One of my favourite ways of learning about energetic boundaries is through nature. A beautiful example of this when chicks are hatching.
A baby chick struggles to hatch from its egg while other chicks have already broken through their eggs and are wobbling around on their unsteady little feet. A well-meaning empath leans in to break away some of the egg shell to make the struggle for the baby chick easier. But the more experienced chicken farmer stops her, with a reminder that the chick’s struggle is an essential step in it becoming a healthy and strong full-grown chicken.

As empaths and highly sensitive people, we easily tune into the feelings and emotions of those who are struggling. This includes our loved ones, people we know, and even total strangers. We are particularly sensitive to animals and birds, especially vulnerable little chicks who are hanging on by a thread!
Our sensitivities are our superpowers. These superpowers can make us susceptible to parasitic relationships where we are helping others but being harmed in return. But there are also times we are guilty of crossing the energetic boundaries of others.
Rather than just registering the hurt of another person, we can over-identify with them and their pain. This is when we can cross boundaries and take on the responsibility of others as our own.
How healthy boundaries work
This image shows our personal healthy boundaries as a series of nested circles. Each of us sits within the pink circle – at the centre of the graphic. That is our personal area of influence.

But what happens when we start acting outside of our area of influence?
This can be dangerous ground boundary-wise. While we might be relieving the pain of another person, we can also be preventing them from working through their own life lessons.
Learning our life lessons
Did you know it can take up to 24 hours for a chick to break out of its egg?! That is a long time! And in that time, the chick is learning lessons and developing muscles that will equip it for its life outside of the egg.
Each of us has important life lessons to learn. And as we learn these lessons, we are like little chicks hatching out of our eggs.
When you are a sensitive person, it can be challenging to sit back and watch your loved ones, acquaintances and even your clients working through their life lessons.
If we step in, we can be preventing our people from growing and reaching their potential. So what can we be doing to help our loved ones rather than by stepping in and taking on their pain?
How can we help our loved ones without taking over?
We can support our loved ones in many ways! We can:
- come alongside them face-to-face and let them talk through their feelings and emotions,
- reach out virtually through a phone call or online chat,
- pray for them, and
- send loving and supportive energies to them energetically.
Would you like some help?
Are you a sensitive person or healer who finds it difficult to watch your loved ones or clients struggle? I can help you to gain clarity and perspective around your relationships. We do this by looking deeper into your bigger picture soul journey and past life relationships.
If you feel I can help, book in for a 60-minute Intuitive/Energy Healing session with me, or check my full range of services through my online calendar and subscribe to my weekly newsletter (All Things Intuition)