How To Create A Balanced Life As A Highly Sensitive Person

For a highly sensitive person (HSP) to flourish we need to make choices that create balance in our lives. There are three steps to take in order to create a balanced life as a highly sensitive person.

Goal as a HSP

Our goal as HSPs is to learn what our highly sensitive traits actually are. And then determine how to live a balanced life with those traits. What is clear is that we need to learn to live with our traits. It’s like having a super power that you need to learn to control. It is important to realise that many of our HS traits are incredibly positive. And that being a HSP is not a weakness, it does not put us at a disadvantage, far from it.

We simply need to learn how to NOT overload our nervous system. And that begins with understanding our own individual traits.

Step 1: Knowledge

We are becoming more and more aware of our own sensitivities. The idea of highly sensitive has more and more validation. The world has become busier around us. Life is becoming more complicated and the expectations placed upon us continue to rise. We are reaching our limits more quickly. But in turn we are more aware of how we are feeling. Which for HSPs is mostly overwhelmed, tired and in desperate need of time alone in a quiet space. As we are more conscious of how we feel we start along a path of self-discovery.

Many parents stumble upon a search for answers because we discover that our children are highly sensitive. We then make the link to our own traits. Alternatively, a coach or therapist can help expand your self knowledge and guide you to gain insight into your traits.

The increased popularity of practicing mindfulness, of yoga and meditation, opens us up to more inward contemplation. These activities help us with self reflection. We start seeing and understanding what we are all about. We are more open to pinpointing our triggers, identifying our traits, and learning what we need to live a more balanced life.

Tip: Read 5 Excellent Bullet Journaling Ideas for Highly Sensitive People

In order to find and incorporate the balance we need into our lives, we need to first acquire knowledge about our traits. And the impact they have on our life.

Step 2: Acceptance

When it comes to being highly sensitive, acceptance is an important word. Without first accepting that you are living continually out of balance, you won’t take the step onto the path of self-discovery and get to understand your highly sensitive traits. You will continue to do things that make you feel uncomfortable. You will continue to overload your nervous system and in turn temporarily reduce your mental and physical capabilities.

Remember, highly sensitive traits are a part of who we are and they are unchangeable. We need to find a way to live with them, not just survive with them, but to make the most out of them.

So, for example, if you realise that you find decision making hard and need time or space to be alone to weigh up factors in order to make decisions, big and small, then ask for that time and space. Better still, demand that time.

Step 3: Balance

Establishing balance is about making choices. Balance comes through understanding your personal limits. It comes by setting boundaries, learning to say no and, as cliché as it sounds, practicing self-care. Fine tune your lifestyle to honour your highly sensitive traits.

For me, I learned how important regular alone time is for me. I established there is a reason for my aversion to crowds; they evoke sensory overwhelm (with one exception). My environment generally needs to be quiet. There needs to be a readily available space that allows me to think. For a long time I had felt uncomfortable in open plan offices. Understanding my highly sensitive traits helped me pinpoint the exact cause of that discomfort.

To create a balanced life as a highly sensitive person you may need to make big decisions but also fine tune the choices you make. It comes down to planning, listening to your own inner voice and accepting your own limitations.

Gaining knowledge about my traits spurred me into making big career decision choices. And prompted me to be more mindful of the choices I made, even those that seem insignificant to others. The biggest decision I made was to swap a corporate environment for freelance writing and translating. I work from home and have control over my working environment and my schedule. A less trivial decision I made was to stop watching horror films and reduce my news intake.