The following article is an adapted excerpt from Kristen Schwartz’s book, The Healed Empath.

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To be in our power means we are in alignment, that the focus of everything we do is on the same goal-line serving a similar purpose. What is your highest intention? Do you sense your greater purpose?

I want to feel my power by remembering and experiencing the highest truth in every moment, meaning, amid diversity and calm; I want to realize my capacity as a spiritual being in human form. I want my inner wisdom to drown out the fear around me and lead me to embody and feel the energy of love within me. I want to feel my potential.

But, unfortunately, because empaths can sense and feel others’ suffering, many of us can believe it is our responsibility to carry and soothe the world’s weight. But the weight is not ours to bear; it never was.

As sensitive souls, we are not here to save the world. Instead, the impact we can make rests solely on our ability to show up as our whole authentic selves, modeling what it looks like to take 100 percent responsibility for our well-being.

By embracing our empathic needs, prioritizing self-care, and healing, we automatically step towards our full potential, which naturally supports others in stepping into their power.

The journey of an empath stepping into their power is not about what they can do and be for others but how well they turn their gifts toward themselves and radiate their light. By focusing on caring for themselves, they personify the energy of healing and love; and with a soul untethered by fear, they can change the energy in any room just by being themselves. So I invite you to join me; we are on this journey together. Where you are on the path is irrelevant, but your willingness to take the initial step and keep moving is essential.

Survival is where we start. It is the place where we struggle to get through the day. We beg and plead for the energy around us to change and the people around us to change. Survival is where my mental and physical health crashed, including my adrenals. We do not have the knowledge or tools to understand or care for our sensitive nature. We highly depend on survival mechanisms and distractions to get us through the day. We suffer a lot in survival, and many of us settle upon the false belief that we are fundamentally flawed.

Next is the crossroad. As I entered this phase, I hit a wall. I remember thinking to myself, “If something doesn’t drastically change, I won’t survive.” This was the start of a dramatic shift. The crossroad can look and feel differently for everyone, and it does not always come with a sense of relief. But in the foundation of this crossroad is an intuitive glimmer of hope. You do not know how it will happen, and overcoming the feelings of despair will be a challenge, but deep inside you, you sense a grander plan for yourself. We begin to look in various places for answers. Our inner rebel emerges, and we start questioning what people throughout our lives told us to believe.

Then comes accountability. Accountability is a stage many of us resist. To embrace responsibility means we have healed enough to step away from victimhood and reach a level of acceptance, putting us in charge of our energy and experiences. Please hear me when I say that we are not responsible for the initial events that traumatize us, but we hold power over whether past events continue to hurt us. Accountability also means seeing how our pain manifests into behaviors that hurt others, which can be challenging for a sensitive soul to navigate.

Seeking support is an excellent option during this time. In this portion of the journey, we begin to feel encouraged and committed to our self-care. We start to experiment with boundaries, journaling, nature, grounding, reading all that we can about energy and identifying our unique needs. During this phase, you may notice that those around you are growing more uncomfortable while you are becoming more comfortable. When we prioritize ourselves, it disrupts relationships that benefit from us prioritizing their well-being over ours.

Remind yourself that you are safe and loved and that through caring for yourself first, we pave the way for others to do the same. This is when we begin valuing, protecting, and nourishing our energy. This is the stage where we start to turn inward for answers instead of pointing our fingers outward.

Finally, there’s stepping into our power. When we step into our strength, our self-care has become non-negotiable. It is as habitual as brushing our teeth. We fully embrace ourselves as a highly sensitive, empathic, unique, feeling soul and no longer subscribe to living like the rest of the world. We know how long we can attend a party without feeling drained, we understand the effect on our energy when certain people visit, and we act before, during, and after to tend to ourselves without guilt. We accept ourselves, honor our needs, and stand up for ourselves. Like life, this stage is not without darkness. But now, instead of feeling swallowed by the dark, you use it as a guide for more profound healing. Instead of hiding, you double down on self-care and ride the wave of growth. By staying centered and grounded, you begin removing your obstacles and freely sharing your gifts to benefit others worldwide.

Sensitive Soul, you are a vital piece of the puzzle. You are filled with the secrets of the universe.

You are aware of more than is seen, and at times your voice seems lost.

But on the surface, you have the power to change it all.

You are unique, but you are free.

You are sensitive, but you are powerful.

You feel immense pain, but you feel overwhelming joy.

Show them how to live in the now.

Demonstrate what it means to move energy with stillness.

Show them how to live in the light with the presence of darkness.

Your essence is LOVE. Embrace that.

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