Explaining HSP to those who don't have the trait
Starting up this blog has generated some great conversations with friends and family. It has made me realize how many cool, smart people I have in my life. My friend, Leslie, hit the nail on the head the other day. She said having High Sensitivity is like being left handed in a right dominant world. This makes so much sense! Because the vast majority of people do not have the HSP trait, it is understandable that the world is not set up primarily for a person with high sensitivity.
Highly sensitive people have many things in common but we are also very varied. For example, I have a friend who is HSP and an extrovert. I'm about as introverted as you can get. A different HSP friend hates traveling and all the stimulation that comes with that while I adore seeing the world and new places.
These variations can make it a little hard to explain. Also, I'm still learning so much. I liked the left handed analogy because, like HSP, it is simply a trait that you really don't have control over. AND, it's not something you need to fix. But you do have to learn how to live in a right dominant (non-HSP) world. Perhaps you might even benefit from some help coping with a world not made for your unique perspective.
What I say to people is that Highly Sensitive folks have a greater degree of neurological sensitivity to the world in terms of the 5 senses. We are also more sensitive emotionally both to our own feelings but also to the feelings of others. We are also prone to being overtaken by political and social causes because we feel so deeply. Basically we hit our stimulation threshold more quickly than most others and simply need to take time away from noises, sounds, etc. in order to recover.
It's very easy for the focus to get placed on the challenges. But in truth, I wouldn't trade my HSP trait for the world. I have a very rich inner world, deep emotional capacity and ability to detect subtle nuances in foods. Music often moves me to tears or waves of profound joy. As long as I make sure to take good care of myself and give myself breaks, I truly enjoy life with all its colors.
Blessings!
Caprice
