How to Thrive as an Empath

By Andrea Bossoni

How to Thrive as an Empath is a self-help book for empaths who need to know how to use their gifts in order to empower themselves and grow.

Being an empath is a curse, a challenge, and, ultimately, a blessing. How?!

In a powerful guide rich with inspiration and sharp insights encompassing a few digressions from real-life experiences/experienced, Andrea Bossoni perfectly depicts along 16 chapters the way for you to:

• Understand and identify your inner “secret” gifts you are unaware of and how to master them in order to thrive in a world where empathy is not considered a real superpower (which actually is).

• Create the balance between your inner and outer world by making conscious choices involving your emotions, your lifestyle decisions, and your spiritual and creative spare time activities so that you improve your life and enhance your extreme sensitivity by turning it from a weakness into a magic strength.

• Create the best version of yourself, free from fears and conflicts NOW.

• Change yourself from a reserved introvert into an inspiring empath able to impact on your own life and on other people’s lives in a very uplifting and positive way.

• Be and remain happy despite the world not being fair or beautiful. You become the instrument of love to change it into a better place for yourself and others you always wanted and dreamt about.
• Dreams become a reality when there is a vision and a goal behind them: this is your chance to be the catalyst of a real change and see effective results!

By the end of How to Thrive as an Empath, you will understand why your extreme sensitivity which others see as fragility is actually the most powerful tool you have to change yourself. You will know and recognize a pattern that needs to be tamed and mastered in order for you to finally thrive and live the happy life always wanted and deserved.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andrea Bossoni
• Release date: Apr 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005864019

