The Beatles played their first Seattle concert on August 21, 1964, with more than 14,000 excited fans packing the old Seattle Center Coliseum. Despite the electric atmosphere, the cheers were so loud that most of us couldn’t hear the music. I was there among the crowd, thanks to my Aunt Dorothy, who surprised my friend Jeannie and me with tickets for my birthday while I was visiting her in Washington that summer. The noise was intense. This concert was only the third stop on The Beatles’ inaugural U.S. tour and the first event ever held at the venue, originally built for the World’s Fair. The crowd’s volume was overwhelming. It made no difference to fans like me, who was only 11 years old then. I was screaming at the top of my lungs. There I was, surrounded by a crowd of strangers, all yelling just like we’d seen on TV.

It was oddly cathartic.

The concert still stands as one of my most cherished memories. It was an incredible experience and one of the kindest things my Aunt Dorothy ever did for me.

When I got home, she was annoyed because I was still hysterical.

Life can sometimes resemble that concert, filled with a cacophony of sounds—cheers, laughter, shouts, and a space humming with energy.

Now, picture that same venue, completely calm, silent, and still—so quiet you could hear a whisper from across the room. That’s the closest way I can describe the shift in my world when my empathetic and intuitive abilities come to the forefront. By turning down the volume, I move from simply hearing life’s noise to genuinely listening to the subtle sounds that reveal the essence of the person or situation around me, transitioning from merely existing to truly being alive.

The natural beauty is that when I’m in this state of being fully alive, it only gets better. My senses sharpen, allowing me to pick up on the slightest shifts within a person or situation. It’s impossible to describe how unique and deeply profound this experience is.

While this might not seem fascinating to everyone, I can only describe it as an extraordinary gift I deeply value. It allows me to maintain inner peace amid chaos, avoid frustration under challenging situations, and discover joy even in less-than-perfect moments. Ultimately, happiness is a choice.

I feel drained when I let my mind and soul become overstimulated.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your surroundings?

Perhaps the bright lights, the sound of several conversations, or music playing from an overhead speaker makes you feel uncomfortable, and the only way to find relief is to step away. If this resonates with you, you might be experiencing sensory overload or overstimulation. For some empaths, overstimulation can disrupt their ability to function in daily life.

What does it mean to be an empath, and why does it come with such fundamental life challenges?

The word ’empath’ comes from the Greek roots ’em’ (in) and ‘pathos’ (feeling), meaning the ability to ‘feel into’ someone else’s emotions.

However, for empaths, this sensitivity is heightened to an extreme level. Empaths are more deeply attuned, sensitive, and affected by others’ emotions than those with empathic tendencies.

I am also an introvert.

Introverts don’t necessarily dislike attending concerts, as their preferences and experiences can differ.

I tend to be more inward-focused and do not find socializing in large crowds, such as at concerts, enjoyable.

That being said, with the assistance of many recreational drugs over the years, I have attended a lot of concerts, including  Woodstock.