A Blessing and a Curse

Life 2 Minutes

Some of you may have heard of a trait that some people have, it’s known as HSP (Highly Sensitive Person.) I have this trait and have had it for most of my life and I can tell you one thing, it is for sure both a blessing and a curse. In some ways being an HSP helps in life and in other ways it makes life a lot more challenging.

I remember being a very sensitive person pretty much my entire life. I am not really sure how I got this way and I never really understood it until I was in college many years ago in a Psychology class and we took a fun quiz on empaths. I remember this day so clearly because I had scored the max possible points, which put me in the category of an HSP. I was the only one in the class that had an empath score so high. The quiz was almost like a personality test. I remember my professor encouraging me to research this topic further…and I did just that. It was then that I understood this trait that had been with me my entire life.

HSP’s have several distinct qualities that can help one recognize being an HSP in themselves, or others. People with the HSP trait are highly in tune with their surroundings. They pick up energy from their environment and from other people. HSP tend to be very deep thinkers and they feel emotions and thoughts very strongly, even sensing them from other people. These individuals require a lot of alone time and down time as they feel like they are always “on.”

HSP1

The positives of being an HSP is that it really helps you relate to others. Often HSP’s can know how someone is feeling before they even say anything. Another positive is that it really helps you take in each experience and experience life as a whole, life seems to take on a deeper purpose and meaning. Being an HSP can also facilitate communication as they tend to pick up on what is and what is not being said, they absorb many non-verbal ques from others.

There are definitely downsides to being a Highly Sensitive Person. We often require down time and a quiet environment because being an HSP drains a lot of energy. HSP’s become overwhelmed easily and do not typically do well with a lot going on at one time. Having this trait makes you worry about other’s feelings and analyze more, it also means you feel emotions deeper, both good and bad.

For me, though there are positives, being an HSP is quite exhausting. I often feel overstimulated and exhausted. I wish that I was not so sensitive, it is a battlefield of the mind and heart, but it is part of who I am and I will embrace it. We all have traits about ourselves that we like and don’t particularly like, but we are who we are for a reason and the best solution is to work with what you have and just live the best life that you possibly can!

HSP2

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Published by Jessica Levine

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38 thoughts on “A Blessing and a Curse”

  4. I think I can understand how you feel. I consider myself as a sensitive person. It sucks when people sees it as negative, a kind of weakness. I guess in some ways it is but they way I see it, being sensitive is a strength that can help you understand people better and form deeper connections with them. Not everyone can do that so I guess we should give ourselves more credit. Anyway, lovely post, J! ❤️😊

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    1. I appreciate your insight! Yes, it definitely has perks and downsides at the same time. We are all so unique and we just have to embrace our qualities and find ways to live with them lol. Thank you for your comment and I’m glad that you enjoyed! 💗

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  7. This is so incredible J – it makes so much sense, I understand every word you are saying and have actually been sitting here grappling with this very topic, why am I so sensitive, as well as always saying the wrong thing…which cause an almost “breakdown” because you can’t handle the YOU are the one that said the wrong thing – And I so often ask and wish the same thing – become thick-skinned and hard …..but I can’t …..this is me and you are right, I need to embrace it and maybe learn to “train” it if that is even possible! Thanks for sharing this valuable lesson!

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    1. Wow!! Thank you so much for such a thoughtful comment! I am very glad that you enjoyed the post and could relate to it. I’m just like you, I think of it often and think about how much easier life would be if I wasn’t so sensitive, but yes embrace is the word! We were all made differently and there are perks to being sensitive 💖 Thank you for reading 😃

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  8. Pingback: A Blessing and a Curse – Dear Abby. . . .

  10. You have described this so eloquently. Empaths’ lives are heavy with not only their own emotions & hopes, but with the weight of others’ as well, & it’s not limited to humans. One may wish to put the clamp down on the influx, take a break & say can I please just get strictly some logic up in here for a few minutes

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    1. Thank you so much 😊 What you said is so true!! I often say exactly that…”Can I just try to see this logically?” You literally described it perfectly, carrying the weight of ourselves and those around us and that’s a large load to carry. Thank you for your insight and for reading 😃❤

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  12. It was very good read for me. I was not aware that there’s a trait called as HSP, as me being one. This post is relatable to me in so many ways!!! Glad to know that I’m not the only one! 😊

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