Andrea Bossoni

Andrea Emanuela Bossoni. Born in Milan, Italy, on July 11th, 1974.Jewish, born between two cultures, Andrea has a great mind-openness.She attends lower and higher secondary school in Milan, Italy.She gets a General Certificate of Education in tourism as Tour Operator in 1995. In 1996, after passing the examination test in three sections, she enters her name and starts attending a two-year professional course at the Film, TV and New Media Professional School of Milan, Italy. She gets a post-diploma degree as director assistant/production assistant in 1997.She’s scriptwriter since 1995, film director since 2002. She wrote, directed, sometimes edited and produced all her audiovisual works.In 1998, she starts working as a second assistant director during the theatrical rehearsals of Mr. Moni Ovadia and TheaterOrchestra’s “Il Crepuscolo delle Madri” at the Piccolo Teatro of Milan.Several works as freelance between France and Italy follow. In France, she works as an assistant director and scriptwriter. She is also one of the organization members of a film festival in Rennes, Brittany, France.She works as a scriptwriter from 1995. In 2002, she becomes a professional independent film director. Her first short film written, directed, self-financed and produced “Ricordi Metropolitani” (“Souvenirs Urbains”, “City Recollections”, Betacam SP, 29’, colour - b/w, Italy, broadcasted at the TSR 2, second channel of Télévision Suisse Romande within the TV programme “Signes” in January 2003) wins two awards, one in Brussels in 2002 and the second one in Milan in 2005.In 2003 / 2004, she writes, co-directs and co-edits her second independent short film, “Le Rêve d’Un Jour” (original title in French), a tribute to Chaplin and to the theatre poetics within a professional editing course (analogical and digital techniques) at the CFTA Institute in Milan.In 2007, after one year of pre-production and development, she writes, directs and produces her third short film “La Voce di Barbara” (“Barbara’s Voice”) about dance and deafness where she reverses social roles showing that handicap is very often just a mental, social or cultural limit.“La Voce di Barbara” wins an award in November 2008 as “Best Document” at the 35th Edition of the International Independent Film Festival of Brussels, Belgium.Between August and September 2008, she writes a novel “Le Crisalidi di Lubiana” printed and published by Zerounoundici Edizioni getting a good review in terms of audience and critics.In May-June 2009, she directs and edits her first art video about the artworks of a young talented Macedonian artist, Nevenka Zdraveva, “A Look Beyond - A Journey Into Gala’s Vision” for an art event in parallel of Biennale di Venezia 2009.In 2011, she writes, directs and edits “My New Life In Skopje” (June 2011), a docu-fiction in two versions. She also engages in developing a challenging cross-cultural project, “Le Match de Ma Vie” (“The Match of My Life”), her first feature film project about sports, friendship and the courage to face the loss and getting back to life again.In 2012, she writes, directs and edits “The Bridge of Memory” (short film), “It's A Movie Business” (short film) and “To Sing Her Life” (documentary) in Skopje, North Macedonia.In 2012, she graduates and gets a BA in FIlm and TV Directing at ESRA University for Audiovisual arts in Skopje, North Macedonia.In 2013, she writes and publishes her second novel, “The Next Chance”, a short story within a young talented new authors short stories collection published in Rome, Italy.In 2016, she writes, directs and produces “Second Chance”, a fiction short film, a cross-cultural project between France and North Macedonia, spoken in two languages, subtitled in six languages, released in 2017, winner of three international awards and selected in twelve official competitions in several renowned international film festivals.She has written a breathtaking feature film script, “Three Flames Dancing in the Dazzling Light” and published her third book, a nonfiction book in English, “How to Thrive as an Empath”.For the Italian market, a fourth book has been published, "La Danza della Vita".Big challenges and a fiery passion move her inner engine to work smart and get excellent results besides growing as an artist and a human being.FILMOGRAPHYAugust 2002, “RICORDI METROPOLITANI” (short film, Italian and Italian Sign Language (LIS), subtitled in two languages, 29’, Beta SP, colour - B/W, Italy). Two awards won.January 2004, “LE RÊVE D’UN JOUR” (short film, no dialogues, 5’, Digital Camera, colour - B/W, Italy)June 2007, “LA VOCE DI BARBARA” (short film, Italian and Italian Sign Language (LIS), subtitled in five languages, 21’, Digital Camera, colour, Italy). One award won.June 2009, “A LOOK BEYOND - A JOURNEY INTO GALA’S VISION” (art video, 9’, colour, Italy) - A second version is available on Youtube (Extended version, 15’, colour, Italy, May 2012)April 2011, “MY NEW LIFE IN SKOPJE” (short film, docu-fiction, 7'02 (and short version 3' 21), Digital, colour, Macedonia, 2011, subtitles in EnglishDecember 2012:“THE BRIDGE OF MEMORY” (short film, 14’, Digital HD Pro Camera, colour, Macedonia, Macedonian language, subtitles in English)“TO SING HER LIFE” (documentary, 1h, Digital HD Pro Camera, colour, Macedonia, Macedonian language, subtitles in English)“IT’S A MOVIE BUSINESS” (short film, fiction, 29’, Digital HD Pro Camera, colour, Macedonia, English and Macedonian languages, subtitles in English for the Macedonian dialogues)February 2017:“SECOND CHANCE” (short film, Fiction, 29:10’, Digital HD Blackmagic 4K Camera, colour, Macedonia, French and Macedonian languages, subtitles in English, French, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese and Macedonian)Shorts films available on Youtube and Vimeo, documentary available with a private link.AWARDS, RECOGNITIONS AND HONOURSIn November 2002, Andrea was honoured with the plate of the city of Brussels for her commitment to the deaf community in the fields of arts (cinema and theatre) and communication.In November 2002, "Ricordi Metropolitani" won an award as one of the best short films at the 29th Edition of the International Independent Film Festival (29ème Festival International du Film Indépendant) of Brussels, Belgium.In November 2005, "Ricordi Metropolitani" won an award as one of the best short films at the International Film Festival of the Deaf in Milan, Italy (Second Best short film award).In November 2008, "La Voce di Barbara" (“Barbara’s Voice“) won the “Best Document“ award at the 35th Edition of the International Independent Film Festival (35ème Festival International du Film Indépendant) of Brussels, Belgium.In September 2017, “Second Chance” won the laurel as Finalist in the category of short films at the European Film Festival Mainstream & Underground of Moscow, Russia.“Second Chance” got three international film festivals awards and it was selected and in official competition in twelve international film festivals and awarded in 2017.FILM PROJECTS AND NOVELS (in development)“Le Match de Ma Vie” (Feature Film Project, international – Fiction)“Le Match de Ma Vie” (Novel – Fiction written in French)“Three Flames in The Dazzling Light” (Feature film script – Fiction / cross-cultural project)“A Glance Beyond The Fog” (Feature film script – Fiction)“The 17th Day” (Feature film script – Fiction)

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COPYRIGHT

How to Thrive as an Empath by Andrea Emanuela Bossoni is a Wonder Writers Media creation.

www.andreabossoni.com

Copyright © 2022 Andrea Emanuela Bossoni

© All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by copyright law.

