloomy”.

Yes, I am one of those souls who tends to find damp weather, mild temps, and the need for multiple layers well into June to be an enjoyable experience.

That said, I am not averse to sunshine and can scarcely wrap my head around the fact that with the Summer Solstice/Litha having come and gone for another year, the days will now grow shorter until winter’s rebirth at Yule.

I don’t know if I would personally go so far as to say that I feel seasonally shortchanged, but I am definitely looking at my receipt very closely as I exit the weather store.

To my mind, the best positive to experiencing a far damper and cooler spring than usual is that it has done wonders to keep the annual horrific wildfire season that consumes (quite literally) much of BC in its fiery bite each spring/summer/early fall largely at bay.

So long as I live, I doubt I will ever forget the incredibly vivid red and orange coloured skies of last year’s forest fire season, as we spent days on end hosing down our house and yard to try and keep any live embers in the air from igniting our property.

(See this post of mine for unedited photos of exactly what I am talking about.)

All the while, sitting for about a month on evacuation alert, our most important documents, electronic devices, and a few treasured items neatly piled near the front door to grab at a moment’s notice had an evacuation come in.

Mercifully, that did not happen. Nor was our home or yard damaged by the huge blazes that roared loudly mere kilometres away.

However, the record-shattering heatwaves last year did do damage to some of the lofty evergreens in our backyard, with a decent smattering of their branches still bleached a distinctly rusty brown hue.

This spring was unquestionably a nippier than usual one, but that does not necessarily guarantee that we will be in for a gentle next three months.

Few things can turn more quickly on a dime than Mother Nature’s mood and it is anyone’s guess as to where the temps, total hours of sunshine, and wildfire levels will each land when all is said and done for another summer.

In the introduction to the Winter 2022 Edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me, I made the war in Ukraine the focus of those initial paragraphs.

Though I was hoping beyond measure that come the next edition of MCM&M, his horrific conflict would be over, the realist in me knew that such was, objectively, quite unlikely.

And as we surely all know, this devastating sham (on Russia’s part) of a war still rages on fiercely. Its end even less certain than the outcome of a whole season’s weather report.

Though media coverage (as it is apt to do) has let up a bit regarding this bloody conflict, I continue to follow credible news sources very closely regarding the war in Ukraine and have every intention of doing so for as long as the fighting continues.

Far closer to home, this spring has not been without its fair share of serious happenings as well.

As some of you may recall for the spring edition of this series, my sister came down with Covid in the winter. Thankfully, she did not require hospitalization and was gradually able to recover. However, no sooner had she started to feel a bit more like her usual self again than she contracted this terrible illness for a second time.

Very luckily, it was milder for her than the first experience and she is once again on the road to recovery.

Still, it is almost unbelievable that she fell ill with Covid twice in such a short time frame. Though no doubt her immune system was weakened by the first bout (as surely just about anyone’s would be) and that made her more susceptible to contracting this virus a second time.

Again, while my sister is doing fairly well at this point all things considered, sadly, I cannot say the same for my paternal grandfather.

Earlier this month, completely out of the blue, he suffered two very serious strokes in rapid succession. Tests quickly revealed a blood clot in his brain which is too large to safely be operated on and so will need to be managed through medication.

Right now, his medical team is optimistically saying that in time, with PT, meds, and so forth, he may be able to regain about 70 – 80% of his pre-stroke abilities and motor skills.

Naturally, everyone in our circle is hoping and praying for that to ultimately prove to be the case, but it is far too early on at this stage to know for sure.

He and my grandma are both in their early eighties and have been married since the 1950s. They have weathered their fair share of serious health issues over the decades, but this is definitely the very worst medical situation to strike either of them so far.

I worry not only for my grandpa himself but also for my grandma and know this will, understandably, take a very serious toll on her.

Everyone who can is rallying around them and trying to help in any way possible.

Given that once a person has one stroke (let alone two), your odds of experiencing another one are quite decent, I don’t think any of us will ever feel like my grandpa will be safely out of the proverbial woods on this front.

Hopefully, though, he will be able to make a sizable recovery and continue to be active and enjoy life (including gardening, which is one of his biggest passions) for a long time still to come.

There is scarcely any good way to segue out of such a heavy topic, so instead of switching subjects again in this intro section, let us proceed with the Spring 2022 Edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me.

Which, for those of you who are joining this series for the first time, is a link love post featuring online content that caught my eye during the past three months, coupled with a peek into what has been transpiring lately in my own life.

Magick, Witchcraft, Paganism, and Spirituality

–How to Make Your Own Scrying Mirror: Scrying is one of my favourite forms of divination and ways to enter into a meditative state of mind alike.

Should you wish to try your hand at scrying or are already a fan who is looking to add a new scrying mirror to your spiritual toolbox, this lovely, easy-to-follow DIY scrying mirror tutorial from Moody Moons has you covered.

–How to Write Powerful Poetry Spells: Long one of my very favourite ways to utilize the written word in my spellwork, magickal poetry is a powerful, expressive, and deeply personal approach to creating spells that anyone – whether they consider themselves a poet already or not – can engage in freely.

This eloquent and insightful look at the subject is bound to have you reaching for the nearest quill and paper.

–Signs a Deity is Calling You: Not all witches/Wiccans/Pagans believe in and/or work with deities, but a decent percentage currently do or would like to integrate this element into their practice.

If you have ever wondered about how to know if/when a goddess (though the general premises laid out in this post apply to the gods as well) may be reaching out to you, this wonderfully in-depth look at the topic has got your back!

–Ten Reasons Tarot Is Super Effective and How To Make It Work For You: Over the past decade or so, I have enjoyed witnessing tarot (and oracle) cards skyrocket all the more in popularity. While, perhaps not surprising then, at the same time the general public is gradually becoming more aware of what tarot actually is (a powerful tool for insight, growth, guidance, and divination) and what it isn’t (a magical fairy tale type of way to instantly know the future).

In this post on the official Llewellyn website, author Sasha Graham guides tarot newbies through some of the wonderful perks of working with this much-beloved tool. And, by extension, reminds seasoned card slingers of some of the reasons why we are such devoted fans of this awesome item.  

–Threshold Magick for Troubled Times: A supportive and thoroughly apropos – given all the immense problems that are rife in the world these days – look at a great form of magick that can easily be utilized by just about anyone who has access to a (safe) threshold.

–The Secret Names of Magical Herbs and Plants: This enjoyable piece delves into the subject of why, historically, certain plants + herbs were known by alternative folk/magical names and how both those who may still need to conceal their practice today (as well as others who are out of the broom closet) can utilize these old school monikers for some of the world’s most magical green offerings.

–Witchy Apps to Keep on Your Phone: Truth be told, outside of a select few, I have never been the biggest of app users (or, for that matter, cell phone users, point-blank). However, there are a handful of apps that I adore and I am always open to adding more entries to that list.

Penned last October, this handy post from the blog #Lazy is a terrific roundup of some of the best and most relevant phone apps for those who veer in a witchy/Pagan/contemporary spirituality direct.

To no one’s surprise, I’m sure, given that I am a Cancer, the Moon app in particular nabbed my eye. Which one leaps out at you the most?

Cardmaking, Scrapbooking, Paper Crafting, and Other Crafts

–Altered Vintage Bottle Tutorial: As of late, I have felt a strong pull towards making altered items. While not new to the act, I haven’t created too many of them in recent years and (much as with pocket letters) have been missing doing so.

Having recently read Anna-Karin’s tutorial post for how to make a vintage-inspired altered bottle, I am chomping at the bit all the more to hopefully make some “off the page” papercrafting/mixed media project this year.

If you are as well, swing on by her post and lap up the creative gorgeousness at work there.

–DIY Farmhouse Candle Holders: It is safe to say that contemporary farmhouse décor had taken off like wildfire in recent years and that it is a trend which is fast becoming all the more of a classic in its own right.

Though my personal décor tastes don’t veer too much in that direction, I admire the style and find that smaller farmhouse-y pieces can often be a cinch to weave into a wide array of home decorating styles.

The selection that Andrea rounded up in this post is inspiring – especially since there is no stopping one from following the general premise but putting their own creative décor spin on these great DIY candleholders.

–Easy Repurposed Antique Chair Spindle Wind Chimes: Like many a crafty/artistic soul, I tend to be drawn towards finding ways to reuse, repurpose, or otherwise find uses for items of all sorts that still have life left in them.

By far one of the most ingenious projects of this nature that I have hit upon in recent months is this super creative approach to turning old chair legs into beautiful wind chimes. B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T!!!

–How to Make Beautiful Tissue Paper Pompoms: Beautiful is an understatement! These generously sized DIY tissue paper pompoms are flat-out gorgeous – while also being relatively easy to make.

You could whip up a few for year-round décor, create sets to cycle throughout each holiday season, use them for parties and weddings, or gift a bouquet’s worth of tissue paper pompoms to someone special in your life.

(On the same blog, Crissy’s beginner’s tutorial on How to Make Fabric Covered Flowerpots also leapt out at me.)

–How to Make Affordable Scrapbook Paper Wall Art: Though this post is currently eleven years old, the idea – turning beautiful pieces of scrapbooking paper into wall art – is no less at home in today’s DIY décor arena than it was in the 2010s.

–How to Make Paper Bead Jewelry: Much as with dried pasta, in our childhoods a fair number of us whipped up creative jewelry that involved making paper beads.

This resourceful type of DIY bead tends to cycle in and out of vogue a bit but has remained popular amongst plenty of crafters and jewelry wearers alike – especially when you end result is as lovely as the examples Amy shares in this great tutorial post.

