Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, many of us are focusing on the December holidays - and that can mean large groups of people at holiday parties (I hope they come back!) or holiday shopping. 

It can be energizing but it can also be stressful.

Sometimes I would get killer headaches or feel sick to my stomach, or both when I was at big holiday events. Other times I would have an unexplainable anxiety. 

Avoiding big gatherings, malls and large crowds became the norm because I didn't feel good. It wasn't every time, but I didn't understand why sometimes I felt fine and other times I didn't. 

When I began to study Reiki, I learned why - and more importantly - I learned what to do about it!

I can't wait to share this with you because this can really help 

It's common to feel stress around large groups, big emotions, crowds or busy places.

But if you feel symptoms like anxiety or unexplainable physical symptoms that go away as soon as you get home or by yourself, you might be empathic or highly sensitive. That's the key - if the symptoms disappear as the situation changes there is more going on.

What does it mean to be empathic or highly sensitive? 

 It varies.

For example, I’m not only aware of what people feel - I *feel* it.

All of us have this ability to a degree, right? I mean, you know how you get teary when your friend is sad? 

For other people being highly sensitive or empathic might meant you have a knowing about how people feel. This can be why you go to great lengths to make people feel better and it can be upsetting when people around you are upset. And can also be why you feel like you have to avoid certain people or situations.

Maybe you are affected more by the environment than people and have to avoid strong smells, harsh lights or loud sounds. 

It's possible you could be SO empathic that it’s difficult to separate out how YOU feel from how other people feel. And I'm aren’t just talking about feelings here. 

Someone is sad? You cry. Someone’s mad? You’re furious. Or how about this. While visiting with your mom your hip starts to  ache and you can't figure out why. But when you get home and realize - your hip isn't hurting. Then your mom tells you the next day her  hip was hurting. 

This is more common than you might think, especially among people who are natural nurturers, teachers, care givers, healers, in in caring professions like nurses, social workers, counselors, etc.  

You may not realize is that YOUR ENERGY can be affected by how others around you are feeling.

Our subconscious is working fast and gives us all kinds of information we may not be consciously aware of. If you are empathic or highly sensitive you it's like you are picking up even more than most people and it can be easy to get overloaded.

Here's how to avoid that

This is SUPER simple. You’ll protect energy and still be aware of how people feel without having to actually feel it OR their physical discomfort.

Electrical wires are wrapped in insulation to prevent energy leaking (i.e. sparks!) right?. Zipping up does the same thing, only for YOU. You need insulation, too. Zipping up creates energetic insulation both to conserve and protect your energy.

For more great tips on conserving, protecting and even generating more energy for yourself download this FREE daily checklist. 

Let me know how it works!!