Last year I found out I’m a highly sensitive person (an HSP). It’s a personality trait recognised in psychology that approximately 10-20% of the population have. It means all of your senses are heightened. And it means you’re effected more deeply by emotions, subtleties in your environment and things like music or art.
There’s lots more to it and it's been both a joy and affirming to research. Here's the test to find out if you're an HSP too!
Finding this out last year, and reading the book all about it, changed my life. Before then, and throughout my whole life, I saw being sensitive as a negative thing. Because that’s what society tells us. Now, instead of trying to ‘fix’ it or work against it, I know what my strengths are. And I embrace them and work with them. It’s so freeing to understand yourself - and accept yourself as you are.
If you’ve ever been told you’re too sensitive, I hope you know that it is a part of you that is magic. That it can help the world in so many ways. And that it is your superpower, if you want it to be.
The book recommended is ‘The Highly Sensitive Person’ by Elaine Aron which you can find here. (Affiliate link)
Prints of this illustration are available in my shop here.
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