Are you sensitive? (it’s ok)

As a Pisces with a Cancer moon I feel highly qualified to tell you about being sensitive. Are you a sensitive person too? Are you always in your feels? It’s not always easy being someone who feels their feelings so intensely. Being super in touch with your emotions can sometimes make your everyday life a bit taxing, am I right? Let’s talk about how we can navigate this.

So what does it even mean to be sensitive? Up until recently, describing someone as “sensitive” mostly had a negative connotation, as in: “That person’s sensitive, their feelings are easily hurt, and you have to be careful around them.” But there are actually many ways people can be sensitive because there are a lot of different things people can be sensitive to. Other people’s energy, your own emotions, your environment… If sometimes everything is a lot to take in, and you notice yourself getting overwhelmed, you might be a touch sensitive. (It’s ok!) If you’ve ever gotten so lost in thought you never wanted to come out, cried at an awkward time, or hidden from a situation that felt intense, you’re probably at least a little bit sensitive.

So how do we deal? I would love for this to be an ongoing discussion (sensitive people, tell me: how do you cope?). This is what I have learned so far:

1. Let yourself feel your feelings! Feelings come and go in cycles, so to work through them you have to let them run their course. Don’t try to numb yourself — it will only postpone the cycle and leave you stuck at the beginning. Don’t feel bad for feeling bad. Sometimes we need to go through it to get to the other side. (Alexa, play The Way Out Is Through).
2. Listen to yourself and if you know you need something, don’t be ashamed or feel weak. If you need to take some time get your bearings, do it so you can come back out into the world refreshed. There is such a thing as an emergency bubble bath, trust me. If you need it, you’ll know.
3. Be nice to yourself. Do something nice for yourself even if it’s small. Any act of taking care of yourself makes you feel taken care of… and also capable (of taking care). You’ll feel safer and more courageous at the same time.
4. Don’t be afraid to open up. People care about you and want to help more than you realize. Once you share how you’re feeling you’ll realize you’re not alone. Don’t underestimate the power of having a support network — and in order to get support, you need to tell the people around you how you feel. Plus, talking about what you’re going through will help you process what’s going on as well.
5. Crystal work is really ideal for sensitive people because even just holding a crystal is a very sensory experience – the way it feels in your hands, the way it looks, and the things you associate with it can help you maintain a calm mind. My favorites to hold or carry when I’m trying to chill the heck out include dolomite (it cultivates gentle calming energy), amethyst (centers the mind for a balanced and peaceful state), and tiger’s eye (which is said to help navigate situations with a mind unclouded by emotions). Honestly any crystal is a good crystal for a sensitive person, as they’re beautiful and comforting reminders of what you actually want to be focusing on.

It makes me sad that we are pressured by society to suppress our emotions. I’m not recommending you make any inappropriate emotional outbursts, I’m just letting you know that you don’t actually have to keep it together all the time. By being in touch with your emotions you are also in touch with your intuition. Your feelings don’t make you weak and they’re not something to ignore – they’re just another sign you’re a (magical!) human.