14 keys to thriving as a Highly Sensitive Person (and why it’s highly likely *you’re* one)

In my last article I shared the first key to overcoming the feeling that you’re “not good enough”.

If you missed that one I encourage you to circle back and check it out now!

I talk about how painful I found my dad’s rejection of me (as I perceived it) on my wedding day, and what I’ve learned since – and many readers have written in to say that this particular article really helped them.

And today I’m going to share another insight that’s been huge for me.

And that was the discovery that I’m a Highly Sensitive Person (or HSP). Did you know that this is actually a recognised psychological trait? Today I want to take a brief look at this trait and I’m going to cover:

1. Why the fact that you’ve visited this website and read this far makes it quite likely that you, too, are a Highly Sensitive Person;
2. How life-changing (in a good way) it can be to discover this;
3. My top 14 tips for thriving as a Highly Sensitive Person.

The HSP trait was first identified by the psychotherapist Elaine Aron in 1996. She estimates that 15-20% of the population fits into this category.

So we’re a minority…but a sizeable one!

Over the years I’ve discovered that women who are aware that their childhood continues to have a profound impact on them in adult life are much more likely than average to be HSPs.

And this makes perfect sense since the HSP trait is one we’re born with and:

1. the children who possess this trait are the children who are most acutely sensitive to the effects of their family and home environment, and…
2. the HSP trait also makes people highly intuitive and in touch with their emotions, so these children grow into adults who are especially likely to be conscious of any past pain that is still impacting them today.

Learning that I was a Highly Sensitive Person was life-changing for me!

For the first time I understood (a) why I was so different from most of those around me – and (b) that there were more people “like me” than I’d ever imagined (again, nearly a fifth of us possess this trait).

And since then I’ve encountered many others who’ve also found this discovery to be life-changing in the most positive way.

If this is the first time you’ve heard about this trait and you’re having your own “aha” moment as you read this, this could be the day that your life starts to really change for the better.

Being an HSP is actually a wonderful gift. Your high sensitivity means you can live an extraordinarily rich and meaningful life.

You just need to learn how to honour your sensitive nature in the way you manage your energy and interact with others. 

And I share my top tips for doing just that in my article “14 keys to thriving as a Highly Sensitive Person“. (Side note: the last one touches on the importance of eating in a way that supports us, and links to my diet guidelines for the Highly Sensitive Person.)

And if you’re not sure whether you’re an HSP, go to my post Are YOU a Highly Sensitive Person? It begins with a mini quiz which will give you a very good idea of the answer to that question.

If you are and you didn’t realise it (or haven’t been living in a way that honours your sensitive nature) following the tips in my article can be a total game-changer!

Until next time!