–101 (free) Fall Sewing Tutorials: Much like the staff at many magazines, crafters often work on projects months in advance of a particular season.

With that thought in mind – and being a lover of all things autumn related – given that fall’s return is a mere three months away, I wanted to share this wonderful roundup post which features 101 different free autumn sewing tutorials for the sewers amongst my readers.

What’s Shaking in My Life and On My Radar

Having covered some of the heavier things that occurred in our lives this spring in the opening portion of this post, I will switch to more upbeat fare instead.

As mentioned above, my creativity has been going a mile a minute lately! And while my health does not allow me to keep pace with all of my crafty ideas, I have still managed to get in some paper crafting this season with (very realistic) plans for more as summer unfolds.

In addition, I have deep-dived again into another craft that I have adored and participated in since I was about 5 or 6 years old: cross stitching.

I love, love, love cross-stitching!!!

For me, it is relaxing, super enjoyable, and conveys a sense of the time-honoured tradition of needlework that has been an important part of countless peoples’ lives over the centuries.

Much as with the rest of my craft supplies and finished projects, the arson fire that we experienced in October 2016 annihilated my cross stitch stash and what was, up until that point, very nearly a lifetime’s worth of work. Dozens of projects spanning my childhood to my early 30s were gone in the blink of an eye.

And, though in hindsight I have no clue why I didn’t do so (perhaps because I started stitching many years before digital cameras hit the mainstream market? ), I had never taken photographs of them. Therefore, the only place they live on now is in my memories.

Life might knock me down, but I always spring back again and that sentiment applies to the majority of my long-standing passion as well.

Though I have done a small bit of cross stitching in the ensuing post-fire years, the bulk of my crafting attention has, objectively, been devoted to paper crafting. Rest assured that I do not see that changing anytime soon.

However, it can be a lot of fun to alternate between two or more different craft pursuits (which in this case, can sometimes even overlap – such with handmade cards that feature small cross stitch designs on them or stamp sets that mimic the classic Xs we all associate with cross stitchery) and I love that this recent surge of creativity has led me to connect with cross stitching again all the more.

Now, as a crafty witch operating on a very tight budget, I have been happily trawling the web for free and low-cost patterns that align with my current tastes in cross stitch designs.

Having hit upon a number of great sources (which I am thinking would make for a fun post here unto itself) and with some aida cloth and embroidery floss that I picked up a few years back, I now have a couple of fun new WIPs (works in progress) on the go.

I have also been binge-watching the cross stitchery side of YouTube as of late, where many who post about this passion tag their videos with the charming word “Flosstube”.

Doing so allows others with an interest in the subject to search for this term and be greeted with more video choices than there are colours in DMC’s current colour palette.

In time, as I have hopefully completed more projects, I plan to share some of them here with you – especially since I know that there are plenty of fellow cross stitchers amongst this blog’s readership.

In other news, this Friday was my little brother’s birthday (though as he is currently living outside of the country, it is not possible to celebrate it in person with him). A mere sixteen days from now, my own (GF) cake day will return.

Yep, we are both Cancers. Though being fairly close to on the cusp, I feel that he actually embodies a lot of Gemini characteristics.

Then, twenty-six days beyond that point, my sweet hubby will get to blow out his own set of candles.

The three of us are pretty much the only summer birthdays in our immediate family, which is a lovely point to share in common.

Fun, related fact: Hand on my heart, I was conceived on Halloween 1983.

Really, is it any wonder then that I would grow up to live a life where I #MakeHalloween365 and celebrate my most beloved (and spiritually significant) point on the calendar the whole year through?

And speaking of All Hallows’ Eve, from the day after my birthday onward, I gear up for spooky season all the more. Pretty much viewing July 11^th to October 30^th as one long, fabulously exciting countdown to the BIG DAY!

Which reminds me, with everything that has been going on in our lives and in the world at large so far in 2022, I have scarcely had a moment to sit down and ponder my Halloween costume for this year. Will I bust out a past fave again or opt for something new?

That is a question that I will hit upon an answer for in the next few months, as I prefer to have my Halloween ensemble planned out well in advance.

If you dress up for October 31^st, how early in the year do you tend to start thinking about your costume choice?

Alrighty, as few things in the universe make me as happy as Halloween season, this seems like a good place to wrap up discussing some of what’s been going down in my/our life lately.

Now, let’s hop with both feet forward into a fun mixed bag of various online stories that caught my eye, inspired me, or otherwise stood out over the past few months.

–Embroidery Artist “Paints” Lush Landscapes Using Only a Needle and Thread: Prepare to pick your jaw up off the ground when you gaze upon these stunning works of embroidery art created by the immensely talented Jade Deanna.

–Five Organization Tricks for Highly Sensitive People: Being an HSP myself, posts that relate to this topic are ones I tend to lap up with gusto. As well as often nodding along in agreement as my eyes scan from one paragraph to the next.

That was certainly the case for me when I read this Apartment Therapy piece absolute some great ways HSPs can successfully organize their homes.

–How Stanley Tucci’s Big Night Helped Kick off an American Dining Revolution: No doubt like many other people, I can clearly remember a lot of the more “grown-up” movies that my parents allowed us to watch when I was little.

For me, at the age of 12 – 13, one of those was The Big Night.

Though life (aka, my health) took my future in a different direction, growing up I was deadest on becoming a professional chef with their own restaurant(s).

As such, the plot of this now-classic film from 1996 imprinted itself in my memory all the more and The Big Night still remains one of my favourite movies twenty-six years after it was released.

This look at how The Big Night impacted something far broader – the modern food revolution – is an engaging piece that has a lot of merit to the premise it puts forth and which is apt to resonate with foodies, chefs, and fans of both contemporary dining and modern cookery TV shows alike.

–19 Ways to Get a Little Self-Care Outside: This post is a wonderful look at a plethora of different ways many of us can experience/engage in realistic self-care in the great outdoors. In addition, it is a lovely reminder to all of us that few places are more peaceful, soothing, or enjoyable than when we are in the arms of Mother Nature.

–Six Different Types of Stones Used for Graves: This one is for all my fellow taphophiles, history lovers, and family genealogists out there – as well as anyone else who may be keen to learn more about a handful of materials that were used to construct headstones throughout the centuries.

–10 Famous Authors and Their Favourite Libations: This charming post takes a gander at the favourite tipples of ten world-famous authors (from Maya Angelou to Oscar Wild) and may very well have you reaching for your own personal fave by the time you’ve finished reading it.

–13 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying Anything For Your Wardrobe: Living in a small house with laughably little in the way of closet space, I try to be very mindful of what I buy as I know wardrobe real esteem is at a premium.

Though I do not follow the “one item in, one item out” approach religiously, it does come into play sometimes – as do a number of the points in this handy post that is a must-read, IMO, for fashion fans with closets of all sizes.

The Promise of Brighter Days Ahead

It has long been said that hope springs eternal. One need only look at the course of human history to see the truth in that statement.

Many of us have an ingrained sense of hope that runs so deep it might as well be part of our DNA.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that we are pie-in-sky optimists, wildly pollyannaish, or naïve. Rather, that we hold tight to the possibility that the majority of difficult/stressful/even seemingly dire circumstances we encounter will prove to be ones that can ultimately be overcome or able to be well managed.

Hope has long made me think of sunrises. Just as our good friend Sol comes barrelling back into our lives each morning, so too does hope have an incredible ability to reappear time and time again.

It is a form of comfort, resilience, and self-preservation. We need hope and, in order to exist, hope itself in turn needs us.

Hope has been out in full force all the more across many of our lives in recent years. Between the pandemic, numerous serious global conflicts, the soaring cost of living (which inflation has failed – in much of the world at least – to keep pace with for decades now), a wide array of natural disasters, and plenty more, if hope was a tradeable commodity, it would be the hottest stock on the market.

I love hope. It has genuinely saved my life on more than one occasion and is something I steadfastly hold tight to in the face of just about any situation. Worst case, it doesn’t help. Best case it does and in the process, hope makes getting through dark, difficult times a little less challenging.

Spring and summer are seasons that lend themselves all the more to hope and the ability to look at the glass (of lemonade) as being half full.

In the sun-bathed months, it is sometimes a touch easier to deal with our worries and troubles, anxieties and stresses. Now always, and not for everyone, of course. But for some of us, that is the case and no doubt plays into why we are particularly fond of the balmy side of the calendar.

I adore each season and lean into the perks of all four. While at the same time, continually growing and learning as a person thanks to the challenges inherent to every one of them as well.

Summer’s return unto itself is rarely enough to set every wrong right. Thankfully though, it can help to lift our spirits and provide us with wonderful new memories, languid days of relaxation, and, I find at least, scads of nostalgia.

Both literally and figuratively, summer comes with the promise of brighter days ahead.

Rare is the summer my mood is not lifted at least part of the time and even the most difficult summers of my life have been peppered with fantastic experiences that I look back on with great fondness.

It is anyone’s guess as to what the state of the world or of their own lives will look like when, in roughly three months’ time, the summer edition of this post will appear here.

Hope tells me that at least a few things may be better. Or baring that, not considerably worse off than they presently are.

And in the process, it enthusiastically reminds me that we are a mere three months away from the return of pumpkin season!

No matter what the coming sizzling hot weeks may throw at us, that fact alone is darn near enough to keep a perpetual jack-o-lantern-worthy smile on my face all summer long.

At the same time though, I will try to savour the present season and appreciate the blessings and challenges alike that it holds in store for us.