For permissions, please contact:

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Cover design by Catherine Melissa Tabuena.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Copyright

Table of Contents

Also by Andrea Bossoni

Dedication

Introduction

Part I: Discover Yourself

Chapter 1 - Were You an Empathic Child

Chapter 2 - Get to Know Your Personality Type

Chapter 3 - Empathy Explained

Part II: Empath Life Skills

Chapter 4 - Be an Empowered Empath

Chapter 5 - Empaths at Work

Chapter 6 - Empaths and Relationships

Chapter 7 - Empaths and Sexuality

Chapter 8 - Empaths and Narcissists

Part III: Your Spiritual Enlightenment

Chapter 9 - Empaths and Spirituality

Chapter 10 - Spiritual Awakening

Chapter 11 - Empathy, Dharma, and Mindfulness

Chapter 12 - Karma Laws and Paying It Forward

Chapter 13 - The Power of Forgiveness

Chapter 14 - The Power of Gratitude

Chapter 15 - Living In Alignment With Our Soul

Chapter 16 - We Are All Small Universes

Conclusion

Reading Recommendations

Photo Credits

Acknowledgements

About Andrea Bossoni

Andrea Bossoni’s Life Story

Connect with Andrea Bossoni

Other Books by Andrea Bossoni

Can I Ask A Favour?

Also by Andrea Bossoni

Books

La Danza della Vita (The Dance of Life) (2022)

La prossima Occasione (The Next Chance) (2013)

Le Crisaldi di Lubiana (Ljubljana’s Chrysalis) (2009)

Films (Narrative Short Films and Documentaries)

Second Chance (2017) *three awards won

The Bridge of Memory (2012)

To Sing Her Life (2012)

It’s a Movie Business (2012)

A Look Beyond: A Journey into Gala’s Vision (2011)

My New Life in Skopje (2011)

La Voce di Barbara (Barbara’s Voice) (2008) *one award won

Le Rêve d’Un Jour (A One-Day Dream) (2004)

Ricordi Metropolitani (2002) *two awards won

Learn more about Andrea Bossoni’s books, films, and latest projects by visiting www.andreabossoni.com

DEDICATION

Dedicated to all the striving special people out there whose sensitivities

become the real changing force for the world to evolve into a better place

and who constantly learn, empower themselves and thrive.

Picture 1 The Empath Heart

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever met someone who easily gets overwhelmed in crowded spaces and hectic environments? Perhaps you have a friend or colleague who quickly reacts to subtle sights, sounds, smells, emotional cues, and other stimuli? Some people are more sensitive than others, and they are more common than you think. People who claim to feel the emotional, mental or physical state of another person are known as empaths. It is estimated that 15 to 20 percent of the global population is highly sensitive [1]. Being highly sensitive means having weaknesses that practise, and experience turn into strengths. Being an Empath is akin to having a gift and a curse, but mostly it is a daily challenge.

To be considered and perceived as a gift or a challenge, all depends on how empaths experience this hidden gift. It might be partly genetic or acquired through the environment, in any way, every stage of this development brings its positive and negatives outcomes. It is a gift when empaths have already gone through the learning process on how to fully develop their innate potential, and it is a curse for every newbie empath out there who struggles with their own emotions entangled in someone else’s without really being able to distinguish what they feel from what the other person feels.

[1] This percentage is based on research from Foundation for the Study of Highly Sensitive Persons.

As you can imagine, this emotional turmoil creates many conflicting situations, particularly for more introverted empaths who have not yet mastered their empathic abilities. They may find themselves put aside or decide to isolate themselves as to walk away from their inner fears and challenges, and this to the detriment of their personal relationships and professional advancement. What would happen when an empath underestimated themselves and did not assert their self-worth for example at work? They would not be recognized for their real worth and someone else would get the promotion they deserve. And this applies to many and several other situations in everyday life. If situations like these resonate with you, you might probably be an empath yourself.

