Taking Care of Yourself If You Are a Highly Sensitive Person

What comes to mind when you think of someone who is sensitive? Someone who cries a lot, has low tolerance, is easily offended, and shy? As a highly sensitive person, or HSP, I know what it’s like to feel like you’re always on edge. According to Dr. Elaine Aron, up to 20% of the population is described as highly sensitive and this trait also exists in over 100 species in the animal kingdom as well. Someone who is highly sensitive can be described as someone who experiences things more intensely than others. We have a heightened sensitivity to our environment. Often, we feel tired and worn out after being in a large crowd and need time to recharge afterwards. It is easy for us to feel misunderstood by others who don’t feel the same as we do. Some other indicators of being highly sensitive include:

• Difficulty meeting people

• Overstimulated/Overwhelmed easily

• Struggling to make decisions

• Need time alone to withdraw from things

• Chronic fatigue due to over stimulation

• Bothered by large crowds

• More prone to depression and anxiety

• Lean towards perfectionism

• Low self esteem

If you feel as though you are a highly sensitive person, firstly, you should understand that there isn’t anything wrong with you. Second, make sure that you are taking the time to take care of yourself. Here are 5 tips:

• Create a daily ritual/routine

Take just a few minutes every day to create a routine that you will look forward to. My thing is having my coffee every morning while I watch the sun rise on my way to work. Plan on making time to do something that you enjoy every day. It helps me feel more stable and like I have a grasp on life.

• Meditate

Meditating is a great way to clear your mind and bring you back to the present moment. Focus on your breath and breathing in and out slowly. If you have the time, take at least 10 minutes a day to sit down somewhere quiet and meditate daily.

• Exercise

Run, take a walk, go to the gym. Any kind of movement is helpful. Personally, I love to hoop dance. It helps me clear my mind and takes the edge off immensely. It reminds me to come back to the moment and encourages me to break out of my shell.

• Spend time alone

Highly sensitive people love to spend time alone. It helps us to go through all of the thoughts that come and go during the day. Just sitting in a quiet space and taking time to do nothing is great self-care.

• Don’t put yourself in uncomfortable situations

If you know the situation you are putting yourself in is going to stress you out, you should more than likely avoid that situation. If you are set off by bright lights and loud noises, parties are probably not the best things for you to attend.

Remembering to take care of yourself on a daily basis is the best thing you can do for yourself. Find out what works for you and stick to that. If you find these tips helpful, or have some other tips that help you keep your feet on the ground, make sure to share them with me here!

Photo Credit:

http://cultivatinghabits.com/2014/01/11/how-to-meditate/

http://www.thegreatfitnessexperiment.com/2013/10/from-orchid-child-to-drama-queen-to-highly-sensitive-person-a-lifetime-of-walking-around-feeling-like-my-skin-is-inside-out.html