From the bottom of my heart, sweet friends, I wish each of you a tremendously safe, happy, wellness-filled summer that is illuminated as much by hope as it is by sunshine.

Which of the links above caught your eye the most? What are some elements of summer (or winter in the Southern Hemisphere) that you are most looking forward to experiencing?

The post Spring 2022 Edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me (Also, is Bloglovin’ Dead? – Please Read!) appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. — Henry James

This week is the first of summer. A season that, while not always the easiest to bear unless one lives for the heat, is utterly and completely gorgeous.

I can relate to the estimable Mr. James’ words – though might personally swap “fall afternoon” in for summer.

Though, that said, I have a deeply rooted love of summer and find many positives in the languid days of scorching sun, verdancy aplenty, outdoor living, and nights of enveloping, bathtub-like warmth that makes one feel extra glad for the blessing that is life.

Before we get too far into the season of ice cream cones and sandcastles, however, let’s pull up a folding camping chair (or a comfy hammock) and sink into enjoying some of the most inspiring, informative, or just plain interesting links that crossed my path during the spring of 2021.

(As well as the lowdown on some of what’s been transpiring in my own life over the course of the season that just was.)

Magick, Witchcraft, Paganism, and Spirituality

–DIY Crescent Moon Incense Burner: From fellow Canadian witch, Breawna, comes this lovely, wonderfully easy to follow along with video that shows you how to make a crescent moon-shaped incense burner with a mere handful of basic crafting supplies. The end result is both beautiful and functional, and would make for a fantastic homemade gift to boot!

–DIY Magickal Slow Cooker Candles: No matter the season, candles are a mainstay in our home and in my witchy workings. Big or small, scented or unscented, white or coloured, handmade or store-bought, candles are always welcome under our roof.

I love finding new ways to make or utilize candles, and while we don’t currently own a slow cooker/crockpot/Instant Pot, should one enter our lives again, I’m delighted to have this awesome DIY tutorial for making magickal candles in a slow cooker at the ready.

Should you have a slower cooker, and enjoy creating your own candles, this looks like a really fun and rewarding DIY project to whip up.

–Do Something Witchy Everyday: The message that drives this post is one that aligns greatly with my own practices, which often centre far less on OTT or complex workings and rituals, and much more on feasible, enjoyable, and diverse forms of everyday witchcraft.

If you’ve been looking to up your witchy workings or just need some ideas for meaningful ways to connect (all the more) with your witchy daily, swing by this I, Medusa post written by Anna Mist and be inspired.

–How to Officiate a Handfasting Step-by-Step: In many parts of the world, mid-spring to early fall is seen as wedding season, as nuptials proliferate during the sunny months.

If you’re fortunate to be in the position of being able to officiate a handfasting ceremony, or are looking to find someone to officiate your own handfasting/Pagan wedding, this informative post on the subject from the beloved witchery blog Moody Moons is just the ticket.

–How Spirituality Benefits Highly Sensitive People: Spirituality is a profoundly personal and important element of many peoples’ lives, and while certainly, by no means, the sole domain of highly sensitive individuals, those who identify as such often find immense benefit, comfort, and meaning in their spiritual journey.

This look at the subject was recently shared on the superb HSP-focused website, The Highly Sensitive Refuge. It resonated with me, just as I suspect it will with many of my fellow spiritually inclined HSPs and empaths.

–The 25 Most Important Witchcraft Books Ever Published: Whether you concur entirely with the list of entries on this engaging post from Jason Mankey (himself a renowned Pagan author) or not, chances are you will appreciate the significance and importance of each witchery related title highlighted therein.

I definitely did and, in the process, really appreciated the fact that Mankey arranged his list chronologically, thus further helping readers to understand all the more just how influential these books have been on multiple generations of witches over the years.

–20 Powerful Herbs for Protection: Like many a magickally inclined soul, I do my fair share of protection and guarding work. I’m a trusting person, but am far from naïve and I know that there are many forces at play in the world that we can use some extra protection against.

If protection magick strikes a chord with you as well, this helpful look at 20 Powerful Herbs for Protection is an excellent resource on the subject that feels all the more at home as we embrace the fresh greenery-filled season that is summer.

Card Making, Scrapbooking, Paper Crafting, and Other Crafts

–Crocheted Succulents Free Pattern: For those who are fortunate to possess crocheting skills, this free pattern for eye-catchingly wonderful crocheted succulents is bound to find favour – especially if also have a green thumb, enjoy green witchery, or simply swoon at the sight of succulents.

–DIY (Paper Crafting) Jewelry Box Tutorial: As someone with an immense fondness for jewelry, it may come as no surprise that I’m also rather partial to jewelry boxes that can house my beloved wee collection of beads, baubles, and brooches.

The idea of creating one’s own jewelry box is really appealing to me, so when Graphic 45 recently shared a handy tutorial detailing just that, I bookmarked it for myself and knew I wanted to share it here with all of you as well.

Beyond serving “just” as a jewelry box, this project could be used to store any number of small items, from thimbles to dried flowers, crystals to marbles – and can be customized to your heart’s content, depending on the materials that you employ.

(And speaking of Graphic 45, I really like this beautiful summertime perfect beach-themed mini album that was shared on their blog a few days ago.)

–DIY Terracotta Essential Oil Diffuser & Car Air Freshener: My recent Litha season post, 15 Essential Oils That Are Perfect the Summer Solstice, has put me in even more of an essential oil mood than usual (which, given my passion for this subject, is saying a lot! ).

Combine essential oils with a fun DIY project and I’m there faster than you can say “take a whiff!”

If these are topics that tickle your fancy (not to mention your olfactory sense) as well, be sure to check out Cintia’s fantastic tutorial on how to make your very own DIY terracotta essential oil diffuser and car air freshener.

–DIY Summer Wreath from a Straw Hat: A sizable smile spread across my face the moment I spied Patti’s wonderful tutorial for making a strikingly pretty summer wreath from a straw hat.

Like many who experienced the 1980s and early 90s firsthand, I well remember when decorative straw hat home décor was having a serious moment.

Indeed, straw hat wreaths hung both in my family’s home and in those of multiple relatives for many years. I even had one in my own bedroom for a few years during my early childhood.

It’s fantastic to see this charming way of dressing up classic straw hats finding favour again (I suspect that the recent trend for #cottagecore and similar aesthetics is doing its part on that front).

If you’re keen to rekindle a trend or to experience straw hat home décor for the first time, follow Patti’s lead and adore your home with an attractive DIY straw hat wreath.

–Easy DIY Earrings You Can Make on a Budget: Fun fact, I’ve been creating handmade jewelry since I was a child and had a fun little side business selling handmade nickel-free jewelry for a time during my teens and early adult years.

While the arson fire that we experienced back in 2016 completely destroyed my stash of jewelry making supplies, my love of this endlessly versatile (not to mention, practical) art form has never left me.

Little by little, I’ve gathered a few jewelry making materials again and hope to continue to do so as time goes on.

One needn’t have a plethora of supplies (or a lavish budget) to create wonderful handmade jewelry. A few basic items, some inspiration, and a desire are usually all it takes to do just that – as the more than 40 projects highlighted in this terrific post over on the Mod Podge blog amply demonstrate.

–How to Setup a Portable Craft Space: As awesome as it would be for every crafter to have a large, roomy space in which to craft to their heart’s content, the fact of the matter is that for many of us that simply isn’t feasible.

Naturally, lack of space for a big craft room shouldn’t prevent one from getting their creativity on all the same.

And by the same token, sometimes even those with their own craft rooms, shed sheds, etc enjoy having a portable crafting station elsewhere in their home (say in the family room or den, for example).

If you’ve been curious about how to set up a portable craft space that can be placed wherever is most convenient/functional for you in your house, I highly suggest checking out Bea Valiant’s great photo-filled post on how to do just that.

–Zippered Pouch Tutorial (Using Scrapbook Paper): Ever looked at some of your favourite papers or cardstocks and thought that they’d look fabulous as a zippered pouch?

Whether the answer to that question is yes or no, chances are you’ll be intrigued and inspired by this lovely tutorial shared by Split Coast Stamper member Betty Traciak which shows you how to do just that.

Just think of the endless possibilities, from gifts to practical storage, holiday and home décor to an instant conversation starter at your next crop!

What’s Shaking in My Life and On My Radar

Where to begin?

I’ve thought about this portion of this very blog post many times over the course of the past several weeks. In a sense, there is a lot I want to say, and yet perhaps even more that I would prefer to keep to myself for the time being.

As those of you who follow me on Instagram may have noticed, I have not been on IG (which is my primary social media platform) much at all in recent weeks.

There have been various reasons for that, with two in particular accounting for the lion’s share of why this has been the case.

First and foremost, in recent months I have been dealing with some perplexing and challenging new medical issues that are (true to form a lot of the time when it comes to my health) proving very difficult to unearth answers/diagnoses for.

At present, I am not going to go into specifics publicly about these issues – especially until I have some solid answers as to what it is that I am actually contending with.

On top of the physical issues themselves, this newest medical battle (for those readers who may not know, I have been a multi-chronic illness fighter of more than a dozen different chronic medical conditions for twenty years now) – and the frustration, stress, and uncertainty that comes with fighting tirelessly for a diagnosis – is having a substantial impact on my mental health.

Between the physical and mental challenges, what little (personal) time I have been able to carve out online has mostly been devoting to blogging.

