Have you ever been told you were "too sensitive," or some variation of that? Did it feel like you were being called weak or fragile?
Have you ever been shamed for crying, taking things too personally, reading too much into situations, thinking too much about a problem or being too caring or considerate? Do you ever feel like you wish you were different? Do you ever wish you could turn on an "I don't care attitude?"
If you said yes to any of those questions, then I have a great video for you! In the online anxiety course I am taking, one of the videos is called "Letting Go of Shame as a Highly Sensitive Person." In it, Emma McAdam, the course creator, talks about what an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) is and the gifts that are inherent to that personality trait.
Before watching this video, I never knew the term "highly sensitive person" and I love how it is giving me new insights into understanding others and myself. Here are a few interesting facts from the video:
Being a highly sensitive person means that your nervous system processes information more deeply and intensely than the average person
Many people who are HSPs have anxiety
Sensitivity is a trait that 15-30 percent of people are born with
HSPs tend to process information deeply and thoroughly
A lot of HSPs are introverted (I think it's because of a need to balance out their sensitivity to stimulus)
The intuitive and emotional gifts of HSPs make them valuable coaches and team builders, helping others navigate interpersonal skills
Sensitivity is often associated with weakness in American cultural values
Sensitivity is not a weakness, just a difference
Please check out the video if any of this resonates with you! Also, here are some links I found helpful when I sought to learn more about HSPs:
Wikipedia page for Elaine Aron, research psychologist and author of the book "The Highly Sensitive Person"
I hope you'll check out the video if it resonates with you.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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