I If someone has ever said to you "you care too much" about anything, we'll start by saying this: If you embrace caring too much, you'll probably be a lot better off.
First of all, caring a lot about anything is a sign of empathy, and it could mean you're an empath—and that's only a good thing. While it's certainly important to let toxic thoughts and feelings roll off you once in a while, embracing the side of you that cares "too much" may help you live in the moment more and go easier on yourself.
Here are four ways to embrace caring too much.
How to Embrace Caring Too Much
1. Understand just how wonderful 'caring too much' really is
In our burnt out, go-go-go society, not caring is considered a good thing. But trust us on this one: Caring a lot is a good thing, and it's a sign of kindness. Once you embrace the beauty of caring "too much," you may realize you actually don't care too much—you care just the right amount.
2. Make a list of the most important things to care about
If you find that some of the things you care about feel really toxic—this happens to a lot of empaths—making a list of things that are actually important to care about will help a lot. For example, caring a lot about your family or friends makes sense. Caring a lot about your job makes sense, too—but maybe spending too much time caring about what your coworkers think of you doesn't.
3. Prioritize self-care
Self-care is especially important for empaths, or people who "care too much," because people who care too much feel a lot. That means they're more sensitive, and need more time to process their experiences and the world around them. So define what self-care means to you, and dabble in it as often as you can. If for you self-care means knitting in your comfiest chair or taking long walks around the block, great. If it means taking bubble baths and lighting a candle, that's also great. So define what self-care means to you, and dabble in it as often as you can.
4. Journal
Journaling is such a powerful tool, and it's even more powerful for people who feel a lot. Start with these journaling prompts geared toward people who care "too much":
- What are some things that I really care about, and are they serving me?
- What activities help me unwind when I'm stressed out?
- Where do I feel this in my body?
- How can I detach from emotions that are bringing me down?
- Where can I start to set boundaries in my life?
- What are some things that are going really well for me right now?
- What people in my life tend to lift me up, and who brings me down?
- When someone gives me criticism, constructive or otherwise, how does it make me feel?
- What emotion am I feeling right now, and is it healthy?
- Am I using my energy in a way that's valuable to me?
- Am I being true to myself?
- How much do I care about other people's opinions, and when they express them to me, how does that make me feel?
- When I'm feeling down, what makes me feel better?
- I am grateful for...
- My unique abilities include...
- Caring deeply for others makes me feel...
- My favorite thing about myself is...
- What's my daily self-care non-negotiable?
- How do I feel when I'm alone?
- What am I doing when I feel most in tune with others?
Remember, it's not a bad thing to care—quite the opposite, in fact. It only gets bad when you
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