Thus far, much to my surprise at times, I have been able to keep up with my usual pace of at least one blog post here per week. While I accept that either by choice or circumstances, there may be times when that isn’t feasible, I hope/plan to continue on at that pace this summer.

Compounding matters and much to my great unhappiness, the severity of what I am dealing with on the health front at the moment has meant that my initial plans of launching my ASMR YouTube channel this spring didn’t even come close to happening.

I am fully committed to this long-held dream and will do everything in my power to create content and get that channel off the ground as soon as I realistically can.

At this point, I don’t know when exactly that will be. I really hope it can happen in 2021.

If not though, I will just keep trying even harder for it to happen the following year (and will continue to keep you informed here and on SM as to when that exciting event occurs).

The second primary reason is a lot more positive. Long story short, several weeks ago now, my husband and I put in a bid on a contract job to create the ecommerce website for a local outdoor goods store here in town and were very fortunate to win that bid.

This project is labour heavy for both of us and on a very tight deadline. As such we’ve been devoting a great deal of time over the past couple of months to this job.

It isn’t complete quite yet, but is definitely getting a lot closer. Very exciting!

Aside from those two points, which are, I’m the first to say, quite different from one another, some of what’s been happening around these parts include…

Having central air installed in our house. We live in one of the hottest regions in all of Canada (case in point, multiple days next week are forecasted to reach highs of 40 – 44C/104 – 111F) and have struggled a fair bit to live in a house without this feature since moving into our current abode in early 2018.

Thankfully, the installation went smoothly, quickly, and without any complications.

As anyone who has had central air installed in recent years will no doubt tell you, this is not an inexpensive job at all – which is the main reason it didn’t happen right out of the gate when we moved in.

Tony and I feel that the cost is well worth it though for the quality of life and health benefits it brings not only to us, but to our precious dog (Annie) as well, and know we made the right choice in having central air installed in our house.

By pure coincidence, on the very same day that installation happened, I received my first Covid-19 vaccine.

I registered for it as soon as my age bracket (those under 40) became eligible to do so and was told I’d receive an email prior to the end of May informing of when and where I could book my first shot.

In the final days of the month, I did indeed get that email and then proceeded to book the first slot on the first date that was available to me.

Not being the world’s healthiest person, I was a tad concerned regarding how my body might handle the vaccine. I am (very!) happy to report that aside from a minorly sore arm and a bit of lethargy for about 72 hours afterwards, I didn’t experience any issues (let alone serious ones) from the shot.

I was told by the nurse who administered my Covid vaccine that I should be contacted by the provincial health system in about 6 – 8 weeks regarding when I can book my second shot.

It is such a positive feeling to know that I am partially vaccinated and that in getting my shot, I am continuing to do everything I can to not contract nor, moreover, risk spreading this terrible illness.

So, assuming all goes to plan, I should get my second shot in the later weeks of summer and will thus be vaccinated in full by the time my very favourite chapter of the year (autumn) rolls around once more.

We’ve just covered a lot of ground and as I don’t want to keep you here reading until fall does in fact return, without further ado, let me jump right into sharing some of the various links that stood out for me during the spring of 2021.

–Exquisitely Designed 2,000-Year-Old Roman Shoe Discovered in a Well: Boasting skilled handiwork and a design that would put it seriously on-trend to this day, it’s hard not to stare and marvel at the beauty of this exceedingly rare archaeological find.  

–How to Compliment Someone Without Mentioning Their Looks: As much as many people enjoy receiving positive words about their appearance, not everyone is equally comfortable with these kinds of comments and, moreover, there are countless other things to complement most folks on besides “just” their physical appearance.

This Wit & Delight entry explores the subject of non-physical appearance focused compliments and provides an array of terrific suggestions for what to say instead.

–Listen to Random Radio Stations from Around the World: At the end of the 1970s, British new wave/synth-pop group the Buggles made the line “video killed the radio star” an instant classic with their eponymously named song.

By the dawn of the twenty-first century, one could easily state that the internet had, in turn, usurped the video star (at least as far as the music industry is concerned).

However, while fewer of us may tune into the radio daily than we once did, this world-changing form of media is, in truth and very happily, far from dead.

If you’re in the mood to sample a station (or dozens of stations) from around the world, then make your way across the world map on this website until you find one that is a – *cough, cough* – hit with you.

–9 Things to Try if You Hate Social Media But Don’t Actually Want to Quit: Whether you loath SM or just find yourself feeling seriously burned out or “over it” at times, the practical and supportive tips in this post are ones that stand to benefit just about everyone who opts to engage with social media.

–Plants Might Be Helping Each Other More Than Thought: The world plants and the profoundly interconnected relationships shared between many species fascinates me greatly. For all we know on this subject, there are untold volumes more that remain to be discovered – as this captivating look at how certain plants may in fact help, not compete, with one another demonstrates.

(Another Phys.Org post that recently caught my attention was this fascinating story about the recent discovery of a 3,000 Year Old Shark Attack Victim.)

–What Would a Truly Wild Ireland Look Like?: Once, in a time now long past, I called Ireland home for the span of a couple years.

Make no mistakes, Ireland is everything and more you imagine it to be and is a country with an extraordinary past that deserves our respect and research alike.

Like many corners of the globe, Ireland – for all of its pastoral farmlands, rolling hills, and windswept shoreline – is not quite as wild a country as it once was.

This thought-provoking BBC post by Chris Baraniuk asks us to imagine what a truly wild Ireland might look like and explores the feasibility of rewilding the landscape of this majestic nation to a greater degree.

–Why a Clutter Free Life is an Intentional Life: I am not a minimalist, nor am I a maximalist. I can exist quite contently with very little or with a fair bit more, but no matter what volume of belongings fill my home, I cannot abide by clutter.

I weed out clutter at every turn, thankful that organizing and (possession) purging are both tasks I sincerely enjoy.

Having long believed and experienced (the fact) that a clutter-free life feels, and is, all the more intentionally lived, this lovely post on the subject reverberated with me.

Its message is one most of us can connect with, especially if we also find our lives, minds, and spirits tend to feel and work their best when clutter is kept as low as possible.

Summer Lovin’

In the late hours of a July night so warm it gave furnaces everywhere a run for there money – and which would break into a rapturously loud storm before dawn had broke – I came into the world nearly thirty-seven years ago now.

And while there is no hard and fast rule that says a person has to love the season into which they were born, I adore mine with even more fiery passion than that of the sun which fuels the vibrancy of summer itself.

I am a lover of all seasons though. Each is a kindred spirit, a treasured friend, a vital element of life itself.

Summer is wild and outgoing. It beckons us with notes of Coppertone, grilled foods, fresh-cut lawns, and the siren’s song of sultry, unforgettable warmth.

In summer, I find, it is often easier to forget our troubles. Or, if we cannot banish them from our mind entirely, at least (it becomes) a touch easier to navigate their waters.

I would venture to call summer the most chill of season. It is laidback and cool. Enigmatic, yet wildly and wonderfully familiar.

Summer begins in a sea of green life and concludes with the first lag of the harvest season.

In many parts of the globe, summer bridges the chilly portions of the year, has an inherent air of playfulness to it, and will be yearned for something fierce when – to quote the classic holiday season song Good King Wenceslas – snow lays round about, deep and crisp and even.

At the moment, the world is beginning, in some respects to rebound from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. This heartbreaking illness is still with us though, still causing new cases to develop daily, still impacting countless areas of our lives.

Like most people, I hope dearly that by this time next year, the pandemic will be over. The realist in me might not place any bets on that being the case, but my optimistic side holds onto hope with gusto.

Just as I hope mightily that at least some of the medical challenges I am currently experiencing personally will be less of an issue by this time next year. (Fingers firmly crossed!)

No matter what obstacles, curveballs, or stresses life throws my way, that fact autumn is now less than three months away injects some serious happiness into my days and makes getting through difficult times more tolerable.

Summer doesn’t too shabby a job of that either. From Canada Day on July 1st to my birthday later that month, Lammas in early August to simple everyday warm weather pleasure, this is a positive and life-affirming chapter of the year that gives many of us a lot to enjoy and feel grateful for.

So, my dear friends, let us tackle whatever summer may hold, make the most of these sizzling hot days, do our best to overcome difficult times, and know that, no matter what (north of the equator), summer always leads to fall’s return.

If that isn’t worth raising a glass of ice cold lemonade to, I don’t know what is!

Happy summer, everyone! May you have a safe, sunny, and seriously enjoyable season!

The post Spring 2021 Edition of Magick, Crafty Makes, and Me appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

While it originally held a somewhat different meaning, in more recent times, this poetic phrase often implies that those who tend to be calm and quiet on the surface may often have a lot going on privately in their hearts and minds, which they choose to keep to themselves or to speak up about quite selectively.

I believe that in many respects this expression can be applied in varying degrees to each of the categories of people that we are going to explore in this post.

Today we’re going to take a look at what it means to be an empath, a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), and/or an introvert.

The aim of this post is to be a primer and a reference point for future writings that I’ll be sharing here pertaining to these highly interesting and far-reaching topics.

It is also, and above all else, here to help, support and inform those who may be searching for information regarding empaths vs highly sensitive people vs introverts.

The word versus is used simply as a comparative term in this instance, not as one with any tangible sense of competitiveness, hostility or aggression – all things that a good many people who fall into the above mentioned three headers are often keen to avoid or limit!

But perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself there.

First, I’m going to share with you a little bit about my own relationship with each of these terms, then we’ll hop right into what an empath is, what an HSP is, and what an introvert is, as well as take a brief look at other somewhat similar ways of being, including shyness and social anxiety disorder.

