I spent the first half of this year feeling like the Grinch after a root canal.
Grumpy doesn’t quite cut it—I was downright miserable.
I thought I was doing a decent job of meeting the needs of my body and mind, but I was annoyed that it didn’t seem to be enough. They were begging for more, but rather than give in I tried to push through my barriers in an attempt to “toughen up” and “build resilience”.
Too much rest was a slippery slope heading straight toward self-indulgence, procrastination, and complete derailment of my business. Having two small children my time was already tight—and now I was supposed to start siphoning off even more so that I could—what? Have a bath in the middle of the day? Read a novel? Take an afternoon nap???
Wouldn’t that make me….lazy???
Half of me was screaming that I needed extra downtime but the other half was screaming that I shouldn’t need it; that I needed to keep showing up, pushing myself outside my comfort zone, building the stamina I needed to “get to the next level”.
It wasn’t until I discovered that I have the trait of sensory processing sensitivity, making me what’s called a “highly sensitive person” (or what I like to call a secretly sensitive person), that I realized my need for extra downtime was the result of an immutable trait rather than a sign of laziness or weakness, and finally gave myself permission to meet those needs with love and compassion.
Not surprisingly my foul mood soon lifted and I began feeling happier and more aligned than I had in months.
How many of us routinely ignore our own needs, either out of the habit of putting others first, or out of a reluctance to admit that we even have them in the first place?
Maybe you’re secretly sensitive, like me, and you know that while it comes with many gifts, like heightened empathy, creativity, and intuition, it can also make life feel overwhelming at times from all of that environmental, emotional, and social stimulation.
Or, maybe you’re not secretly sensitive, but you’re looking to live life in total alignment with the requirements of your unique body, mind, and spirit.
Either way, I think you’ll enjoy my latest YouTube video below, 7 Ways to Boost Happiness as a Highly Sensitive Person, where you’ll find helpful tips to live a calmer, happier life, no matter your level of sensitivity.
Because, identifying your unique needs and meeting them tenderly is one of the surest ways to happiness.
Talk soon,
Rachel
