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What's So Great
About Being Highly Sensitive, Anyway?
by
Jenna Avery, CLC, Life Coach for Sensitive Souls
If you’re highly sensitive, you may see your sensitivity as a
limitation. As a client said once at the outset of coaching: “I see my
sensitivity as a handicap, not as a gift.”
You,
too, may feel like
being highly sensitive is a burden. But what I’ve seen is that when you
work with your sensitivity instead of against it, your life flows
easily, peacefully, and naturally.
My sensitivity is both a challenge and a gift, I believe, which
ultimately makes it neutral. But here’s the clincher: So many of us
have learned to see our sensitivity as a drawback, we have to focus our
attention on what makes it a strength instead. We have years of
negative programming to overcome!
If you’re curious about whether or not you might be a sensitive, take a
look at my article “Are You Highly Sensitive?"
When we focus on what’s great about being highly sensitive, a number of
key aspects emerge. As you read this article, allow yourself to
consider the gifts that these traits bring into your life.
1. We are perceptive. Our sensitivity includes a natural inclination to
absorb subtle information from a range of sources, from our environment
and those around us. The details come through many channels, including:
smelling, tasting, touching, seeing, hearing, intuiting, and sensing
energy.
Ultimately,
we observe fine details in the physical,
intellectual, emotional, and spiritual realms. This means we have a leg
up on most people, who aren’t able to take in so much information.
2. We are intuitive. Sensitives have a strong ability to connect with
sources of information and discern solutions beyond what is explicable
through the intellect. In other words, sometimes we “just know.”
This
means we have powerful skills that make it possible for us to assist
ourselves and others more efficiently and effectively. I love my
intuitive ability to quickly arrive at answers and discover knowledge
that I can’t access through analysis or reasoning. Our intuition can
bring us great peace of mind if we learn to trust it.
3. We are creative, imaginative, or creatively attuned. We have the
ability to tie together things that we see into complex and original
concepts. This makes us visionaries or “priestly advisors,” according
to Elaine Aron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person.
Our
artistic
inclinations, along with our sensing abilities, allow us to make
beautiful spaces and objects. We can get things “just right.” We also
enjoy a rich experience of life. Like in the “Wizard of Oz,” when
Dorothy comes out of the house in Munchkin Land, everything is in
Technicolor! I’ll gladly take the “lions and tigers and bears” and the
“oh my” to experience everything else that goes along with it.
4. We are empathic. As sensitives, we empathize with others. Sometimes
we can even experience other people’s emotions as if they were our own,
particularly when we have weak boundaries.
When
we tune into other
people’s energy and emotional states, it’s easy for us to surmise what
they need and want. This makes our relationships deeply authentic and
caring. Ultimately, this means we are gifted in our ability to be of
service to others.
5. We are passionate and intense. Because we are such passionate
people, sensitives experience great beauty, great joy, and even great
sorrow. In short, we experience life deeply. We are well equipped to go
“deep sea diving” with ourselves and with others. This means that we
are the friends people call in times of need.
6. We are soulful. Sensitives are usually attuned to the spiritual
realm. This means we find it easier to live divinely guided lives. When
we pay attention to ourselves and our spirituality, we easily discover
our purpose and life plan. This also means we can graciously usher in
the spiritual and sacred for those around us.
All of these traits, together, make us important members of society.
Without us, our culture would experience significantly less art,
beauty, tenderness, spirituality, passion, and peace.
We
bring so much
healing to the world with our awareness, insight, and knowledge. In
fact, we make great planners, strategists, trouble-shooters, healers,
energy workers, visionaries, environmentalists, coaches, designers,
feng shui practitioners, caregivers, animal experts, artists,
musicians, writers, advisers, counselors, teachers, intuitives,
psychics, sages, and prophets, etc. These are among many others!
Don’t get me wrong. Many of these traits come with challenges, too. But
what I’ve seen is that when we learn the strategies and skills to deal
with those challenges, we put our sensitivity to work – on our behalf
as well as for the benefit of others. The only thing wrong with being
sensitive is trying to pretend that you’re not.
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Copyright 2004-2005, Jennifer
Avery, All rights reserved.
Jenna Avery is
a highly sensitive coach and intuitive who offers an original coaching
program called Embrace Your
Essential Self, designed to guide sensitive souls to find a deep
sense of inner rightness within themselves so they are inspired to step
forward and shine. Jenna is a Certified Life Coach based in Berkeley,
California. She can be reached at 510.528.1696. You’re invited to take
her free online assessment: "Is Your
Sensitivity Working For You?" on her website at www.highlysensitivesouls.com
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related pages on this site [Talent
Development Resources] :
intensity
/
sensitivity
intensity
/ sensitivity resources : articles sites books
GT
Adults giftedness
giftedness
: articles
giftedness :
books..
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