What is HSP?

Professional performers, artists, and creatives face unique challenges. Not only do they operate in highly-demanding, highly-visible industries with unique pressures – often, these creative industries by their nature also draw in and attract what is known as Highly Sensitive People / High Sensitivity Persons.

How to distinguish an HSP?

An HSP, or a highly sensitive person, is someone with a deeper level of processing in the brain. They are more sensitive to both internal and external impressions, which means that they can reach a state of overstimulation more easily. Sensory processing sensitivity is a character trait that is genetically determined. It occurs in 1 out of 5 people in both men and women equally. This trait can also be identified in animals. Highly sensitive animals are more observant to danger and will ensure the herd stays safe.

Physical Signs

Physically, those who identify as HSP can experience high sensitivity in a variety of ways. For instance, their nerve endings are more sensitive which causes HSP to experience life’s impulses more intensely. HSPs can also be sensitive to sounds or might not be able to tolerate bright lights. Others might have sensitive skin where every seam or label seems endlessly itchy or irritating. Even their sense of smell can be affected. Children who are HSP often show signs of being highly sensitive when they give their parents a hard time over food; the food tastes too spicy or the textures taste funny to them for example. Every HSP experiences this differently and doesn’t have to experience everything intensely to qualify as highly sensitive. Typically, most HSPs only have a few sensory hypersensitivities.

In addition, extensive research has shown that HSP’s right hemisphere of the brain is more active. This means that they can easily tap into creativity, show tons of empathy and can possess a strong capacity to relate to others.

Emotional Signs

It certainly isn’t a secret that HSPs experience emotions on a deeper level. Because of the deep processing in their brains, they keep playing certain situations or statements over and over in their heads; what that person said, why they said it, did they handle the situation correctly and what will others think of how they handled the situation.

The movie replays in their head over and over again, they get caught in the loop and it is not always easy to break free from this cycle. This is especially true if they are not completely comfortable in their own skin, they might even notice themselves returning to this loop more often and getting “stuck” there for longer periods of time.

When they start to experience this cycle it is important that they start rebuilding their self-esteem to ensure that there is a solid foundation from which they can build on. They need to get to the point where once they start to enter this cycle, they are able to give themselves full approval to be themselves. When they feel they are enough, other people’s opinions won’t influence them as much.

Social Signs

Specifically, because HSPs are so worried about social context and what other people think, they sometimes experience difficulty when setting boundaries.

Thoughts run through their minds like: “If I don’t do this, then I’m a bad friend/ partner/ mother/ daughter…”, “What will they say about me…?

Keeping their thoughts in check by consciously listening to that little voice inside their head and by choosing thoughts that help them move forward instead of keeping them down. HSP brains are like muscle tissue, so they should exercise them accordingly. Be mindful: “This is top-class sport!”.

Large groups of people or crowds in general cause stress and fatigue with a lot of HSPs. In social settings, HSPs may also consume alcohol to avoid or numb themselves from having te deal with sensory overload. Other vices may include sugar, drugs and binge-watching media to name a few.

Typical school curricula do not educate HSPs how their brain works, or how exactly to deal with this. This means a lot of HSPs occasionally lose their way. It’s also precisely the reason why Cathy developed her groundbreaking Claim Your Shine modality. Through Cathy, HSPs can acces and learn the proper techniques to align their mindset, emotions ans actions – creating results beyond their wildest dreams.

What I often hear from clients is that they often become overly involved
in other people’s emotions. This takes up a ton of their energy.

I could give you a very technical explanation about mirror neurons and how
they operate more actively among HSPs, or you could look at it this way;
our brains get over-stimulated in the areas that control our sense of empathy.

This allows us to literally feel what the other person’s feeling.
When you’re in a toxic environment, this isn’t exactly beneficial for your level of energy,
your emotions, or your mood.

So be careful when selecting who you surround yourself with and adapt your choices
to the people you prefer investing your time and energy in.

~ Cathy ~

Coaching

Claim Your Shine comes straight from my heart,
I had to live it myself to get where I am today.

This could be your moment too.

Are you ready to Shine?