A Letter to the Highly Sensitive Person

To the person who has often been told that they are “too shy” or “too sensitive,” or who has often faced questions like, “Why can’t you slow down?,” “Why do you worry about everything?,” or “Why are you so dramatic?” To the person who feels misunderstood, overwhelmed, or lost in this world….I’m here to tell you that there is nothing wrong with you, but rather, you are a unique composition of emotions and processes, and you possess a giftedness that no one talks about….emotional giftedness.

You likely haven’t seen or appreciated your innate, intuitive gifts because they are not typically celebrated by society. These gifts may be expressed as deep thinking, profound empathy, sensitivity, and self-reflection. In reality the “gifted” children are not just the ones getting the top grades or winning the awards, but sadly, you probably thought that something was wrong with you because no one taught you how to develop your heart wisdom or you weren’t at the top of the leaderboard.

Due to your highly attuned sense of empathy and perception, you may have felt overly responsible, guilty, or helpless in different situations. You may have fallen into the role of caretaker or the keeper of secrets-both heavy burdens to bear. Feeling vulnerable and overwhelmed became the norm. Constantly scanning your environment, or “reading the room” for any potential threat is your weapon of choice.

You like to ask the big questions like “Who am I?” or “What’s the meaning of life?” Your intelligence is not merely your I.Q., but an existential and spiritual one. As much as the world hurts you when you witness its angst, the world also inspires you as you gaze at it with awe and wonder at its mysteries.

You see the bigger picture and a larger universe. As a highly sensitive empathic being, you have a greater proclivity towards spiritual awakening. You have the ability to see things beyond the surface and you sense a deep connection, a Oneness within the physical and spirit worlds. You are drawn to unity, peace, nature, space, and the interconnectedness of all.

For you, seeing isn’t believing, but instead, believing is seeing.

This intuitive nature of yours, along with a high degree of self-awareness often lend themselves to a strong creative drive, as well as a never-ending curiosity. You’re easily excitable, which if not kept in check, can lead to anxiety and a need to regulate your nervous system.

You have diverse interests and abilities and you hold a significant potential for doing many things in your lifetime. You move from one adventure to another, and this may be misunderstood by others as being non-committal.

There are strong attachments to people, places, and things. These strong ties can be mistaken for emotional immaturity and can hold you back or keep you stuck in the past.

-Turn inward to the heart wisdom you carry, so as to know when it’s time to move on.

Your strong sensory nature leads you to a deep appreciation for the arts and music, and for certain smells and textures-you may even hold powerful memories of such sensory experiences. On the B side, you may develop an intense aversion to particular odors, sounds, or elementals, i.e., allergies.

As a highly sensitive person, you likely grew up with lots of imaginary friends and was labeled a day-dreamer. You learned how to use your visions and imagination as a protective shield or an escape when the world became too much.

You lean towards perfectionism and idealism. It’s hard to accept criticism, but you’re overly critical of yourself. You feel a strong urge for autonomy and freedom, but feel the sting of not being a part of the “in crowd” and you may live with a loneliness that never seems to go away.

You’re a walking paradox it seems, and you often think that it’s no wonder that others find you confusing when you can’t seem to make sense of yourself.

But make no mistake, my friend….You are not a mistake.

Reclaim your giftedness!

“Giftedness refers to much more than I.Q….Being gifted does not mean you are superior, it may just mean that you are wired differently. It is important that you recognize your giftedness in order to live authentically, and that you don’t beat yourself up when you find that you express yourself differently or possess specific needs that the majority of others don’t share or understand.”

—Imi Lo

You are both Sensitive and Strong.

Stop trying to pretend you’re something you’re not.

“You are on the way to the greatest comeback of your life, not because you are about to gain something new, but because you are about to take back what was always yours-your power, your clarity, your voice, your non-negotiable right to be exactly who you are.”

—Carl Jung
(words directed to the Highly Sensitive Person)

I will end this letter as I began….

There is nothing wrong with you. You are different, yes, but this difference could be the magic needed to change the world.

Til next we meet in the forest….

Love,

Amanda♥️