What are the benefits of being a highly sensitive person?

What are the benefits of being a highly sensitive person? I have just watched a lovely TED talk by Elena Herdieckerhoff. She talks about the gentle power of highly sensitive people. I definitely consider myself to be highly sensitive. At times I can certainly be over-emotional. But Elena points out the many valuable traits of highly sensitive people in this talk, and I also recognise a lot of these in myself too.

We tend to have our senses on high alert, so we live in a vivid world where our emotions are magnified. In addition, we care deeply about other people and find it easy to connect with them.

I definitely have a very overactive mind, and find it difficult to switch off. However, I also recognise in myself the strong intuition that guides me like a moral compass.

Dr. Elaine Aron is the author of the book “The Highly Sensitive Person”. She describes 15 to 20% of the population as being highly sensitive people, who have the genetic trait of “sensory processing sensitivity”. She explains that they tend to have the following four characteristics:

Depth of processing – we can over analyse absolutely everything.

Overstimulation – we easily get overwhelmed by the world around us.

Empathy – we feel what others feel.

Awareness of subtleties – we pick up on absolutely everything.

30% of highly sensitive people are extroverts rather than introverts, and there is an equal split between men and women. We do not choose to be sensitive; it is a genetic trait. Most of us have a genuine urge to create connection and meaning, and to right the wrongs of the world.

We should stop looking at sensitivity as a weakness, and start to appreciate its positive qualities. It is important to create an environment where all personality types can flourish, and we don’t feel we need to change to fit in.

Project 365

I set up this website after deciding that I want to build a more creative life for myself, so I can give up my job and be in control of my own destiny.

I have set myself a goal of publishing an article on my website every day this year, to document my journey from employment to self-employment.

The name I chose was Project 365 because I see this as a year that I have dedicated to learning and self-development, as I countdown to freedom. It started on 1st January 2021, so I have 307 days to go!

Why not check in on a regular basis to see how I am progressing, and what I have discovered?