Cliff Harwin – The Highly Sensitive Person Publishing Company

#HighlySensitivePeople #Introverts: Is Your Mind Too Full?

Post category:Concentration and Focus

#HighlySensitivePeople #Introverts: Is Your Mind Too Full? I know this may sound like a silly question to ask highly sensitive people: Is your mind too full? Mine often is. As a highly sensitive, deep-thinking person, I can have several thoughts competing for my attention at the same time. One thought leads to another, and before I know it, I'm mentally exhausted without accomplishing what really mattered. I've learned something important: Sometimes we're not overwhelmed because we're doing too much. We're overwhelmed because we're trying to give our attention to too many things at once. That realization changed the way I approach my day. Instead of asking myself, "How can I get everything done?" I try asking: "What deserves my attention right now?" That's a very…

#HighlySensitivePeople #Introverts: Is Shyness Something to Overcome?

Post category:Self Awareness

#HighlySensitivePeople #Introverts: Is Shyness Something to Overcome? I used to think being shy was something I needed to overcome. Now I'm not so sure. I've always had shy characteristics. For a long time, I saw them as weaknesses—something that made me different from other people. Today, I see them differently. I don't believe shyness is something we should automatically be ashamed of or try to eliminate. Maybe we need to understand it before we try to change it. I'm also a highly sensitive person, and learning more about high sensitivity helped me understand myself in ways I never had before. Dr. Elaine Aron, who has done extensive research on highly sensitive people, has made an important distinction that really resonated with me: Shyness isn't necessarily…

Photo by Sydney Sims

#HighlySensitivePeople #Introverts: What if Positivity isn’t The Answer?

Post category:Challenge and Conflict

#HighlySensitivePeople #Introverts: What If Positivity Isn’t the Answer? I’ve been dealing with some difficult times myself, and it has reminded me of something I think we sometimes get wrong about positivity. We hear a lot about “thinking positive.” And yes, I believe positive thinking can help. It can reduce stress, improve our outlook, and help us keep moving forward. But there’s a problem. Life isn’t always positive. Crises happen. Disappointments happen. Things go wrong. Sometimes we have absolutely no idea how a difficult situation is going to turn out. And if you’re highly sensitive or introverted, you may feel those difficult circumstances especially deeply. So I don’t think the answer is to tell yourself, “Just stay positive.” Sometimes that’s unrealistic. Instead, I’ve found it more…

#HighlySensitivePeople #Introverts: Do you feel guilty for leaving one-sided relationships?

Post category:Friendship & Relationships

#HighlySensitivePeople #Introverts: Do you feel guilty for leaving one-sided relationships? One of the hardest things I’ve had to learn as a highly sensitive introvert is this: You can be a caring person and still decide you’ve had enough. For years, I thought ending a relationship with family and friends — even a one-sided one — meant I was being selfish. I worried: “Am I overreacting?” “Am I being too sensitive?” “What if they think I’m a bad person?” But here’s what I eventually realized: Feeling guilty doesn’t always mean you’re doing something wrong. Sometimes it means you’re finally doing something different. Some people don’t truly miss you. They miss your availability. They miss your advice. They miss your kindness. They miss having someone who always…