Helping Highly Sensitive Introverts and Therapists create a life outside the box that allows them to embrace their Sensitive Strengths.
All tagged highly sensitive person
A highly sensitive person has more activity in parts of the brain that contribute to feelings of nostalgia. HSPs have a deep emotional connection to their memories and because we process information and experiences deeply, memories are more vivid and easier to recall. When you notice more subtle details, you’re able to pull up specific memories and the emotions that go along with them quickly.
When you’re highly sensitive and feel everything deeply, it can be stressful and isolating. Others may question or criticize you for your “overblown” reactions. You then wander if you’re too emotional, fragile, or dramatic. Although it can be a burden at times, feeling this emotional is an asset in many ways.
Being more attuned to the slightest changes happening around you as a highly sensitive person, it can be a shock to your nervous system to quickly go from the hot, long, sunny days of Summer to cold days of Winter with little sunlight. The colder months are a time to recharge, a time to reflect, but as you lean into slowing down, be careful not to completely power off.
Can’t fall asleep at night, finish tasks on time, or make decisions because your mind is too busy, spinning, and anxious. Overthinking can feel like torture and is most common for highly sensitive people when you’re not living in alignment with your sensitive needs. As an HSP, your brain is wired to pause and reflect. Although annoying or frustrating at times, there are amazing benefits
Highly sensitive folks feel everything deeply and have emotions that seem bigger than the moment. Maybe you’ve been called dramatic, thought you were “too much”, or been accused of overreacting as a result. Learn about my experience of having a big emotional response and my process of realizing I wasn’t overreacting, just having a typical human/HSP experience.
As you begin to explore your relationship to your sensitivity more deeply, it’s common to grieve a vision of yourself as a non-HSP. You may notice yourself passing through the Five Stages of Grief that were first introduced by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross in her book On Death and Dying.
Overwhelmed by the onset of symptoms, more side effects of medication, worried about the meaning of the illness, and longer to transition back into a normal routine. As an HSP, it’s common to be impacted differently than others when navigating health challenges.
Whether you’re getting started or wrapping up an activity, you may notice that you feel stuck or frozen. You may also struggle with procrastination and motivation. Whether you’re getting out of bed in the mornings, trying to leave work for the day, or starting a new book, you may find yourself struggling with these changes on a subtle or more obvious level. Each time a highly sensitive person goes through a transition, your brain wants to pause and reflect on what’s about to happen. There’s nothing wrong with you!
Learning to put yourself first and honor your unique needs as a highly sensitive person is a process that takes time and practice. Educating yourself on what it means to be highly sensitive, practicing self-compassion and mindfulness, and surrounding yourself with people who support your growth are essential pieces of the puzzle.
