Have you ever been told: "You're TOO SENSITIVE!!!", "Why are you so sensitive!"?
If you've ever been in an abusive relationship, (with a boyfriend/girlfriend, family member or friend), you've probably heard something like that. After they dish you out a truckload of unkind words, and insensitive comments, they like too blame you even more for their lack of kindness, and selfishly find a way to make it your fault...."You're just too sensitive"!
I used this picture of my "Edward Scissorhands look", because Edward was "highly sensitive", and that was his beauty, that's why you fell in love with his character.
Well HOORAY! I'm what some Self-Help books and websites would label, A Highly Sensitive Person!
(taken from a list of "HPS" traits from www.highlysensitivepeople.com, I'm serious, that's a real website!)
1. Are are very creative?
2. Do you have a deep, rich, inner life, are very spiritual, and may also have vivid dreams.
3. Do you get a sense of comfort and well being when around a lake, river, stream, the ocean, or even a fountain?
4. Are you very intuitive, can you usually tell if something is bothering someone?
5. Were you considered quiet, introverted, timid, or shy as a child?
6. Do you get concerned and think or worry about many things, and have also been told "you take things too personally."
7. Are you affected by other people's moods, emotions and problems?
8. Are you very conscientious, hard working, and meticulous, but may become uncomfortable and less efficient or productive when being watched or scrutinized?
9. Do you feel compelled to file and organize things and thoughts, also enjoy simplicity and may become overwhelmed or even immobilized by chaos, clutter, or stress?
HOW'D YOU SCORE?
If you answered yes to one of these, YOU ARE HIGHLY SENSITIVE! Just kidding! But honestly as I read through those, I was thinking, "Yes! Yeah. Who doesn't feel peaceful around a lake or the ocean, or watching the sunset? Ok, yes I was pretty shy. Oh yes I get effected by other people's emotions." Ok, ok, I'll join the 15-20% of society that is HIGHLY SENSITIVE!
BEFORE YOU GO OUT AND BUY A SELF HELP BOOK OR BUY THE SHIRTS I'LL BE PRINTING, "I'M OK, YOU'RE OK, I'M JUST HIGHLY SENSITIVE, DEAL WITH IT!", OH BUT WAIT, I'D NEVER SAY THAT!
it makes you want to ask...
"what the heck is so bad about being sensitive?" "who said sensitivity is a bad thing anyway?"
....your football coach, your abusive ex, the hard-hearted person that is too selfish to think about others' feelings, maybe even your parent or a "well intentioned" friend?
Society likes to put a label on everything. What better way than to make the precious hearts of the world, feel even more upset over something, to ruin that invaluable ability they have of being aware of others feelings, than to give them some "social term" like, HIGHLY SENSITIVE, like it's a problem or a bad thing?
WHY I LOVE SENSITIVE PEOPLE:
They are the heart of the world, the ones with compassion, that feel others pain, that celebrate others happiness, the ones that not just look up at the stars, but see the beauty of the twinkling glitter int eh night sky.
They are the ones that make sure you feel loved, and make you feel loved on your birthday, with a card or flowers. They are the ones that not just see a sunset, but see and feel the beauty of that glowing orb, grandly sinking to wake up another part of the world with it's warm glow. They are the ones that feel the ache of a broken heart or joy of a new love, and turn it into a song, with words to the paint feelings in your heart.
The sensitive people are the true wonders of the world. They are the hearts and hope and artists in the world...the dancers, singers, painters, musicians...the ones who notice beauty, where others just walk on by.
The sensitive people are the ones that notice the cotton candy color or the sky in the afternoon, they stop and smell the sweet perfume of flowers, they enjoy the sound of laughter and hear beauty in it, they take their shoes off at the beach to feel the sand. Music and art, and beauty (not the beauty that Hollywood promotes, but the beauty in the small things) are in important part of their life.
I am thankful I am so sensitive. All the great artists and people in the world, the ones that made a difference were sensitive, Princess Diana, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, and many countless people who loved, felt, and felt others' emotions, and by doing so, changed the world.
We are not just "highly sensitive", we are the heart and change in the world, we are "highly awesome"!
Go out today with your senses...and feel and see the beauty all around, and rejoice that you are sensitive....just like me!
huge love and lots of sensitivity, kandee