I know because I am an empath, a highly sensitive person, and a possible High Potential Individual, all-in-one. Is it easy? No, it’s not. Could I manage it? Yes, I could, and very well.

I started struggling with my gift when I was a child. I was a rebellious little girl back then who could not withstand any form of injustice. Every time I experienced injustice, or I felt hurt, or someone I cared for was hurting, I could feel their anguish with the same intensity. I was in pain, felt lonely and misunderstood. I was fighting for others, but they were not fighting for me or for themselves. I was confronted with many excruciating experiences that molded me into the brave warrior I am today.

I wrote this book as a guide to all empaths. This compelling gift discloses a real unknown power, but how to use it properly and get yourself to be an assertive, thriving empath - you ask? By reading this book, you will find out everything you need to know. Through the chapters, you will be guided to discover how to use your inner potential, how to become a confident, assertive, and happier person. You will learn how to turn your struggles and failures into success, and how to ultimately thrive by being a sensitive soul in a not-so-sensitive world.

I know what it is like to be confused and unsure of my empathic abilities because I went through a hard path and it took me years to shape my fears and weakness into a self-reliant inner strength. But everything that is worthy in life takes time. Time is what we make of it, and your time of self-realization is in this very book.

So, start diving in with a sense of curiosity that will lead to the empowered, accomplished, and better version of yourself as an empath. Begin your journey to explore and discover your full potential and change your life for the better RIGHT NOW!

PART I:

DISCOVER YOURSELF

CHAPTER 1

WERE YOU AN EMPATHIC CHILD?

Although some people can identify as an empath earlier, most discover their empathic gifts during adulthood. You might not realise it then, but you were an empathic child all along.

Think back on your childhood self. Were you an extremely sensitive child? Did you have a special relationship with your animal friend? Were you very affected by how things were used and thrown away? When in a crowded place, were you bombarded by feelings and emotions that overwhelmed and drained your energy? If you answered yes to one or more questions, you were an empathic child.

Empathic children have all one fine peculiar trait in common: their extreme sensitivity. While adults are more attuned to their emotions, a child still needs to figure out their inner world before being able to define their feelings and emotions through their experiences. Every day is a wonderful opportunity filled with many new discoveries. The difference is how empathic children live these discoveries and experiences as they see and perceive the world differently from most children. They are highly affected by other people and their behaviour; they need alone time to recharge; they need to be respected, listened to, and understood.

My Teenage Years

My teenage years represented a bridge between my childhood already passed and my adulthood that still had to be fully lived, an essential passage towards maturity. I was rather a unique individual. Defining me at that time, and even now, is a challenging intellectual gymnastic.

My Teen Years have been interestingly unique. I was an excellent student; I practised sports activities, mainly tennis and ski. I worked as a volunteer for an important Italian LGBTIQ association in Milan, my hometown, and I was spending part of my free time in one of my favourite book shops under Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in downtown where I could find books in Italian, English, and French. Each of the three levels of that bookshop had a section with selected books, refined paper, and outstanding covers. I used to stay inside it almost all afternoon for browsing pages and pages of different topics written by many authors.

During mornings when I sometimes skipped a few classes, generally the first two hours depending on the subjects, I was usually going to the synagogue to sit and after a prayer, I would continue to read Janis Joplin biography by Myra Friedman Buried Alive: The Biography of Janis Joplin, originally published in United States in 1973, one year before my birth.

A few years later, around 17, I met a man that my mum connected with during a census. This man had a deep knowledge of spiritualism, spiritism and many other relevant topics concerning paranormal activities. When we met, he worked as a production manager for an Italian film company whose owner was an Italian film director.

After introducing myself and telling him I enjoyed wandering in the cemeteries as I could feel a sense of peace in those places, he pulled out his pendulum and put it perpendicularly to my open palm. The pendulum started making quicker and quicker oscillations widening its radius. His husky voice pronounced a few words afterwards: Andrea, you have an outstanding intuition and remarkable psychic abilities. I believe you have a great potential to become a medium. At that time, I was reading Allan Kardec’s books, in particular The Spirits Book and I was delving into the Secret Doctrine by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. Born in Ukraine, Blavatsky was a controversial Russian occultist, philosopher, and author who co-founded the Theosophical Society in 1875.

