I'm Sensitive. It's Not A Bad Thing.

Sensitivity isn't weakness.

It’s been a word that’s been sometimes used jokingly toward me and other times lobbied as a criticism or insult.

It can be a cute tease when I cry during “Edelweiss” in The Sound of Music, or it can be a gaslighting technique when someone’s said something rude.

You’re so sensitive.

Well, yes. I am. I cry at Publix Thanksgiving commercials. I’m overcome with sonder some days. I have had a tendency to take things personally. I feel very deeply.

Is it a weakness? Many would argue yes. I say no. It simply takes some honing.

Being sensitive can feel like a gift and a curse. I have decided to mainly focus on the gift part. My sensitivity gives me a unique perspective on the world and my experience. I wouldn’t be able to write, particularly in a creative capacity, if I weren’t sensitive. I would have nothing different to offer and no insights to share. It also allows me to have a richer experience in the world: I question, I reflect, I appreciate. My emotions are often what guide me on those paths and make my life better.

But now for the curse part: I won’t say that being sensitive absolves me from doing the work to not take things personally. I have had to learn to just take a joke or let things brush off my shoulders. Not every time, but in a pick-your-battles kind of way. Sometimes, it’s not that deep. It’s easier said than done, though, to have that approach when you feel like an exposed nerve.

I used to be ashamed of my sensitivity. Why couldn’t I just be cold and emotionless and not care? It’s cool to not care. It’s decidedly uncool to care and, God forbid, show your hand that somebody has affected you emotionally. Now, I accept that it just is who I am. If I approach life with the belief that I should accept people as they are and meet them where they are, the same goes for me and my sensitivity.

And, a lot of times people are only pretending to not care. It’s not the truth of how they feel or don’t feel.

My life has been enriched by my sensitive nature. It’s made me introspective, curious, empathetic, and creative. Why would I be ashamed or upset about that? In an increasingly isolated, cold, and self-centered society, I reckon that those sensitive traits can be refreshing and appreciated.

And here’s one more thing: being sensitive lets you be more in tune with your intuition, which is not only powerful but sometimes life-saving.

If you’re sensitive like me, hi. I see you. I feel you most of all. Know this: everything has its ups and downs, including being sensitive. Embrace it as part of who you are and see it as a gift, a special lens for which you view life on earth.

Because it is.