5 Reasons why empaths (INFJ's) and neurodivergent are misunderstood.

1. Heightened Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence covers to aspects. Acute awareness in regards to inner and external awareness.

1a. Internal awareness - empaths and ADHA can self reflect, self-evaluate and as a result have the capacity to self-regulate their emotions. This doesn’t mean they surpass their emotions. It means they are conscious of what they are experiencing. As a result, they can hold themselves accountable. This is a huge blind-spot for the average person who will view any form of discussion or disagreement as an attack on their character or judgment. Most times the empath has already analyzed their own behaviors and choices before anybody even needs to bring it up. And the most beautiful part about accountability, is that we will then adapt our behaviors and choices in alignment with integrity and other remaining core values we have established.

1b. External Awareness: energy, pattern-recognition, dishonesty, manipulation. This ability to identify people makes them feel exposed and judged because they sense we see through them. Because we do. We don’t buy the fake facades and clever words. We see people on multiple plains, revealing the true essence of their character and intentions.

2. Perceive the world differently

Often, due to traumatic childhoods our understanding of darkness enables us to see things from a different perspective. Almost as if we are able to zoom out and compartmentalize reality in unique ways that gives us clarity. What is obvious and apparent to us, is seemingly not there for the neurotypicals. Think of the Frederich Nietzsche quote, “Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” We not only hear the music, we see and feel it deeply, that opens up an entirely new and different spectrum.

3. Think differently

High moral code inspires completely different processing of information: energy, words, intention, body language, and facial expressions. This creates a unique set of neural pathways in our brain… hence the term, neurodivergent… we diverge from the norm. Due to their empathy they seek understanding which most humans can’t grasp.

4. Act differently

We have a quiet inner confidence that shines bright. It subconsciously blinds others who can be intimidated. We don’t intimidate them, because intimidation is not our path. They are intimidated by us.. we don’t intimidate. Empaths are authentic which threatens neurotypicals who are often extremely fake and therefore, seemingly popular. Popularity is a shallow  and fleeting contest, empaths don’t engage in… we don’t need to. There are nonetheless, always exceptions.

5.We Simply Are different

Overall the empath comes from another planet or time warp with unique abilities. They resonate at a different frequency, their sensitivity gives them an edge but not until they make it their ally.

My favorite statistic to share is that only 5% of the world are empaths. The problem is being different means you are hard to label and hard to place in a box, let alone limit to the box… this inspires fear and insecurity. In the words of Kendrick Lemar, “they not like us.” The key is to understand who and what you are, then embrace it if not own it.

Vital Germaine,

President, THE SIGMA EMPATH LLC