Hi, I’m Autumn, an introverted HSP empath

If I had a crystal for every time I wished I’d been wearing a nametag or t-shirt that said that statement, you could probably see my house from the moon given how much sheen and sparkle those crystals would be giving off.

For the sake of brevity and to focus on the bigger picture at the heart of this post, I will not give you an extensive history of my life as it applies to these areas.

Instead, I’ll share a brief overview that I hope will allow you to get to know me better, as well as to understand why I’m in a natural position to discuss each of these three ways of being.

I was born, a stone’s throw away from Vancouver, Canada, on a sizzling hot evening in July 1984. This was my mother’s first labour. It was long, fraught with challenges, and incredibly difficult.

More than once, we both nearly perished before the night of what was surely one of the very longest days of my mom’s life finally culminated in my birth.

We made it through, a young mom and her tiny infant ready to face the world and all it had to offer us both in our new roles.

I have no way of proving, nor am I necessarily even implying, that the difficulty of my birth played into the fact that I am an introvert, an HSP, and am empath. I’m as certain, however, as I am of the colour of my eyes or of my dear mother’s name, that these traits were with me from birth – if not from the womb itself.

Some of my earliest memories are of realizing – or having it glaringly pointed out to me – that I was “very sensitive”.

That I felt and perceived the world, my own emotions and those of others extraordinarily deeply. That I was quiet, introspective, caring, focused, intellectually driven, passionate and compassionate alike.

And that confrontation (save for if I’m defending a person or cause I care deeply about; I reach new levels of Spartacus-ness in that case), hostility, anger, aggression, some types of competition, injustice, cruelty, disrespect, and being unkind were akin to bullets being fired at my soul.

Like many who are either introverts, HSPs, empaths or any combination of the three, I quickly realized that being sensitive, feeling deeply, and taking things to heart to such a degree was not what society often wanted, or even demanded at times, from me.

As quite a few others also have throughout history, I learned to adopt and mirror certain more extroverted and outgoing behaviours and mannerisms. Even if a leopard puts on a lion costume though, its spots still remain and my own natural inclinations had an endearing way of shining through a lot of the time.

I wish that I could say I grew up in an environment where I was appreciated for who (and how) I was as a highly sensitive, shy, introverted and empathic child, but such was not the case. For many years I felt like a fish out of water – always wondering how others around me seemed to breathe with such relative ease when I was silently suffocating a lot of the time.

Despite the challenges involved with being an introverted HSP empath, coupled with many other difficulties of my youth and the homelife it entailed, I was fortunate to realize early on that being the way I was, while difficult at times, was an incredible blessing as well.

Sure, classmates’ birthday parties, listening to my relatives’ screaming matches, or (some) group projects in school, for example, were extra tough. But at the same time, the fact that I could read and feel someone’s emotions within seconds of meeting them, pre-emptively know how to behave in response to how a person was acting, and that I had (have) the ability to see and delight in seemingly small everyday pleasures that may move me to tears or to create poetry or art was, and is, empowering.

As I got older, my voracious appetite for reading lead me to discover what each of the three terms – introvert (introversion), highly sensitive person, and empath – meant and to immediately recognize myself in each of them. (Nowadays, I keep an ever-expanding Pinterest board about being an empath, introvert, HSP, and INFJ, where I pin some of the most interesting and informative online content I encounter about these areas.)

There is great catharsis, support and liberation that comes from knowing that you are not alone. That there are others out there like you. That you’re not “odd” for being the quiet one or the thoughtful one or the one who lives in their head most of the time.

And that it is not only possible but highly beneficial to use these gifts – because I personally believe that is what each of the three traits we are exploring in this post are – to both our own advantage and that of others in our lives.

Hop ahead a good many years and I’m now a well adjusted, happily married woman in her mid-30s who continues to read, research and honour these important facets of who I am.

I tap into the power and beauty of these gifts on levels spanning pragmatic daily happenings to my spiritual journey as a Pagan witch.

Being an empathic HSP introvert isn’t the whole of who or what I am, of course, but each of these things is an integral neurodiverse pillar that helps to inform and shape innumerable aspects of my daily existence.

Before we go any further, I should note that I am not a psychologist, therapist, doctor, scientist, or other healthcare professional.

The information in this post – all of which is my own original writing – is informed by a combination of my own firsthand experiences and from credible sources, many of which were written by those who hold these sorts of academic and professional credentials.

In all cases, if you are struggling with any aspect of your health or well-being, whether it pertains to the areas discussed in this post or elsewhere, please seek professional assistance.

What is an introvert?

Of the three main terms at the heart of this post, the word, and associated concept, of what it means to be an introvert is likely the one that most people are familiar with these days.

Though, that said, greater awareness and understanding of all three are starting to take hold in mainstream society, thanks in part to some excellent books that have been published on each of them, the availability of resources on the internet, and more people openly discussing the fact that they are introverts/HSPs/empaths.

The groundwork for the concepts that we know today as introversion and extraversion (as well as ambiversion, which is a middle ground between these two) were laid down by none other than Carl Jung.

However, the actual act of being an introvert, ambivert or extrovert is now believed to be genetic and something that is with us from birth onward, as research is showing that introversion is influenced at least in part by how our brains process a naturally occurring chemical called dopamine.

Most introverts have a tendency to prefer situations that are quieter, less “in your face”, less confrontational, or more singularly (or small group) focused, which allow them to delve deep into their thoughts.

Whereas extroverts often thrive in social settings such as rambunctious team sports, lively parties, or the bar scene, introverts have a natural tendency to feel better, happier, and more like their true selves in quieter environments. As well as when they are able to rest and recharge their personal energy levels after being involved with many types of social settings or interactions with others.

It is important to note that, despite the persistent stereotype, many introverts are not anti-social or misanthropic. Like most people, introverts enjoy and even crave human relationships.

However, introverts generally prefer to have a smaller number of close, friendly, meaningful bonds with a select group of individuals, instead of being a social butterfly who knows everyone in town, but might not be able to tell you anything about most of those people beyond their first name.

Introverts tend to generate and maintain their own personal energy levels in large part through quiet, reflective personal time away from crowds, groups, loud noises, aggressive or hostile energy, and stimuli that they personally find draining or exhausting.

Most introverts thrive when they have ample opportunities to focus on solitary activities, be alone with their own thoughts, feelings and interests; and when they’re not constantly having to alter or mask their true introverted selves all the time in order to fit in/please others/hold down a job/etc..

It is presently believed that between about 25 – 40% of the population are introverts, which means that even if you’re not an introvert yourself, chances are you know multiple people who are.

As introversion, ambiversion, and extroversion are hardwired genetic personality traits, it is rare for someone who begins life as one of these types to switch from being, say, an extrovert to an introvert or an ambivert to an extrovert later in life.

In other words, if you were an introvert as a child, you are likely to be an introvert your whole life.

It is very important to note that while introverts, ambiverts and extroverts all have natural strengths and weaknesses, being one of these three is not better than the others.

They are simply different – much like how having brown eyes isn’t inherently better than having green, blue or grey eyes. Your eye colour and whether you’re an introvert, ambivert or extrovert are simply two ingrained aspects of who you are.

If you or someone you love is an introvert, you are apt to find that several of the following points apply:

-Many introverts tend to listen more than they talk, though some may love to speak at length on topics that they’re passionate about or which excite them. Likewise, introverts are often told by others that they are great listeners.

-You have a natural tendency to be analytical, to think deeply, and to enjoy and derive a lot of positive benefits from your own thoughts, as well as from ideas and knowledge in general.

-Introverts focus a good deal on moods and feelings, and are often comfortable with being highly self-analytical.

-You enjoy learning by watching or teaching yourself how to do something, and may be hesitate to try a new activity/skill/experience (especially publicly) before you have a solid grasp of the concept at hand.

-Unlike extroverts, you do not generally get most of your personal energy from being around others. Quite the opposite, social settings can be highly draining for you (even if they’re enjoyable or pleasant experiences). You tend to derive your personal energy primarily from within yourself and require adequate amounts of quiet, peaceful downtime to recharge your energy levels.

-Introverts generally prefer one-on-one or small group interactions to big groups, crowds, teams, parties and so forth.

-You are naturally inclined towards jobs, hobbies and activities that allow you to operate/work solo or with as much personal independence as possible either some or all of the time.

There are many different careers where this can apply. The following are just some of the many possible jobs for introverts.

Writing, the arts, music, cooking, counselling, accounting, working with computers (programmers, graphic designs, data scientists, technical writers, etc), photographers, laboratory research (and many branches of science in general), forest or park rangers, landscapers, floral designers, librarians, genealogists, paralegals, radiologists, truck drivers, mail carriers, social media managers, pet walkers and sitters, mechanics, and various self-employed jobs that can be done independently or with small numbers of staff.

-You may find certain social settings – including public speaking – more stressful, anxiety inducing, difficult to handle, or uncomfortable than ambiverts and, especially, extroverts, who often thrive in such situations.

-It can be hard for you to focus on, let alone do your best work or thinking, in environments with too much noise, too many interrupts, or too great a degree of stimulation from the space you’re in and the people you may be sharing it with.

-You are highly self-aware and often have a clear sense of who you are and what you want/need in life.

-You enjoy, crave, and need solitude, and by extension, often love being by yourself.

-People sometimes characterise you as being shy (whether you actually are or not), aloof, reserved, private or even distant.

-You do not feel the need to go out or socialize as often as your more extroverted friends, coworkers and family members.

