When our emotions are too intense, when they bother us or those around us, being hypersensitive is really difficult. So what can you do about it? Here’s how to turn hypersensitivity into strength.

Accepting hypersensitivity

Being hypersensitive is nothing new. In fact, there have always been people whose emotions and feelings overflow and take them on a rollercoaster ride. Yes, there have always been people who feel “too much” in relation to the average, or to what society calls the “norm”.

There’s proof, dating back to 1876, in the form of a magnificent quote by Gustave Flaubert:

“I am gifted with an absurd sensibility; what scratches others tears me apart.”

14 words and all is said.

That’s why it’s essential, when you’re hypersensitive, to understand that you’re not alone – far from it.

Indeed, there have always been people who didn’t know what to do with their overflowing emotions, their excesses of joy and sadness that were as intense as they were unpredictable.

What’s more, I’d like to add that being hypersensitive is not a bad thing, quite the contrary.

For me, it’s a strength, magic even.

In fact, this quote particularly resonates with me:

“It’s okay to be sensitive, it’s what happens when you have magic in your heart.”

Indeed, for me, to be hypersensitive is to feel incredible things, to see beauty, magic while for some, it goes completely unnoticed.

So it doesn’t matter if sometimes I also see darkness and it tears my heart apart… I think being hypersensitive is a blessing.

Accept yourself

Being hypersensitive is a real challenge, it’s true.

Because you feel everything, too strongly and for too long.

Other people don’t always know what to make of us and our moods: our noisy joys, our angers and our melancholy.

But, in the end, it’s important to realize that we’re not here to avoid disturbing others, or to be completely accepted by everyone.

We’re not here at all.

In fact, we’re here first and foremost to accept ourselves.

And that’s the secret.

Indeed, when I realized that I first had to accept myself, accept that I didn’t always understand my emotions, that I wasn’t always in tune with others, everything changed.

In fact, today, I no longer wonder what so-and-so will think of my emotions and feel afraid or ashamed.

Because accepting yourself means becoming free from the judgment of others.

But how do you accept yourself?

Change your outlook

Accepting that you’re hypersensitive means first and foremost changing the way you look at your emotions, and at emotions in general for that matter.

They’re not too much, they are. No more, no less.

We don’t feel emotions on purpose. What’s more, they’re not our enemy.

Yes, when we’re hypersensitive, our emotions can be annoying, because they’re too intense or completely disproportionate to a given situation.

But they’re not our enemy.

In fact, what helps me most to accept my hypersensitivity is to stop constantly analyzing my emotions, to stop trying to control their appearance and intensity.

I feel emotions, period.

Indeed, for me, to accept being hypersensitive, it’s essential to change the way we look at emotions.

They come and go. They come and go.

Find out more about managing your emotions

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover Hypersensitive: 3 tricks for managing your emotions
Discover How to combat stress: 3 magical habits

I recommend this inspiring book on the subject:

The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You
by Elaine N. Aron
This book has been the best way I’ve ever been able to give my loved ones to help them understand the very, very unique ways of my personality. I never thought I’d ever find a book that would so clearly help me talk about who I really am.
In reading it, I felt I wasn’t alone, received practical advice on how to manage my sensitivity and learned how to broach the subject with my partner and boss. If you or someone you know is likely to be highly sensitive, I recommend you read this book!

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself.