It was May 29, 1993, and I was getting ready for my wedding.

As an empath, I’ve always felt other people’s emotions in my body, like they were my own. It’s not just knowing how someone feels. It’s feeling it. Fully. Physically.

I slipped into my wedding dress in the church basement, surrounded by building blocks, Legos, and tiny dollhouses. My kitten heels clicked against the cold tile floor as I walked out to meet my dad at the bottom of the steps. My mom and sister hugged me, then climbed the stairs to be seated.

At the top, my dad offered his arm and gently squeezed my hand. I remember how smooth his suit felt against my palm.

But as we approached the church doors, I felt it.

This wasn’t right.

And still... the guests had arrived. Some from far away. I didn’t want to let anyone down.

So I did what so many empathic, people-pleasing women have done: I walked down the aisle into a marriage that would end in a painful divorce 14 years later.

Back then, I didn’t know:

What an empath even was

That I was confusing other people’s feelings for my own

That empathic gifts can be managed without losing your empathy

That every time I avoided disappointing others, I was choosing to disappoint myself

It wasn’t until I healed my nervous system and learned to work with energy that I finally stopped:

— Apologizing for feeling deeply, even when it made others uncomfortable

— Abandoning myself to keep the peace

— Believing that choosing myself was selfish

In episode 181 of Your Yes Filled Life, I share more about this journey from ignoring my own desires and needs in order to keep other people happy while I self-abandoned to choosing spaciousness and self-trust as an empathic leader.

We’ll explore three powerful practices you can start using today, no Reiki attunement or spiritual titles needed, to ground your energy and reconnect with yourself. Plus, I introduce my new self-healing certification designed for busy, high-achieving women who want to add breathwork, Reiki, and meditation into their daily rituals in an accessible, impactful way.

What You’ll Discover:

• The real cost of saying yes to everyone else while saying no to yourself.

• How to recognize the difference between your energy and someone else’s.

• Three simple, potent practices to reclaim calm, clarity, and ease.

• Why daily self-healing can amplify the power of your leadership.

Listen on Apple Podcasts here

Listen on Spotify here

Watch on YouTube here

Want to learn more about the self-healing certification? Visit brendawinkle.com/self-healing and start your journey to effortless leadership and more energy today.

Download a free energy audit to get clear on what's draining or fueling you: brendawinkle.com/audit