Everyone needs to make a living. Finding a job that is fulfilling instead of taxing should be a priority for each and every person.
This is especially true of empaths and people who are highly sensitive who often fare better in a job when they prioritize fulfillment.
Highly sensitive people tend to feel things more sharply and carry more emotional weight from the stresses of life and working. A fulfilling job that makes a difference can make the stress easier to bear, particularly for HSPs and empaths.
These seven career paths can be great choices for both fulfillment and making a difference in the world.
1. Artist
An empath is a soul who is often more perceptive, more in tune with the emotional currents of the world and society.
They feel things deeply, fiercely, to the point where it can be painful or detrimental to their own wellbeing.
Feeling emotions in such a raw way gives an empath the edge in creating meaningful, far-reaching art of all types. The type of artist that leaves an impression on the world pours part of their soul, their emotions into each and every piece.
A person who chooses to pursue art as a career can channel their perceptions, their happiness and sorrow, and deep feeling of the world into their work.
The world needs magnificent art to stir our emotions, move us, inspire us to reach for greater and greater things.
Being an artist rarely pays all that well, but it can make a tremendous impact on the lives of others.
The internet has certainly added a significant new angle to building an audience that will appreciate and even pay for an artist’s work.
2. Lawyer
It doesn’t seem likely that an empath would do well in law, does it?
The truth is that there are so many branches of law where an empath’s attentiveness and passion can benefit the people they serve.
The legal system is a complex place that requires a guide, and let’s face it, attorneys are expensive. As a result, attorneys of all types may work pro bono for vulnerable populations.
Empaths can make a major difference representing and defending the rights of the accused, people navigating domestic violence situations, or providing free legal counsel to charities and non-profit organizations.
Given that many empaths are sensitive, they may not fair as well in more intense, high pressure legal disciplines. Disciplines like trial and corporate law can be high stakes, high pressure, and high stress.
On the surface, it may not seem like law would be an empath’s domain, but the reality is that an empath can touch and improve many lives as an attorney.
3. Social Work
The realm of the social worker stretches far and wide. They can be found working for corporations, charities, or the government.
Social workers provide vulnerable people support in navigating complicated bureaucracies as well as advocating for their client’s wellbeing.
An empath naturally fits into the role of a social worker, as they are actively working to improve the lives of the people they touch.
However, this comes with a word of caution for the empath…
Not every story has a happy ending and there is all too much suffering in the world. A person that wants to pursue social work needs to ensure they have healthy self-care habits, a thick skin, and the ability to cope with the darker side of life.
Being exposed to some of the most negative elements of humanity and society can take a deep toll on a person, to the point where burnout is a regular and potential threat.
It’s not unusual for people to leave social work after about five or six years.
4. Health Care
The many health-oriented caring professions can be a great, and obvious avenue.
There are plenty of doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel that enter the field because of their desire to help their fellow man.
Mental health is a common destination for the empath, and can be a good fit, so long as the person is able to maintain a healthy separation and not take on too much of the pain of their clients.
The field of medicine is one that is always going to need skilled, caring people to provide services to the sick and injured.
Fields like nursing are accessible in just a few years. There are several other support roles that only require a two year degree or certification to begin work, such as x-ray technician.
5. Hospice Work
Hospice care is a bit of a different animal from other medical professions since it is centered around providing comfort and service to families that face life-limiting illnesses specifically.
This type of work can be a bit more broad than general medical work, as it often includes social and spiritual elements to help the family cope with the challenges they now face.
The body, mind, and spirit approach of hospice care can be appealing to empaths because it is less limiting and rigid.
A hospice worker may find themselves not only providing care to the person with the illness, but they often serve to help comfort the families of these people as they come to terms with this change in life.
They provide necessary medical care to the patient, educate the family on the illness and manner of care, and assess and provide needed services to help ease the patient’s discomfort and illness.
Volunteers often serve smaller roles in the scope of hospice work, such as running errands for family or just providing companionship in a difficult time.
6. Charity Work
Charity work is a no-brainer for an empath.
There are many different kinds of charities and organizations out there that work to better the world in whatever way they do.
They can range from directly serving people to providing a product or service that will benefit people to helping animals to preserving nature.
Non-profit organizations and charities are often attractive to empaths because they tend to not have as strict and severe of an environment as many traditional businesses or corporate jobs.
That does not mean that they are lax or undisciplined, rather it is simply a different environment where different types of people can thrive.
Volunteer work is an excellent option if charity work is not a viable career. Even being able to get a few hours of volunteer work in here and there can do a lot to help lift the empath’s spirit and make them feel more connected and grounded.
Of course, charity work is not without it’s challenges. Budgets are often tight and there may be suffering to navigate if the empath opts to work with a disadvantaged group.
7. Self-Employment
Just about any self-employment option can be a great choice for an empath.
There are so many opportunities out there to make an impact with different skill-sets and careers. Really, it’s all in how you use it.
Auto mechanic? Volunteer to do some repairs and only charge for parts. Developer? Volunteer to do some work for an organization that needs a decent or updated website (many do!). Consultant? Offer your expertise to an organization in your field of expertise that would benefit.
The most important factor for choosing a career is to know and understand what one is capable of handling.
Caring professions can make for an excellent career, but sometimes carrying the weight of the suffering of others can be difficult. A person needs to have a thick skin, solid boundaries, and healthy coping mechanisms to let go of that stress and suffering when it is time to unwind.
Some people are better at it than others. Knowing yourself well means you’ll be able to make the best choice in selecting a career that will be rewarding and fulfilling.
Still not sure what career would be best suited to you as an empath? Speak to a life coach today who can walk you through the process of choosing/finding one. Simply fill out this short form to get quotes from several coaches along with details of how they can help.
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