Depending on the source you read, there are several kinds of empaths that commonly described and defined. According to Judith Orloff, MD, psychiatrist, and author of The Empath’s Survival Guide, there are 10 types of empaths, which in my view extend to MenPaths as well.
Since I last published here on MenPathic, I’ve been having a generally good ride, even if it meant becoming part of the Big resignation this past year.
Now that we’ve been quarantined, locked down, and/or sheltered-in-place (SIP) for nearly six months, I’ve had some time to reflect on my menpathic pandemic experience.
As I stated in the title of this piece, it hasn’t been only butterflies and rainbows.
Though I haven’t read Joseph Campbell’s epic works on mythology, I am familiar with his take on the hero’s journey. It describes the cycle of events, causes, and effects that various myths have in common.
The hero’s journey is the epic structure defined by Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. From Zeus to the Buddha, to Jesus and Mohammad, most traditional accounts of their mythic adventures follow this cycle.
Even though I have done the deeper work of embracing the superpowers that accompany being a MenPathic, there are times when it gets the best of me.
As a MenPathic, and possessing a healthy mix of both HSP and empathic traits, I’ve worked hard to understand and embrace my superpowers. I recognize that while there are some negative aspects of these traits, I am far and away a better person for having done the work.
Still, anxiety is once again my constant companion.
So said a young father-to-be in a FB group this past week. He’s posted a question in the style of many in these groups that seem to have not yet undertaken the work of embracing their traits. The problem this young man posed was this:
