Adrian Volenik
I often hear others saying that people are too sensitive these days. But is that true, and is it really a flaw?
And most importantly, should you care or be worried if you’re sensitive? Today we’re answering these questions and more, so stick around.
1) You’re empathetic
We can’t talk about sensitivity without talking about empathy.
You see, sensitive people often have a natural ability to put themselves in other people’s shoes and genuinely feel the emotions of those around them. They can easily connect with others on a level that’s incomprehensible to others and offer genuine support.
But some people don’t just watch and care. They go out and help others. They volunteer and assist people and animals in need. They’re not just empathetic but truly compassionate.
Of course, this is one of the most obvious ways of telling how sensitive you really are.
If you lose sleep because you’re worrying about others and their troubles, you’re clearly more sensitive than most people and even more than you yourself realized.
Because that’s not how the majority of people behave.
2) You experience emotions intensely
Another important sign showing your true sensitivity is if you experience emotions more intensely.
This can be both a strength and a challenge, as your highs might be euphoric, but your lows could be deeply distressing.
Have you noticed that about yourself?
It’s like a natural drug that explains why some people are thrillseekers, for example. They simply experience adventures much more intensely than the rest of the people.
3) You’re a deep thinker
Do you like to question life’s meaning, analyze your experiences to a T, and explore the depths of your thoughts and emotions?
Sensitive people often engage in such deep introspection and contemplation. They also tend to overthink, which leads them to worry too much and feel anxiety about things they often don’t have control over.
This stems from analyzing situations from multiple angles and considering all potential outcomes.
Although this can be a strength in decision-making, it’s also tiring and sometimes leads to stress and indecisiveness.
4) You’re avoiding conflicts
If you’re anything like me, your often avoiding conflicts at all costs, often to a fault.
Sensitive people dislike conflict because of the emotional toll it takes on them. They prefer finding peaceful resolutions and maintaining harmony in relationships, even if it means sacrificing their own needs.
When you say it like that, it doesn’t sound like something positive, does it? And it’s not.
Learning to be more assertive is a skill many people lack and should work on for a more fulfilled and content life.
But you’re probably avoiding this next thing too.
5) You’re avoiding violent content
No one can effectively escape violent content these days, and that’s a sad fact from many perspectives.
Of course, this affects kids the most, but also highly sensitive people.
Due to their emotional depth, they might avoid violent or disturbing media because it can strongly impact their emotions and mental well-being.
I’m not a fan of violent content and seldom watch horror movies, for example. But I’m still reading and watching the news, and that’s more than enough violence, unfortunately.
6) You’re often feeling overwhelmed
Overthinking, feeling others’ emotions deeply, and caring for people all take a toll on people that are more sensitive than others.
Then there are crowded places, loud noises, or emotionally charged situations that quickly become too much to handle.
Did you notice that about yourself? Think about it for a moment.
Maybe it’s the reason why you need more alone time.
7) You need more alone time
Solitude is great for relaxing and introspection, and many sensitive people and introverts look for it. Perhaps more than they should.
Solitude allows us to process our feelings, thoughts, and experiences without external influences.
If you have a family like I do, alone time is a luxury. During the day, you work, and after that, you’re spending time with them.
My only alone time is when I work from home, but even then, I get interrupted dozens of times.
Even the bathroom doesn’t offer shelter anymore.
8) You’re highly critical of yourself
High sensitivity often comes with heightened self-awareness. That’s why sensitive people might be critical of themselves, striving for self-improvement but sometimes struggling with perfectionism.
As someone who struggled with this for many years, I can certify that breaking these shackles was life-changing.
I stopped many ideas and projects even before really starting them. I was so critical of what I was doing that no reassurance from anyone could help me see more clearly.
What helped me was this:
Whenever you catch yourself being self-critical, challenge the validity of those thoughts. Ask yourself if they’re based on facts or simply distorted perceptions.
9) You have a strong intuition
Another thing sensitive people might have is a strong gut feeling about people and situations.
They pick up on subtle cues and vibes, which helps them assess diverse circumstances.
For example, when meeting new people. If you immediately get a sense of whether someone is trustworthy or not upon meeting them, even before having a conversation, you’re highly sensitive.
The same goes if you solve problems by following your intuition, allowing ideas to flow instead of systematically analyzing each step.
But that’s because you might have heightened perception.
10) You have a heightened perception
I already mentioned heightened empathy and sensitivity to other people’s emotions. But highly sensitive peoples’ abilities go beyond that.
You see, sensitivity often involves noticing details that many others overlook. Some sensitive people appreciate nuances in art, conversations, and their environment that others don’t readily see.
For example, I know a person who is sensitive to sounds and music. They recognize harmonies, rhythms, and layers that give them a richer acoustic experience.
Of course, they’re also extremely good at playing several instruments which makes me incredibly jealous.
11) You care for nature and animals
On the other side, many sensitive people feel a deep connection to the natural world. They’re concerned about environmental issues and strongly desire to protect and preserve nature.
But not just that. They also have a profound connection with animals. They can understand animals’ needs and emotions much better than regular people.
In my book, that’s a fantastic gift. But for many, it can be an overwhelming burden because they can’t separate themselves from the suffering billions of animals go through each year (and counting).
12) You love artistic expression
To cope with anxiety and stress, many sensitive people find solace and self-expression through creative outlets.
Art, music, writing, and other forms of creative expression help them process emotions and communicate their inner world.
Have you noticed that about yourself? Do you use art of any kind to immerse yourself in and escape from reality?
Final thoughts
Ultimately, whether you’re sensitive or not doesn’t really matter as long as it doesn’t affect your life in any negative way.
In my opinion, we need more sensitive and compassionate people, especially in cut-throat political and business circles.
If our leaders were more sensitive and less self-absorbed, the world would look much differently than it does right now.
