Your Differences Are Your Greatest Gift

Since childhood, I’ve been drawn to people that need a little extra encouragement and love, even if they may not be “deserving” of it. I tend to see the best in people who may not be the best people.

At times, this caused me heartache. Many days I prayed I could turn it off. For years I built walls around my heart because it was too much to handle.

There was a time I thought this was something to overcome. I constantly asked myself questions like, Why can’t I have better judgment? Why do I empathize and feel others’ pain as if it were my own?

I seriously saw this as a curse. I thought something in my brain just wasn’t wired the right way.

Now I’ve come to realize the heart I have and the way I empathize is a beautiful blessing, and it’s a gift I get to share with the world.

As an empath, there are times I feel someone’s pain from across the room. I used to avoid crowds because they were overwhelming.

These situations used to be uncomfortable and even painful; now I’m learning to welcome them with open arms. I’m learning to open my heart and share my light.

I’ve learned that although I may feel pain more deeply than others, I also get to experience joy more deeply. I’ve found strength and courage in allowing both into my heart.

At the end of the day, it’s all about connection. People desperately want to be seen — to be understood.

Some connections are brief, while others are deep and meaningful. All have their own unique beauty if we can just see past ourselves to experience them.

My hope is that you’ll stop seeing your differences as something to overcome and instead find a way to embrace them.

What I once thought was a curse has become my greatest gift.

As we learn to embrace the parts of us that don’t fit into society’s “box,” we step into out authenticity and purpose, in turn giving others a chance to do the same.