Recently, I read an article from the Huffington Post, 16 Habits of Highly Sensitive People. I am shocked at how much of a revelation this has given me to the point where I actually want to respond to the different points. There were always instances in my life where I could not understand why I reacted certain ways or why other people did not react similarly to myself. I now understand. If the statistic that just one in five people think this way, it seems like I have a minority way of thinking. However, I am actually kind of proud of being a highly sensitive person. Do read the original article if you are interested. I am just going to take the main sentence of each point and give my own input.
1. They feel more deeply. Not much to comment on this, but I think it's true. I internalize a lot.
2. They're more emotionally reactive. I always wondered why Jason could not feel the empathy/sympathy I feel for others when I read or hear their story. Many times, I feel like I react almost as if the event or situation were happening to myself.
3. They're probably used to hearing, "Don't take things so personally" and "Why are you so sensitive?" Ahem, Jason :P But yes, I hear this quite often, and all I have to respond is, "That's just how I am!," which I guess is actually pretty true.
4. They prefer to exercise solo. I prefer to workout alone, but I do actually like group or team sports. The article did mention that there are highly sensitive people whose parents encouraged and supported their children from a young age, which makes this possible.
5. It takes longer for them to make decisions. If you know me, you know that I take forever to make a decision. I try to weigh all the pros and cons before finally making a choice. This even goes for simple things like what I want to order for dinner. However, exactly like the article mentions, if I've been successful at making a decision the first time, I will quickly make it again and again, i.e. picking a dish at a restaurant I frequent often.
6. And on that note, they are more upset if they make a "bad" or "wrong" decision. Yes. I get very annoyed at myself if I made the ultimate decision or at another person if I made the decision based on their recommendation.
7. They're extremely detail-oriented. I definitely notice things other people do not. Most of the time I don't bother pointing them out because no one would notice the change besides me, even if I find it significant.
8. Not all highly sensitive people are introverts. Well, I am an introvert, so nothing to add here.
9. They work well in team environments. I am glad I would make a good team member. I really would be that person to bring up pros and cons to choosing certain paths, but I do not necessarily like to be the one who picks the direction. The exception would be if I am really sure of a particular option.
10. They're more prone to anxiety or depression (but only if they've had a lot of past negative experiences). I wouldn't say I am an anxious or depressed person. I have bouts of what I feel is a very mild form of depression, but overall I am sound without significant past negative experiences.
11. That annoying sound is probably significantly more annoying to a highly sensitive person. I don't know how annoying some sounds are to other people, but they can drive me to the point where I want to scream. I remember when I was little, I got frustrated with my sister's analog clock ticking away in the middle of the night to the point where I got up, found the clock, and brought it to a completely different room. It does not help that I can actually hear really well, so I hear everything!
12. Violent movies are the worst. Wolf of Wall Street. I was not a fan...at all. That movie made me so angry that I wanted to leave the theater, but I was with Jason and his family, so that would have been rude and awkward.
13. They cry more easily. This is true. I do tear pretty easily, though ever since high school and college, it has been more from frustration or watching sad movies than anything else. When I was little, I would cry, or at least feel tears for frustration, embarrassment, or confrontation, especially when an adult was involved. It would not be on purpose and I would try my best to not cry, but it would happen. Over the years, I have gotten much better at controlling my emotions.
14. They have above-average manners. I'd like to think I have above-average manners. I try to be respectful and polite to everyone I come in contact with. I have noticed I say "thank you" A LOT, which I guess is a good thing. And, as the article mentioned, I do try to keep out of other people's way (i.e. keeping my grocery cart out of the middle of an aisle).
15. The effects of criticism are especially amplified in highly sensitive people. Refer to #13.
16. Cubicles = good. Open-office plans = bad. I actually do not necessarily think cubicles are good, but I like them better than open-office plans. My ideal workspace would be where I sit with my back against a wall or corner, so I have the ability to look out over everything. It is surprisingly not too distracting.
Anyway, I am really surprised if anyone (besides maybe Jason) actually read this whole thing. It's more of a reflection for myself than anything. However, if you did read it, I guess you now know more about me. Feel free to start a conversation about any of these points and how they relate to you. As always, thanks for reading!
Anyway, I am really surprised if anyone (besides maybe Jason) actually read this whole thing. It's more of a reflection for myself than anything. However, if you did read it, I guess you now know more about me. Feel free to start a conversation about any of these points and how they relate to you. As always, thanks for reading!
Of course Id read it all
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