-You love to throw yourself into an in-depth project and can happily devote large amounts of time, be it continuous or in spurts, to said project. Completing it brings you great personal satisfaction, sometimes regardless of if others see, praise, or acknowledge your efforts.

–Small talk can feel tedious or even needless, or you may prefer to conclude your interaction with someone by engaging in a little bit of small talk, following a more in-depth, intimate or cerebral discussion.

-You may find things such as loud noises, situations where aggression is naturally involved (e.g., some types of sports), violence, seeing other people or animals in need or discomfort, or being unduly pressured to be highly stressful and counterproductive to your natural ways of operating.

-You love it when people allow you time to finish what you’re saying, pay attention to your words, value your impute, and don’t rush you when you’re speaking.

-Being the star of the show, life of the party, or most popular person in a group setting may not matter much, if at all, to you.

-You love to read, create, and focus on passions that allow you to be alone.

-You have a deep, nuanced, and fascinating inner life.

Again, this is not an exhaustive list and there are certainly other traits that are associated with introverts as well.

In addition, it is important to remember that extremely few of us are so far down the spectrum of introversion or extroversion that we do not sometimes possess, embody, or adopt characteristics of the other – be it naturally, subconsciously or consciously.

While it is relatively common for introverts to also be highly sensitive people and/or empaths, not all introverts are one or either of these things.

How are being shy and being introverted different?

One of the most common misconceptions about introverts is that they are all very shy individuals – or that the words shy and introverted are synonymous with one another.

It is easy to understand where this mindset comes from. Both shy people and introverts tend to prefer small groups to large crowds, need plenty of alone time to recharge, and may have rich inner and personal lives that they try to focus on as often as possible.

However, shyness is not an inherent trait of introverts. Anyone can be shy. As at odd as seeing these two words together may seem at first glance, there are in fact some shy extroverts out there.

Again though, shyness is not implicitly or inherently tied to introversion, ambiversion or extroversion.

Shyness – which often presents itself very early in life, though can develop at any age, particularly in the wake of certain types of traumas – is a fear or extreme sense of uncomfortableness around people and/or social situations.

Whereas introverts may simply prefer to spend less time (as a general rule) than ambiverts and extroverts in the company of others, an actual intense fear or serious physical and/or mental discomfort stemming from being around people is not typically included in the definition of what being an introvert entails.

It is, however, there in the definition of shyness, which also encompasses such things as a fear of being socially judged and a deeply seated fear of confrontation.

As someone who is both shy and introverted, I can attest firsthand to the fact that not all introverts are shy by any means. I have known plenty of fellow introverts who were also shy, but I’ve also been around scores of introverts who seemed positively gregarious and outgoing compared to their shy introvert peers.

What is social anxiety disorder?

Much like introversion is not the same as shyness, nor is it is identical to having a social anxiety disorder. Though, again, it is certainly possible to be shy and/or introverted and to also have social anxiety disorder.

This mental health condition is defined as a persistent, intense fear of being watched, judged or confronted by others. Immense stress and/or anxiety arises – or existing levels are intensified – in social anxiety suffers when they think about, or find themselves actually in, social situations.

People with social anxiety disorder will often try to actively avoid situations such as being in groups, making eye contact, engaging in small talk with strangers or people they barely know, talking on the phone, entering rooms or public places where others are present by themselves, public speaking, and eating in front of others. As well, they may experience anxiety or panic attacks in certain social situations.

This condition can leave those impacted by social anxiety disorder unable to function properly or to the degree they may ideally wish to in social settings. And it often has far ranging, serious impacts on one’s daily life, personal relationships, and career.

This may stem in part or in full from the fact that for many, social anxiety presents itself not “just” on a mental and emotional level, but on a physical one as well.

Those who experience social anxiety may find that “trigger” situations can cause such physical symptoms as muscle tension, tinging/burning sensations in the extremities, rapid heartbeat, feeling like your mind has gone blank and/or you struggle to make words come out of your mouth, sweating, light-headedness, dry mouth, feeling out of breath, gastrointestinal issues (including things like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea), a heightened internal fight or flight response, blushing, shaking or trembling, the sudden need to urinate, hot flashes, headaches or migraines that come on rapidly, and hives.

Unlike the other character descriptors in this post, social anxiety disorder is classified as a medical condition. It is a form of social phobia for which suffers may need to seek professional help.

And again, it is important to note that social anxiety differs from introversion, shyness, being an HSP or an empath.

Confession time…

For a solid chunk of my life, I thought that I was just an extremely shy, introverted HSP empath and brushed some of my most severe aversions to public settings or experiences off as a result of being very shy and introverted.

However, as my twenties progressed and I began to research and talk more with medical professionals about the topic of social anxiety disorder, I came to realize that it was something I’d been battling my entire life.

There have been times when it was more prevalent/stronger for me than others, but at the end of the day, now in my mid-30s, I now have no qualms publicly admitting that social anxiety disorder is a very real part of my life. It is one that I consciously work on coping with, managing, and not allowing to hold as much sway over my existence as it once did.

If you also suspect or know that you have social anxiety disorder, please know that you are not alone and that the stigma around this mental health condition needs to go the way of the dinosaur, pronto!

I promise you that you are not alone, that your feelings and experiences are valid and real, and that there are various methods and strategies you employ to help you manage your social anxiety.

What is a highly sensitive person?

It is a sad truth that being told you’re “highly sensitive” is sometimes done in a judgemental, critical, harsh, or even pejorative manner. 

While extreme sensitivity to the point where it interferes with almost every aspect of one’s life is not ideal, few amongst us are that sensitive, even within the realm of HSPs.

Highly sensitive people (commonly known as HSPs) are individuals with a powerful need for alone time, a low threshold for stimulation, sensitivities to things such as light and sound, who have a harder time than many unwinding and quieting their minds, who feel emotions extremely deeply, who may go to great lengths to avoid or minimize confrontation and being in aggressive situations, who love peaceful setting, often adore nature, and who may really struggle to watch or be around violence, aggression, abuse and mistreatment of others or themselves.

It is thought that as much as 20% of the population may be highly sensitive (and that of that percentage, an estimated 30% of HSPs are extroverts and about 70% are introverts; I could find little in the way of research that explored how ambiverts would fit into that equation, though of course there are ambivert HSPs as well).

This trait is often present from birth. Heartbreakingly, it is often misunderstood, mishandled, or ignored completely by some or all of the adults in a child’s life, who may be unaware that being an HSPs is a thing, so to speak, and thus may not know how best to parent, teach, or otherwise nurture and support highly sensitive children.

HSP kids who did not receive support and understanding as youngsters may have a more difficult time adapting to adult life and the pressures, demands, responsibilities and social constraints involved with being a grownup in a world that often anything but HSP-friendly.

While some might view the concept of being an empath with greater skepticism than the more scientifically and clinically established traits of introversion and HSPism, I would argue that of the three, being an HSP may, in some respects, be the most understood at present.

The following are some of the characteristics that are commonly seen amongst highly sensitive people of all ages. Again, this is not an exhaustive list, nor does one need to embody all of the following characteristics to be an HSP.

-As a child you were extremely sensitive. You may have been prone to crying or having your feelings hurt or upset more easily than many of your peers or young family members.

Adults may have (unkindly!) told you things such as “don’t be so sensitive”, “grow a thicker skin, why don’t you!”, “it’s not a big deal, just get over it”, “you don’t see Johnny/Jenny crying about this do you?”, “only babies cry”, “no one like a crier”, “stop being a wussy”, “no one is that sensitive about X”, “get over it already”, or worse!

Your peers, and possibly even teachers, may have singled you out/bullied or harassed you for being highly sensitive, and you may have struggled to relate to other children (or people in general) because of how far removed their own levels of being sensitive were from your own heightened sensitivity.

-You have a tendency to be extremely self-critical and may replay events, conversations, and even personal thoughts that happened in the past over and over again in your mind, especially if you perceive them as having gone in a less than ideal or desired way.

–You’re naturally prone to feeling overwhelmed, over-stimulated, drained, exhausted, stressed, or anxious, especially in situations that many others appear to handle with relative ease.

-HSPs have a wonderful ability to naturally pick up on behavioural cues, body language, facial expressions and to interpret and respond accordingly to these things.

-You may battle with issues pertaining to self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth.

-You thrive when you are in nurturing, gentle, quiet, and harmonious environments inhabited by friendly people that you get along well with.

–You may feel (or have felt) guilty, ashamed, embarrassed by or otherwise negatively at times about being highly sensitive.

-You find yourself apologizing for things that others do not say they’re sorry for, including times when an apology is not needed or may even be a bit out of place.

-The intensity and range of your emotions is generally higher/more extreme than other peoples.

-You may have a strong drive and desire to be a people pleaser (which often begins subconsciously early in life for HSPs) as a means to try to avoid or minimalize situations that would cause confrontation, being on the receiving end of anger or hostility, or which would make the other person upset at you.

-Feeling overwhelmed, flustered, or anxious is something you experience in various aspects of your life and may manifest itself in various physical, mental and emotion ways.

-You have a natural propensity to be intuitive or in tune with your inner voice, and will generally listen to what it is telling you to do or to avoid doing.

-HSPs often like to have as much information as possible before making a decisions, acting on something, speaking up, or presenting their point of view.

-Downtime and the ability to quietly, peacefully recharge and be alone with your thoughts and feelings is critical to your well-being.

-While both of these things can be experienced by non-HSPs too, of course, you may be prone to various forms of clinically diagnosable anxiety and/or depression.

