Today I want to share with you everything about my life as a highly sensitive person. From what it is, to what helps me in my daily life, to how I deal with society and how I make the best out of what I now consider to be an amazing gift. Before I start it is important for me to say that I am not a professional and that this video is based on my personal life experience. Some facts are from Dr. Elaine Arons book: The Highly Sensitive Person, that also coined this term.
Only 15-20% of the population can be categorized as highly sensitive people. HSP tend to have increased sensitivity to stimulation, like big crowds, bright lights, loud noises and aggressive commercials. They tend to notice subtleties and experience life in a deeper more reflective way. It's like seeing the picture in high definition, but not only the physical things but also other people's emotions, energies, and complex unspoken situations. This can lead to HSP being easily overwhelmed and tired.
HSP have a rich inner life and tend to be more introverted, shy and quiet. Yet that is not always the case, for example, as a child I was very outgoing and even overconfident - I felt that is what society expected from me. But as the years went by and I did not pay attention to my emotions, I pushed myself too hard to be perfect all the time and developed anxiety and clinical depression, something I have dealt with for years.
Life as a HSP can be hard especially is you are not aware of your sensitivity, but there are also many benefits: Like being very emphatic and compassionate, being moved deeply by music, art, and nature, the ability to have a deep connection with yourself and others and experiencing life in a very spiritual way (Of course all of these qualities are not restricted only for HSP!).
Here are a couple things that help me to live as a highly sensitive person:
1. First of all and this is the most important thing there is: understand that being highly sensitive is a real thing, in Dr. Arons book she shares many studies done on many different species, that show that this in a tendency that you are born with. Learn to accept it, and to respect yourself as you are.
2. Alone time - this is a big one. Most HSP need time alone to unwind. No matter what your living situation is, try creating a space that recharges you.
3. HSP are very much affected by the condition of their body, mind, and involvement, being overwhelmed easily by hunger, tiredness, stress and stimulation. So I am here to give you the official ok to be EXTRA with your self-care! Carry water and food with you, make sleep a priority and of course find time to just relax.
4. Plan ahead and try to making situations that might be hard for you - easier. It's perfectly fine to take things easy!
5. Learn to say no - it's ok not to do everything everyone does. At first, you might feel like a downer, but trust me once you feel well rested you will enjoy your time with people much more.
6. Let the people in your life know, I personally gave this book to many of my friends and talked about it with my family.
Something that's important to note here is that there is a fine balance between being a hermit and getting out there. Many HSP hardly leave the house and I must say I am guilty of that myself! I work from home and I can stay here for a week straight without even noticing, that's why I consciously pay attention to situations where I need to push myself and get out of my comfort zone. It's a learning curve and even if you get to a point of physical exhaustion or feeling emotionally drained, remember: this too shall pass. It takes time to find your personal balance, what people are right for you and what situations, flexibility is key.
These days I see my high sensitivity as a true gift. Being emphatic, noticing fine details and experiencing extreme emotions have become what I have to give to the world instead of a burden. I see my emotions as my inner guides, a way to learn what is right for me and what is wrong, and hot to build a life out of my heart. We might be a minority, but the gentle ways of the highly sensitive person are much needed, as they serve as a bridge to communicate the many things in life that cannot be explained, but only felt.
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I hope you enjoyed this video and found it helpful,
With love ❤️
Sheer Lev
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