I’m fresh back from a trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get my REAL ID. Such fun, right?! 😁
Oh yes, we all know places like the DMV can be stressful for highly-sensitive and/or empathic people.
So I want to share what helped me today. I believe it can help you too.
Right when I arrived, I could feel uncomfortable emotions emanating from many people.
Once, this would have felt overwhelming to me. I would have focused on putting up an energetic barrier and staying in my bubble.
This would work but it often left me feeling drained for awhile afterwards. So, over time, I got curious about other approaches.
My Soul has guided me to manage potential “empathic overwhelm” situations in a grounding and loving way.
So, today, I practiced two things… after all, I had the time while waiting … and waiting. 😂
First, I looked around the room, so seemingly devoid of Nature and I opened my heart to recognize and connect with each of the four Elements.
🌳Earth was present in all the paper being held, reviewed, handed back. Yes, the trees were there in abundance.
💨Air was present all around, made visible through a fluttering scarf as a woman walked by.
🔥Fire was present through the overhead lights, powered by electricity. I’d love to think it was solar power, but most likely through the burning of fossil fuel. (Also representing Earth.)
💧Water was present in many ways. In the bottle of milk a toddler was drinking while patiently waiting with his mom. In the water bottles next to the staff working behind the counters. In the ink within the pen I used to sign several things.
This exercise was grounding and centering. Bringing me back to my center, to myself. Which led me to the second step…
The second thing I practiced was sending frazzled people waves of loving and compassionate energy. Because I was so grounded with Nature, I believe this step was strengthened with Earth energy.
I sent love and compassion to the elder who was struggling mightily with her vision test, to the staffer getting frustrated with a confused customer, to the mom of the fussing baby.
I also smiled (with my eyes, as we were all masked) at as many people as I could.
As a result, I left the DMV feeling calm and relaxed, and also believing in my heart that I helped raise the vibration of the room in some way.
Connecting with Nature has been central to my own journey of embracing my highly-sensitive, empathic nature. Of seeing it as the wonderful gift it is, rather than a burden.
Give these two exercises a try the next time you sense the potential for highly-sensitive/empathic overwhelm.
Experience for yourself how Nature is always available to you for support, anywhere you are and at any time. Yes, even at the DMV. 🥰