To all the Moderately Sensitive Souls out there... I am too!
Is it any wonder the day I decide to start a personal Blog it’s Valentines Day? Even though I don’t usually buy into these types of ‘days’ (other than a little moment with my husband) the coincidence is not to be ignored. Why? Because as far as love goes, blogging/journaling is up there as one of THE most beneficial self-love practices to date. Ok well maybe not Blogging, but getting your thoughts out is particularly helpful if you are a Highly, or more accurately for me, a Moderately Sensitive Person. You have deep processing abilities so there is allot to think about each day. There is allot to analyse from each conversation and interaction. What better way to decompress than to write it all down! For me there has always been something transformative about transferring your swirling thoughts onto and into something physical. You can look back on life and reflect deeply (totally a norm and a need for HSP’s/MSP’s), or scratch out your utter annoyance on paper only to scrunch it up and throw it in the bin. Letting. That. Sh*t. Go.
The one huge difference of course is that we don’t usually let the whole world read our journal, right? But herein lies the point: part of learning to accept who you are means being able to talk about it openly. So here we are, openly talking to the whole world. The more we talk about it the more familiar it feels. We become superstars at being able to explain our sensitivity to others. So please accept this Blog as a practice in "self-acceptance". I hope you find it helpful.
So why Moderately and not Highly Sensitive?
If you have read anything about being overly sensitive or highly sensitive you might initially think OH MY DAYS. THIS IS ME!!! You take a deep dive into all the books and YT video's and IG accounts and you think "this is the most validating thing I have ever read!".... You are sure this explanation of why you have been so emotional your whole life is the answer!!! But there is this little voice inside you that says "yeah, i agree, but maybe not entirely or maybe not to that degree"....you start thinking maybe they're not talking about you after all. But you keep going 'cause you know you're on the right track and then there it is..... staring you in the face. Page xxiv of Elaine N. Aron's book The Highly Sensitive Person! Moderate Sensitivity is a thing!!! Now YOU KNOW. Deeply know, this is definitely you. Maybe I don’t react as intensely as "highly" sensitive peeps do, but I still know I react stronger, much stronger, than most. Reflecting on this, of course I sit somewhere in the middle. 3rd child out of 4 will do that to you.
So as MSP's we still experience the same thing as HSP's but maybe not as often or maybe not as intensely. We still “know” there is something a little “different” about how we roll. We are still on the highly sensitive end of the scale, just not as much. Things are never black and white are they? Always nuanced. Maybe we were highly sensitive as babes as well as through 'toddlerhood' and 'teenhood' and by adulthood we have done some inner work to maybe lessen the "sensitivity" and we find ourselves treading middle ground. But one thing that is certain, our nervous systems are more highly tuned than most. This causes us to be more impacted by our environment. So we are likely to be affected on a deeper level and thus likely to have a stronger reaction, whether this is outwardly expressed or not. And this my friends is something that I'm now choosing to CELEBRATE. Am I reacting emotionally to a situation in a way that an non HSP would? ABSOLUTELY. But that doesn't mean there is something wrong with me. It means my feelings are normal based on WHO I AM. Now don't tell that isn't the most gratifying, validating and down right relieving thing you have ever read?
So if like me, you have recently discovered the world of HSP's and Elaine's book then you might just find some little nuggets in here. When you learn this about yourself it can be life changing and provide lots of answers. The need to discuss it with similar people may just motivate you to start a Blog. But this is one of our traits. We're passionate about what we do.
Can you relate? Tell me your story!
Sending love,
P.S here is the link to Elaine Aron’s "The Highly Sensitive Person" book - check out page xxiv in the Authors Note, 2020 section for a reference to us! MSP’s!
P.s.s Here is a link to How to set up a Blog. I've never done it before and found this article helpful.
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