Sensitive Strength

"What's the big deal?"

"Get over it."

"Why are you crying?"

"Hurry up."

Sensitivity is often misread as weakness or that something is wrong with you.

Being sensitive is not a disorder but it does come with real challenges.

It also comes with profound strengths.

When you understand your nervous system and learn to work with it rather than against it, sensitivity can become a source of wisdom, creativity, connection and insight.

What is sensitivity?

Sensitivity exists on a spectrum, and we all experience it in different ways. Some people experience the world with greater depth and awareness—taking in more sensory, emotional, and social information and processing it more deeply.

You may notice subtle details others miss, feel emotions strongly, think deeply about your experiences, or be particularly attuned to the people and environments around you. You may also become overstimulated more easily or need more time to process and recharge.

Researcher and psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron coined the term Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)to describe this trait, now known asSensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS). Research suggests that approximately 20–30% of people have a higher degree of sensitivity.

The goal isn't to become less sensitive; it's to understand how your sensitivity works and create the conditions in which it can become a source of strength.

Being a sensitive person might look like:

• You process deeply - You are likely valued for your thoughtfulness and the connections you make. Yet, you may also have been told you “think too much,” “feel too much,” or are “oversensitive.”

• You take in more of the world around you - You have a heightened sensitivity to people and the environment - sounds, scents, activity, emotions. This may lead to a need for downtime with fewer inputs, which can be a challenge in our hectic world.

• You feel deeply - You may have a strong sense of empathy, sensing the emotions of others and feeling the pain of the world. You care deeply, which is both a gift and a challenge as it can be, at times, overwhelming. 

• You notice what others often miss - As if you had antennae, you may sense that which is unspoken and take in more details than others typically notice. This additional data is a benefit in decision making, leadership, parenting, etc but you may have been taught to override your self-trust or attunement to subtleties.