If you have been told all your life that you are too sensitive, lighten up, or cry a lot, you may be a Highly Sensitive Person.According to Elaine Aron, a clinical psychologist who has researched HSPs and written many books on the subject, they naturally have a more sensitive nervous system.Over time, you get a lot of information about the moods and relationships of other people, which leaves your neural system feeling exhausted.These experiences can lead you to retreat to be alone to cry or question whether or not you have a problem, which can make you feel overwhelmed.According to Dr. Aron, the key to dealing with your characteristics is to see them as an asset.
Step 1: Don't let your stress get to you.
Your heightened senses and sensitive neural system make you feel more stressed out than other people.If you attempt to keep up with outside demands when your body is telling you that you need a break, you will feel the effects of stress.The body responds to stress.It causes your body to go into flight mode.Stress can cause your heart rate to go up, your blood vessels to dilate, and your stomach to get upset.Chronic headaches, hypertension, heart attack, stroke, and persistent fatigue can all be caused by stress.
Step 2: Socialize in an appropriate way.
Highly sensitive people tend to over-socialize.It's important to find a balance between leaving your house and your comfort zone.It is possible to allow yourself time alone in a familiar setting.If you spend too much time out, you may find yourself listening more to external demands than internal demands and you are likely to become overwhelmed or over-stimulated on a regular basis.Symptoms of stress include headaches, fatigue, muscle tension, and even insomnia.You run the risk of missing out on valuable experiences if you spend too much time in.Going out can become more difficult as you become less used to being in unfamiliar situations.If you begin to feel lonely, you may want to get involved in more social activities.
Step 3: Get a lot of rest.
Everyone needs to get plenty of sleep to thrive, but sensitive individuals may find sleep even more important.Sleep helps the body repair.People trying to work night shifts or recover from jet lag may do worse than the HSPs.Chronic health problems can be caused by poor sleep.Chronic stress and the inability to deal with stress effectively are linked to poor sleep.
Step 4: Allow yourself time to relax.
Highly sensitive people don't allow themselves time to relax and enjoy themselves.It is possible to build time into your schedule for leisure or play.A person who is an HSP may enjoy reading a book, gardening, or cooking a new meal.
Step 5: Find meaning.
Highly sensitive people can find a form of rest through connecting to something larger than themselves, according to Dr. Aron.This can be meditation, yoga, prayer, or just thoughtful contemplation.Transcendence allows the mind to rest while conscious, which can help with stress management and general feelings of calm.It is possible to make yourself more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and actions.It can lead to an increase in self-care.
Step 6: Personal boundaries should be set.
Many people have difficulty setting boundaries.They become too involved in other people's lives, become intimate with others too quickly, and are affected by the emotions of others.If you want to share something but keep it to yourself, you can use personal boundaries.If you have difficulty setting boundaries at first, don't get discouraged, think about it as a process and not a result.Allowing you to determine the level of involvement that you feel comfortable with helps you assert the importance of your own needs while also addressing the needs of others.Setting personal boundaries can include telling coworkers that you don't want to hear about office gossip or telling a friend when you need some down time to yourself.You can tell a coworker, "I appreciate your including me in the conversation, but I prefer to talk about other topics that do not involve the personal lives of our coworkers."I can give you the full consideration that you deserve if we meet for coffee in the morning.
Step 7: The situation should be changed.
You should remind yourself of the positive aspects of having an HSP personality.Tell yourself that your reaction to the situation is normal and that you don't have to be afraid of it.Try to pay attention to the things that are familiar to you.
Step 8: You can repeat a mantra.
There is a word or phrase that calms you.It can be a quote, a phrase or a prayer.It is possible to reduce stress and focus on the present moment with the help of a mini-meditation."I am great the way I am, I can manage my sensitivity, and this, too, shall pass."
Step 9: Listen to soothing music.
Highly sensitive people feel connected to music.Listening to calming music in times of over stimulation can help calm them.Try to focus on the sounds of the music and not the external stressors that can come from listening to music.
Step 10: It's a good idea to reduce stimulation.
If you feel overwhelmed, you may need to close your eyes.It is possible to separate yourself from external stress by closing your eyes.It is possible to feel calmer by taking deep breaths while your eyes are closed.
Step 11: Give yourself time to recuperate.
If you have many tasks to complete or are going to be in a crowded environment, you may need to build breaks into your schedule.You can set an alarm if you want to take a break.It can help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.
Step 12: Go for a walk.
Walking is a form of physical exercise that can reduce muscle tension, and allow you to remove yourself from stress.If possible, walk outside.Highly sensitive individuals can find solace in the scenic views of nature when they are outdoors.
Step 13: Relax your breathing.
If you find yourself breathing rapidly, you can control your breathing by inhaling deeply, holding for 5 seconds, and exhaling.After taking 2 normal breaths, repeat the 5-second breath cycle.This shows your body that you don't need to be fighting or flying.
Step 14: It was a time when being HSP really helped you.
Highly sensitive people are more aware of danger than others.When Dr. Aron saved her family from a house fire, she was easily woken by the first light of the fire.Dr. Aron asks her clients to think back to a time when their sensitivity saved them from suffering, great loss, or even death.
Step 15: Don't compare yourself to others.
There is no right or wrong way to act or feel.Being more sensitive than other people doesn't make you less valuable.It can help you accept it if you view it as part of your personality.
Step 16: Ignore your inner critic.
Many people have a voice inside their heads that criticizes them.As you learn to accept yourself for who you are and treat yourself as a friend, not an enemy, this inner critic should be silenced.Realizing that you are having a negative thought, stopping yourself, and reframing it is part of this.Your inner critic may say, "I am so embarrassed that I am the only person who has ever cried at work in front of others."You can say that you are sensitive and that is okay.Even though I cry at work occasionally, I am also the person that my coworkers feel comfortable approaching for advice or empathizing with their personal problems.
Step 17: Positive aspects of your trait are what you should focus on.
If you have a sensitive personality, you should write a list of your unique quirks.Underneath each trait, write about how it is positive and valuable.This can show you how special you are.Beneath this, you can write all of the benefits of that: you are a good friend, try to be kind to others, and you know when someone needs a hug or a laugh.
Step 18: There are social signs of an HSP.
A highly sensitive person is more likely to notice their personality quirks.You are hyper aware of how your emotions, behaviors, and words affect others and you are highly influenced by other's moods.
Step 19: Evaluate your moods.
Highly sensitive people are more affected by their emotions than other people.A tendency to retreat into inner thoughts, a deep connection to art or music, and an inability to adapt to life changes are some of the emotional characteristics of HSPs.
Step 20: Look for physical symptoms.
Many of the physical characteristics of an HSP are emotional or social.These may be tied to the fact that people with HSP have a more sensitive nervous system, which affects both their emotions and their bodies.Acute sensitivity to pain, being overwhelmed by loud sounds, bright lights, or strong smells, and being greatly affected by medications are some of the physical symptoms of an HSP.
Step 21: Consider the benefits of being an HSP.
Highly sensitive people have characteristics that should be valued.You can pick up on things other people don't.You are likely able to avoid or spot errors that others miss, concentrate for long periods of time, express yourself creatively, and execute fine motor movements very well.Many people who are HSP are skilled at self-awareness, and can easily sense the needs and emotions of others.These skills can be used to make money.