Highly sensitive person: it's when your central nervous system is more active than the average
person.
Tags on clothes annoy the hell out of me.
They’re so damn itchy!
I’ve definitely ruined many pieces of clothing by impatiently ripping tags off.
Honestly, more than half of my closet consists of clothes that annoy me somehow.
The stitching, the collar, the tightness.
I don’t want to feel the clothes, I want it to just lay softly on my skin, and that’s
surprisingly hard to find if you also care about looking decent.
I hate scented products.
Soaps, laundry detergents.
God forbid fragranced moisturizer that has to sit on my face all day.
One moment I’ll be sad about something, the next I’ll see something beautiful, like
a tree or a mountain or I’ll hear the sound of the tippity tappity paws of Fred, and suddenly…
all is well in the world.
I’m easily impressed in that way.
I’ve always been quite sensitive, you know?
I was the kid who’d organize the stuffed animals at the kids store to make sure everyone
was with their friends; to make sure the giraffe stuffed animal wasn’t left with the lion
stuffed animals.
Poor thing.
When I used to sleep with all 50 of my stuffed animals as a kid, I’d rotate them each night
so that no one would feel left out.
I did have one favorite though, that I always kept closest to me.
I’ll see a single flower in a big field and stop and wonder why it’s the only one
that’s bloomed.
My friends aren’t at all unfamiliar with my “look, a single flower in the middle
of nowhere” photo texts.
Sensitivity: A heightened ability to perceive, process, and respond deeply to one's environment.
If you’re like me, someone has definitely told you “you’re too sensitive”.
They’ve made you feel small, because you had a reaction to something hurtful they said
or did to you.
Funny how those people never point out your sensitivity when it benefits them, isn’t
it?
When you love them so deeply; when you accommodate them without them having to say a word and
when you hold them during times they don’t even know they need to be held, simply because
you can feel what they’re feeling.
Oh, no, they won’t be complaining then, will they?
See, as soon as you walked through the door, without even seeing you, I could sense what
mood you were in; by the way that you closed the door, and by how long you took to take
your coat and shoes off to come inside, because when you’re feeling relaxed and excited
to see me, you hurry up.
When you take your time, you’re often distracted or stressed.
I can’t help but pick up on the subtle emotional cues that are often left unspoken; but I’ll
know, and I’ll make you some tea.
I’m not capable of being a little committed.
Actually, I don’t think I’m capable of “a little” of most emotions.
I’m rarely a “little” sad, no, I’ll be devastated.
I’ll be infuriated.
I’ll also be mesmerized.
I’ll laugh hysterically.
You can’t betray me just a little bit.
You’re either trustworthy or you’re not, there’s no spectrum.
I’ll love you so hard it pains me, but I’ll also forget all about you.
I’m deeply moved by beauty.
Soft melodies, artwork, fine meals, thoughtful architecture, and of course, the architecture
of nature itself.
Don’t even get me started on things like light; the way it glitters in the ocean, peeks
through objects.
Some of these things put me in a trance-like state.
The world often feels like this big, overwhelming place, so it’s important that I have my
little comforts, as I call them.
Here are some of those things that I’ve found:
Fred.
Are you surprised by this one?
I just have to look at his ears, and I’m okay.
I’ll be too busy wondering how dogs are possibly even real.
Writing.
Oh do I write.
A lot.
Every day.
Taking a nap Lots and lots of cuddles with whoever I have
available and willing at the time Dancing, alone or with someone
Hot showers Long walks
People watching Alone time
Harbors Water
The sun Disconnecting from social media
Routine.
When you’re easily overwhelmed, you’ll want some things in life that you can control;
things you can retreat to:
I know exactly how I like my morning coffee; the coffee-to-milk ratio and how much caffeine
is just enough.
I have my favorite soft blanket; the one I know won’t be itchy or bother me in any
way; the one I know will keep me just warm enough.
See, the smallest thing can upset me greatly, and the smallest thing can make me incredibly
happy, too.
Because of that, I find natural highs easily.
Perhaps that’s played at least a small part of the reason as to why drugs, and alcohol
never really appealed to me.
I don’t feel the need to enhance the natural experience of life.
Just take me up to the mountains overlooking the water and I’ll be high as a kite for
the next 24 hours.
I know it can feel lonely being this way, but apparently an estimated 15-20% of the
population are highly sensitive people who also have this ability to feel ordinary things
in an extraordinary way.
It's taken a lot of unlearning to learn to love my nature, but I’ve come a long way,
and it’s even more fascinating than I could’ve ever imagined.
It’s difficult to get bored with this overwhelming, terrifying, complex, breathtakingly beautiful
life.