Have you heard of the term Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)?
They say around 20% or less of the population is Highly Sensitive, but in reality we all are, some people are just on another level or more aware of it.
Not being aware of being a HSP can cause chaos for us emotionally or it can be beautiful, empowering and help create needed change and connection.
If you look up the definition of Energy is comes up with:
"Energy can be converted in form, but cannot be created or destroyed".
Energy is all there is. It's all around us and in us. All connected. But, some people are more in tune with it than others.
People with these sensitivities are labelled as ‘weird’, ‘different’ or having something ‘wrong’ with them. We are all still living in old ways and all need a huge upgrade! There is nothing ‘wrong’ with you at all, and it can actually be a very enlightening experience.
We as a collective consciousness are going through a serious energetic upgrade right now, I mean we have to! How far have we all come since hundreds and thousands of years ago? I bet you can all feel the changes?
We need to let go of everything we have previously learnt and have been programmed to believe. We need to unlearn and tap into our intuition (our real truth) and start realising there is more to this infinite, energetic life. Push your false limiting beliefs and ego aside. We need to show more empathy for others. It can be seriously hard being a HSP in a society that just doesn't understand and is too close-minded at the moment.
Symptoms of a HSP
Some of the symptoms you may experience as a HSP are:
Affected by environment
Take on emotions or personality of your surrounding environment.
Sensitive to energy
Whether in your environment or people - you may only feel a connection or ‘good’ energy with certain people. This may actually be beneficial for you in knowing who to bring into your space and energy and who just doesn’t feel quite right. This is similar to listening to our intuition when a person, place or circumstance doesn’t feel quite right, listen to it.
Because of this you will also be more likely to have just a couple or a few meaningful relationships over having a lot of friends.
Overstimulated by a busy environment
If you are an introvert you may already be aware of this. After socialising or being in a busy and noisy environment with a lot going on, after a while you may start to feel drained of your energy, and feel like you need somewhere quiet to retreat to on your own. Not socialising all of the time is completely fine, sometimes you need time for yourself to recharge your energy and get back in touch with yourself. Being in nature or going for a walk through nature on my own really helps me to recharge. If your friends or family don't understand just explain to them that sometimes you feel that you need some space for yourself to reset your energy and more often than not they will understand, and might even relate.
Strong sensory input
Heightened senses and sensitive to loud noises, bright lights etc. Some days may be more prominent than other days. I personally also have quite sensitive taste buds so food reviews are kind of perfect for me!
Empathetic
You may feel a deep need to help and bring change. You may also empathise with what another person is feeling and feel it too, so also be aware of what you watch on TV.
Sensitive to energy happening in the world including natural disasters
As everything is connected through energy any energetic changes happening in our world can effect us. Sometimes if you are feeling anxious for example or have a racing heart or heart palpitations for no apparent reason it could be the effects of something bigger happening energetically on our planet (or outside of our planet), including any planet retrogrades! We can also pick up on natural disasters that haven't yet happened. If you are feeling funny or are getting strange recurring symptoms, write them in a journal with the dates and try and figure out if it relates to anything. This can help you to better understand why these symptoms are happening.
You have probably heard about people who have symptoms that can not be explained by doctors or any tests. It's because doctors don't get taught about energy. Our mind and emotions (energy) effects every cell in our body.
Can take on other people's emotions
Being sensitive to energy means you can pick up on other people's energy and mood. You have probably found that with some people you feel relaxed or even happy and other people you feel a bit more closed off or uncomfortable or even down, anxious or moody. You may even adapt to suit other people's personality and vibe. Like me for example, there have been only a few people so far in my life that I have felt I just connected with and I have kept that connection with them. In school growing up you may have only had one or two close friends rather than having a lot of friends. Decide who to let into your energy space and fill it with high-vibed people!
Observant
You may be overly observant with people and situations. You may be good at reading people and also find it easier to tell if someone is lying or not.
Feel emotions deeply
Any emotion you feel like happiness, may turn into euphoria and you may feel sadness or anger five times as strong. Some people may see you as extremely moody but that isn't the case. The trick is not to get stuck in your emotions, feel them and let them pass, don't cling to them. You may even pick up on other people's emotion as your own, tap into what you may be feeling and ask yourself if this emotion is being brought up from an underlying issue I haven't yet dealt with and released yet, or is coming from another person or source. Then you can just let it move through you, remember not to cling to it.
Feel like there is something more
Because we are strongly connected to higher energy and the energy around us, you may feel like there is something more out there than the physical. You may feel strong emotions or think thoughts that you can't quite put meaning to. I have become awake and I have been questioning everything.
May feel physically drained or anxious for no apparent reason
Some other physical symptoms are: digestion issues, headaches, heart palpitations, dizziness.
How to deal with these symptoms:
Awareness
First of all being aware of this allows you to gain some power back.
Meditate
Sit, breathe, be still, calm the mind. Try and allow 10-30 minutes a day of meditation.
Space for yourself to recharge
I touched on this in the point about being overstimulated by a busy environment; after socialising or being in a busy and noisy environment with a lot going on, after a while you may start to feel drained of your energy, so finding some time when you feel you need it to be by yourself to recharge will really benefit you and help you not feel overwhelmed.
Be in nature
Swim in the ocean, walk through a forest or big park, sit under a tree, by yourself away from lots of people. When I am in nature I feel peace, happiness and connected to a higher energy, and most of all I always feel recharged.
Find your tribe!
Find someone who understands a HSP and just hang with them for a while or talk to them about what you're feeling.
Journal
Any thoughts, feelings, insights. This will help you get it out of your head and onto paper. You may also be surprised with what you write.
I hope this has given you some insight on being a HSP and has now provided you with ways to help you better control it and feel less overwhelmed by it.