Highly sensitive people (HSPs), by nature, are often hard on themselves and critical of their own sensitivity and empathy. I’ve been guilty of this myself. What if these traits were actually superpowers? These are seven, amazing characteristics of highly sensitive people:
- Heightened Empathy and Increased Awareness: Highly sensitive people are more empathetic and attuned to the emotions of others. They also have a keen eye for what’s around them and pick up on details within their environment. Do you find yourself picking up on the subtle cues and feelings of those around you? Maybe you notice that a friend isn’t themselves before anyone else does, without them saying a word. This could be a total superpower in this case! There is a reason your close friends trust you and they know you get them. There’s a reason they come to you, my friend!
Aside from your social life, maybe you can use this heightened empathy in your career too. For years I worked a soul-draining corporate desk job that did not fulfill me whatsoever. I decided to pursue my Masters in Counseling in my late-twenties (while I was going through my Saturn Return, mind you!). It felt more in tune with my natural skills and interests. I genuinely wanted to help people and make the world a better place.
That being said, it’s SO important to establish boundaries and be in tune with yourself if you are following an empathetic career path. Take breaks, clear your mind/energy often, and say no BEFORE you are at your max capacity. This is very important to prevent burnout.
- Deep Processing: HSPs tend to process information more deeply. They reflect on situations, experiences, and emotions, which can lead to insightful perspectives. I bet if you interviewed a lot of best-selling authors, they would tell you that they are highly sensitive and process deeply. There is no doubt about it, sensitive people feel things incredibly deeply and have a lot happening on the side that is not always shown on the outside.
- Creativity: What fits nicely with deep processing? Creative skills, of course! You know what I’m talking about. HSPs pick up on everything and have beautiful imaginations. Their ability to connect seemingly unrelated ideas leads to innovative thinking and artistic expression. Highly sensitive people put magnificent creations into the world and they have a special emotion tied to them.
- Intuitive Insights: I pursued counseling as a career path and my intuition helped me quite a bit! HSPs often rely on their intuition, which can be a valuable asset. They have a strong sense of what’s authentic and genuine, allowing them to navigate social situations with insight. In the counseling world, my intuition helped me pick up on situations much more quickly to get to the root of the problem and help my students more deeply.
- Compassion and Caring: My mom is a highly sensitive person too, and she has been a nurse for many years. Highly sensitive people are compassionate and caring. With all that empathy and emotion inside, how could they not be? Highly sensitive people are deeply affected by the well-being of others and they feel a strong sense of responsibility to make a positive impact. I see many HSPs involved in deeply humanitarian and philanthropic pursuits.
- Strong Analytical Skills: HSPs can be highly analytical and detail-oriented. They can excel in tasks that require thorough examination and consideration of various factors. HSPs don’t just thrive in empathetic careers or situations – they could also thrive in a leadership role or analytical role too. Need someone to see the details others miss? Talk to an HSP. Need to find someone who knows how to read people? Find a highly sensitive person! That’s their superpower.
Both strengths and challenges come with being an HSP. I’ve always viewed both as two sides of the same coin. You can use it to your benefit and let it propel you; or, you can let it weigh you down and be a burden to achieving your highest self. The most important thing is to manage overstimulation and use self-care and coping strategies to help you maintain balance and inner peace!