–You carry intense and often far-reaching negative impacts of traumatic events, a difficult childhood, emotionally painful experiences or other situations that sent your emotions into a personal sense of overdrive.

-HSPs may experience gaslighting (when someone else either unintentionally or intentionally causes you to question or doubt your own sanity and/or known reality) from others who do not understand or believe that you are able to experience and feel things as deeply/powerfully as you actually do.

Gaslighting is awful and can happen to anyone, but those who are highly sensitive/empathic may be at especially high risk of experience it.

-Seemingly minor remarks, interactions, or criticisms that many people would brush off or quickly bounce back from can throw you greatly off track and potentially ruin or substantially disrupt your day/week/longer.

-You may struggle with saying no to people, setting important personal boundaries, and/or doing things that you know in advance may end up causing any form of discomfort/hurt/stress for others.

-HSPs have a tendency to be easily and intensely impacted, and usually not for the better, by a wide range of stimuli, such as crowded spaces, strong smells and tastes, loud noises and voices, loud music, flashing or strobing lights, sirens and alarms, people yelling (even if it is not directed at the HSP themselves), various textures and types of fabric and other materials, and even certain foods and medications.

-Being an HSP has made it harder at times for you to forge and maintain close personal relationships, including those with romantic partners.

In romantic relationships in particular, you absolutely need someone who is patient, understanding, and at least somewhat sensitive themselves so that you feel safe, comfortable and secure to let your true HSP self shine through in your interactions with that person.

-You may find that being online, especially on social media, is overstimulating, highly anxiety inducing, and something you may describe as a “double-edged sword” type of situation for you. You might enjoy and benefit from it at times, but it can also being highly challenging to deal with or to know when to step back from for a while.

-You internalize an incredible amount of what you experience and have a strong tendency to rarely forget events, people and experiences that caused you pain, fear, stress, anxiety, or other negative emotions.

-It may take you a while to warm up to and/or trust someone, and you have a tendency to be quite private, especially when it comes to your emotions, fears and concerns in life.

-HSPs may, sometimes, take longer than their peer groups to reach certain milestones or to achieve things that society expects them to do by a certain age. (I have a theory that, conversely, some HSPs also feel drawn to accomplishing certain milestones earlier than most people, however, because they want to try and relieve themselves of the inherent societal pressure and stress of the decision making process involved with major milestone events such as getting married, throwing themselves into their career choice, or having children.)

-You may have a strong tendency to put the needs, wants and well-being of others above your own, and as a result, might experience resentment, guilt or other negatives (including potential health issues) from not making your own self-care a priority.

-Being creative and artsy may come naturally to you and/or you may feel a strong connection with others, both living and deceased who are, or were, highly creative individuals.

–You have a powerful moral compass, sense of what is right and wrong, and desire to be as truthful as possible in all areas of your life. This often serves you well and people may acknowledge and praise you for being such a stand-up, honest and caring individual.

-You care deeply about the well-being and happiness of others, and may be drawn to careers, volunteer positions or other circumstances, such as activism, that allow you to help, support, and nurture people, animals, nature, and important causes.

–HSPs often have an immense love for nature, animals, and being outdoors, and may feel a powerful spiritual connection to these things.

-Though little in the way of clinical research has been done as of yet on this subject, I strongly suspect that HSPs may be more prone to PTSD, including Complex PTSD.

If you believe you are an HSPs with PTSD, I recommend reading this article called 7 Strategies for Highly Sensitive People to Heal Trauma and PTSD by world-leading expert and author on the subject of HSPism, Judith Orloff, MD.

-Events or experiences that you enjoy or may want to have happen can still cause you stress, anxiety, intense emotions, exhaustion, and/or feelings of being overwhelmed or incredibly worn out (and you may have naturally realized that you’ll need time and space to process these feelings so as to get the most out of a given positive experience that you realistically can).

It is important to remember that Sensory Processing Sensitivity (aka, HSP) is not a medical condition or disorder. It is a neutral trait that has been observed and well documented in both humans and a wide range of different animals as well.

Research has shown that who are highly sensitive have more activity in a part of the brain called the insula, which means that these individuals have a greater ability to perceive their environments and to be more self-aware.

There are evolutionary pros and advantages to being highly sensitive, and those who are HSPs can – and should – try to embrace and find joy (or at least some measure of positivity) in being fortunate to feel and experience their own life and the world at large so intensely.

What is an empath?

While I could wax poetically and passionately about all three of the character types discussed in this post, it is the act of being an empath that sets my inner Wordsworth, Rosetti, or Longfellow most alight as a general rule.

Much as I would love to do just that, right here and now, we’ll get down to brass tacks and explore what being an empath means in more pragmatic, less poetic terms.

An empath is someone who perceives and feels not only their own emotions, energy, body language and facial expressions profoundly deeply, but who quite literally feels those of others as well.

It is like we’re magnets that attract every (or at least most) emotion(s) in a room or other space to us, whether we want that to happen or not

We feel the energy that others radiate and which is inherent to a degree in everything on earth extremely powerfully (this energy is sometimes called shakti in parts of Asia), and have the ability to pick up and absorb energy and emotions for people, animals, environments and even inanimate objects.

This energy and those feelings are then experienced in much the same way as those generated within ourselves by our own bodies, thought processes, memories and emotions.

Not only are we magnets, but we’re sponges, and can often absorb the feelings and emotions of others, sometimes to the detriment of ourselves (and as such, we can easily find ourselves as unwitting victims for energy vampires).

Many empaths are highly spiritual individuals who feel an incredible connection to humanity, the universe, nature, animals, and, in some cases, to those on the other side of the veil as well.

Whereas both introverts and, especially highly sensitive people, often experience their own emotions very deeply and may be compassionate and prone to being empathic towards others, it is generally only empaths who literally feel and internalize the energy and emotions of others throughout their whole lives.

While there can be a wealth of beautiful, important and highly meaningful elements involved with feeling and absorbing other peoples’ emotions and energy, as you might imagine, this can also be draining and challenging to navigate at times.

As such, it is crucial that empaths learn, develop and implement efficient shielding, releasing, grounding, coping, self-care, recharging, and healing techniques that work for them. (Trust me when I say that I understand firsthand that this can be easier said than done. It is possible though, especially with some trial end error, and a whole lot of being kind to yourself.)

I think that – at least once they’ve become familiar with the term empath and what it means – many people clearly know that they are in fact empaths.

However, it is always helpful to have a list of ways to know if you are an empath (or if someone in your life is an empath).

Just as with the previous introvert and HSP lists, this is not an all-encompassing possible list of empathic traits, but rather a selection of relatively common characteristics that help to define what it means to be an empath.

-Empaths are generally excellent, patient and compassionate listeners.

-People, even complete strangers open up to you immediately or extremely quickly. Some may even pour out their life stories upon your first meeting.

–Empaths are prone to feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated in busy, crowded, noisy, chaotic, or highly disruptive settings, as they (we) have extremely sensitive nervous systems.

-You often feel, absorb, internalize, and must process/deal with other peoples’ (and/or animals) emotions as though they were your own.

-You have a strong tendency to put the needs, emotional well-being and happiness levels of others above your own.

-As an empath, you may have an extremely strong aversion to violence, cruelty, injustice, and witnessing or knowing others, including animals and the planet itself, are in pain or suffering.

–People tell you that they feel like they’ve known you forever, even though you’ve only been acquainted for a short amount of time.

-Empaths feel their own emotions extremely deeply and may struggle to keep those feelings under wraps at times.

Conversely, some empaths let almost nothing out and may seem, at first glance, to be aloof, shy, or even unfriendly, when in truth, they are most likely very friendly, warm and loving people who have simply learned to guard and be very careful with who they open up in any sort of personal or vulnerable way.

-Empaths are prone to deep levels of stress and anxiety, and may also experience depression. (Though, of course, these things can be experienced by non-empaths as well.)

-You may have an almost photographic memory when it comes to times that you experienced strong emotional reactions, were hurt by others, felt highly self-conscious, or were especially sad.

–Empaths tend to have strong personal energy fields, but find that they’re easily and quickly drained or depleted by the interactions they have with other people – especially those who are struggling, emotionally needy or dependant, or with energy vampires.

-You adore nature and find it to be soothing, grounding, comforting, and somewhere that you generally feel safe and happy. Empaths often also find that being in nature greatly helps them to recharge, heal and restore their personal energy levels.

-It is not uncommon for empaths to feel as though they don’t entirely fit in, belong, or that they have much in common with most people in their life.

It may seem a touch ironic, given how much we absorb and feel other peoples’ emotions and moods, but sometimes it can be difficult for empaths to fully relate to others – especially those whose behaviours, actions, words and deeds differ greatly from our own instinctually sensitive and caring ones.

–Identifying as being an old soul is a common trait amounts empaths.

-Empaths are often extra sensitive to things like noises, scents, tactile sensations, tastes, and bright/harsh or otherwise intense lighting.

-Like the word “empath” implies, you have an incredible amount of empathy and compassion. Caring, supporting, looking out for, championing on behalf of, tending to the needs of, and providing assistance in many different forms comes naturally to you.

-Your intuition is almost at superhero level and you’ve long learned to heed what it tells you to do or to avoid.

–Empaths will often bend over backwards to avoid conflict. As your own emotions are highly sensitive and continually vibrating at an elevated level, this aversion stems in part from the desire for self-preservation and pain avoidance, as well as from not generally wanting to hurt or upset other people with your words or actions.

-You have the ability to read the energy of a room like no one’s business. Ditto for reading people and getting a very decent sense of who they are and what they’re about right off the bat.

-Some, though not all, empaths may find that they sleep better if they’re alone or in a bed of their own, as they need the downtime of sleep to unwind, relax, recharge and experience some physical distance between, quite literally, anything else they can absorb feelings/pain/trauma/stress/etc from.

-The ability to feel what others are feeling and experiencing doesn’t stop “just” at emotions for some empaths, who may also quite feel actual physical and mental pain, trauma, suffering and injury that another person is going through or has previously endured.

-It can be quite difficult for someone to BS an empath, if we’re being totally frank. We can often spot dishonest, manipulative, overly needy, dangerous or frightening people – and liars – a mile away and know that it’s usually best to turn and run at least two miles in the other direction (or at least to limit our interactions with these individuals).

-Even if you wanted to, it can be extremely hard for you to not care and feel for others – particularly if you’ve absorbed their emotions and are now processing them internally yourself. While this is sweet and wonderful in some respects, it can easily lead to becoming burned out, compassion fatigue, and the potential for both mental and physical health challenges.

-You may experience times, both in public and in private, when you’re around at least one other person and find that you suddenly have extremely strong emotions that seem to have come out of thin air (in reality, you’re absorbing and downloading, so to speak, the emotional energy of others around you).

-Empaths are often drawn to careers and other roles, including volunteerism, that allow them to provide care, support, and guidance to others.

-You may find that some people do not get you (or even like you for that matter) and that as a result, you may go out of your way to explain yourself, your thoughts or your feelings in great detail to others in the hopes of being understood.

-It is not uncommon for empaths to be highly in tune with paranormal activity, to feel/see/otherwise sense spirits or residual energy bodies, and, in some cases, to have those on the other side of the veil intentionally seek these comforting living beings out.

-While this is not always the case, many empaths find that – whether they are parents themselves or not -they adore children and have a profound desire to ensure the wellbeing, safety, emotional support, and healthy upbringing of our youngest generation.

Likewise, children (much like animals) often instinctually flock to empaths, feel very comfortable in the presence of empaths, and may able to talk to and confide in empaths more than most other people in their lives.

-You have a natural propensity for learning, trying new things, creating, and delving deep into thoughts and topics that spark a certain something-something in deep within your core.

-There are certain environments, be they natural or manmade that elicit extremely strong emotional, physical, and/or spiritual responses inside of you. This could be anything from the beach to the top of the Empire State Building, the forest to a graveyard, just depending on the person.

-Many (if not most) empaths have a strong lifelong connection to, and love of, animals and may find that they need to have pets or animals around them as often as possible. In general, animal welfare, animal rights, looking after animals, and being in the presence of animals aligns with the soul of an empath.

And by the same token, a lot of empaths find that animals are naturally drawn to them and that they may be the type of person that a dog or cat, for example, that is scared or hostile towards most people will warm up to and feel safe around quite quickly.

-Some empaths are prone to getting sick and experiencing longer-term (chronic) illnesses more often than other people. This may stem from the impact that heightened emotions responses, stress, and anxiety have on the immune system.

-As an empath, you tend to have a naturally soothing, calming and comforting energy and nature to you that helps to quickly put people at ease (this is part of the reason why strangers may open up to you right off the bat).

This sometimes means that, in group settings or even in one-on-one relationships, empaths naturally emerge as a strong, caring leader or someone that many others turn to for advice, leadership, help, and guidance.

-You have amassed, often without seeking them out in the first place, a large inventory, so to speak, of other peoples’ deepest secrets, darkest and rawest emotions, and other private experiences that have been shared with you throughout your lifetime.

The weight and responsibility of carrying all of these intense, highly emotionally charged stories can be, understandably, difficult and draining on empaths at times. Yet most of us compassionately and stoically shoulder this responsibility and will take these private conversations to the grave with us.

–You are highly spiritually attuned and feel a deep, incredible connection to the universe, earth and the ecosystem of life on this planet.

Again, while this list of empath traits is somewhat extensive, it does not cover all the possible characteristics, aspects and realities of what being an empath means for all empaths the world over.

Many HSPs are empaths, though not every highly sensitive person is also an empath, and likewise, not every introvert is an empath.

There are ambivert empaths and extrovert empaths as well, and those that I’ve had the pleasure of knowing have often been extremely creative, sensitive, caring souls who all but radiated a loving light straight from their hearts (as most empaths do, I should add).

Some sources estimate that about 5% of the population are empaths. And, interestingly, a person can be one or more different type(s) of empath (i.g., an animal empath or claircognizant empath).

What is the opposite of an empath?

If we look at the spectrum of human empathy as a straight line, being an empath is on one extreme end, and on the other we would encounter those who are lacking either entirely or largely in empathy.

This would generally mean that they had what is sometimes called an empath-deficient disorder, a broad category that encompasses such people as narcissists, sociopaths, and psychopaths.

In between the two ends of this line, we find those with average/slightly lower and higher than average levels of normal human empathy, then comes HSPs, and finally Empaths (though one could argue that HSP empaths would be even further down the line).

Not everyone is an HSP or empath, of course, though most people have varying degrees of empathy, compassion, understanding, and the capacity to feel and care deeply.

Thankfully those who are empath-deficient do not comprise an overly large percentage of the population. Though the impacts, and sometimes damage, that they can have on both individuals, and in some instances, large populations (for example, think of a narcissistic or sociopathic dictator or warlord), can be profound and far-reaching.

While it might seem like those on each end of the empathic spectrum would be akin to water and oil, fascinatingly, at times they may in fact be drawn to one another.

The innately caring, compassionate and nurturing nature of HSPs and empaths can lead them to want to try and help narcissists (and some may even be attracted to the sense of boldness, bravado or confidence that some narcissists, and sociopaths, for that matter, can exude at times; traits that may be all the more alluring to those for whom such ways of acting do not come easily or naturally).

Unfortunately, narcissists and sociopaths are often master manipulators and may try to take advantage of the kindness of HSPs and empaths (and introverts, too, for that matter – though it is technically possible to be an introvert narcissist, introvert sociopath or even an introvert psychopath), use them as individuals that they control and dominate, and sometimes as marks, if they are also criminals/con artists.

These kinds of situations and relationships are complex and can be difficult to avoid. They are something that HSPs, empaths and kind, sensitive and caring people in general need to mindfully keep their wits about them and their guard up – especially if one is currently in the dating pool.

Beware of fake empaths

Strange as this may sound, some people claim to be empaths when they or not. This may be an innocent mistake. Someone might be an HSP and/or introvert and inadvertently think that being one or both of those things makes them an empath automatically (this is not the case).

For others, especially in certain spiritual circles, the word “empath” may be seen as holding a level of cachet, sense of entitlement, or that it makes them more spiritual/witchy/attuned with the universe than others who are not empaths.

At present, there is no hard and fast universal test or way to know for sure if someone is an empath. This is generally a self-determined trait that is present from birth (or very early on in life) and which it is up to each individual to determine if they possess or not, based on how many widely established empathic criteria apply to them personally.

Occasionally, people who proport to be empaths, but who are not actually real empaths, may do so for monetary, powerplay or manipulative reasons. Thankfully this is not overly common and isn’t something most of us have to worry about as a general rule.

All this said, it merits remembering that empaths – much like HSPs and introverts – do not need to prove that they possess these kinds of traits to anyone. And that questioning someone on such a personal aspect of who they are can be insulting, painful and disrespectful.

It is usually best to take someone at face value when they describe themselves as anything, use common sense and good judgement, and don’t let anyone lord traits such as being (or claiming to be) an HSP or empath over you.

Introverts, HSPs and empaths: similar, but not always identical

As we’ve seen in this post, the three different character traits of being an introvert, highly sensitive person or empath share various points in common.

For example, all three tend to need downtime to decompress, recharge, and (especially with empaths) ground and center themselves.

All three are generally highly intuitive, enjoy deep thought, feel their feelings intensely, and have a natural compassion towards others.

However, as we’ve also discussed in this post, there are some subtle and not so subtle differences between the three groups, and it is entirely possible for a person to be one, but not the other two.

Two, but not the third, or all three.

Just as you can be any combination of the trio and also by shy and/or experience social anxiety disorder or a wide range of other mental health challenges, such as generalized anxiety, depression or PTSD.

If you identify as an introvert, a highly sensitive person, and/or am empath, it is beneficial to research these traits, understand and be open with yourself about how they come into play in your daily life and spiritual journey, as well as how they may impact your relationships with other people.

It is important to remember that being any or all of these three things does not give you cause to brag or flex. Though each is special, wonderful and highly meaningful, you are not automatically better or more evolved as a person because you’re an introvert, empath or HSP.

That said, these are pretty wonderful things to be – just as being an ambivert or extrovert is great as well (let’s face it, who amongst us introverts hasn’t wondered what it would be like to walk a mile in an outcoming, party-loving extrovert’s shoes at least once?).

These ingrained aspects of our mental, genetic, and emotional makeup are with us throughout our whole lives and deserve to be honoured and celebrated.

We will be doing more of that here in various future posts, which at will continue to explore the areas of being an empath, being an HSP, and the introversion – extroversion spectrum (including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, often colloquially called the Myers-Briggs Personality Test or simply the Myers-Briggs Test).

I sincerely hope that this detailed overview was beneficial to you, and welcome your suggestions for additional posts on subjects pertaining to being an empath, HSP, or introvert.

The post Empaths, Highly Sensitive People, and Introverts: Who Are They and How Do They Differ From Each Other? appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.