With this man, we made some powerful transfers like the one where I saw a multitude of elephants walking aligned in India at sunset and in that very moment, he would describe exactly the scene, the colours and the atmosphere I perceived. After that very short but meaningful period, I then continued along my life path. That man knew how to perform black magic, red magic and white magic, but he would only perform white magic, and before he disappeared, he advised me to only use my gifts for doing something good. My approach to spiritism was mainly academic, but I had always been tempted to go beyond the mere knowledge. It would have taken years of studying before being able to really develop my gifts so I then moved forward and started a blues band where I was the singer.

Curiously, I was an excellent student, but my behaviour was not in alignment with my marks. I was rebellious and a fighter. I was polemic, sarcastic, and I mocked people I considered stupid or under my level. I was a provoker. I was mainly dressed in black: black jeans or dark denim jeans, black T-shirts, a black leather jacket, Frye leather boots, dark sunglasses, and my rucksack eternally with me. I never had a purse. Only rucksacks like how Linus always carried his blanket. If I was an empath back then, I think I potentially was, but I was not aware of being one. I was enraged, scornful, not so pleasant, rather arrogant, and easy to fight or argue with many people, mainly out of disagreements.

I never suffered from anxiety till adulthood. I have always been a highly sensitive child, prone to help everyone in distress or upset. I was also very idealistic, and I wanted to change the world and make it a better place. I was fighting against every form of injustice and discrimination.

Growing into Adulthood

I have always been perceived as weird, unusual, nonconforming to the norm. Today, many years after I finished junior high school, I am a film director, scriptwriter, writer, film editor, press editor, translator and I speak seven foreign languages. I am Jewish, have 0 negative blood type, my personality is complex, and I am gifted in many fields. After two International Mensa Tests, I scored an IQ of 185. Does being a very intelligent and a highly sensitive and highly intuitive empath with a hyperactive brain help? Sometimes, it does.

After over twenty years, I deeply and constantly changed and evolved. I arrived at a point in my life where I’m hardly discouraged or disappointed by others or external circumstances, as I let nothing disrupt my goals or disturb my peace of mind. As I gained self-esteem and self-respect for myself that started from self-love, I am poised and calm in every situation.

To arrive at this point in my self-growth and self-evolution process, I opened my heart chakra after a spiritual shift, but I shall deepen this subject in another chapter of this book.

To start from point A and arrive at point C, we need to pass through point B, or if we start from A to arrive at Z, all the other letters of the imaginary biological and biographical alphabet will contribute to the people we are and/or we can be today. Those letters are people, places, events, experiences that manifest to let us become who we are supposed to be. We are all living our present and we are aware of the path we walked so far. Despite many years passed, and the world has not improved so much, I am still focused on making it a better place.

The Challenges Faced by Empathic Children

Life is challenging when you are an empath or a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) and being a child empath is even more challenging. Oftentimes, these children are judged as weak for being extremely sensitive and forced to toughen up, even though that is very detrimental.

To feel free, to be themselves and to express, these children need first to be seen for who they really are and to be honoured in their differences. They develop a highly intuitive self despite their young age, and they know when someone lies to them, they know when they are not accepted, they do not enjoy what most children enjoy. Because they stand out, they need their inner world to develop well to make sense of the outer world full of contrasts and contradictions.

Nobody tells these children how to cope with their differences. Nobody inspires them and explains to them how they can harness their sensitivities to develop a great potential for thriving and making positive changes in the world. Many times, teachers, institutors, even parents who are not empaths themselves cannot handle their students and children in the right way.

There is not a wrong or a right way, but the best approaches would be and are to respect them and be open to welcome their differences, to empower them by letting them know nothing is wrong with them or with how they are and what they feel.

Positive empowerment and positive reinforcement of their personality traits contribute to build a solid self-confidence and to prepare them to transform into empowered individuals. These children can develop successfully what apparently looks like a negative set of abilities if well-guided.

Empathic children are often accused of daydreaming, of being in their own world, their heads in the clouds. They reflect about