How is a writer like a fish?

Try this: Read the following advice, replacing each Pisces with Writer. Does this ring true for you?

It may seem counterintuitive, but the best thing Pisces [a Writer] can do to develop his or her sixth sense is build up layers of protection that will serve as a strong psychic defense. Pisces is already so sensitive and open to ethereal information that what is needed is a filtering system that will limit the amount of input Pisces absorbs and processes . . .

The open awareness and emotional connection that Pisces radiates also makes Pisces highly impressionable. In short, Pisces picks up on people's karma and takes it on.

Psychic protection can be established through mindfulness, though it helps to create a ritual that will increase attention to this matter. One such ritual is to wear a talisman for protection. Imagine that this talisman radiates a bubble of spiritual energy around Pisces that is sealed with a membrane allowing only the best and highest energies to permeate Pisces' realm."

- Holiday Mathis

As a writer, what's your psychic protection? Do you repeat a mantra or carry a charm?

Writers tend to be wonderfully tuned in. We easily assess the mood of others. This sort of empathy serves as both blessing and curse. Because we absorb the feelings of others, we're unusually equipped with an intuitive ability to create believable characters and situations. But this can also leave us emotionally worn out and frazzled. To thrive we need to develop ways to balance acute awareness with healthy self-protection.

How do you do it?