Ep #370: On Being Sensitive

Welcome to the Weight Loss for Busy Physicians podcast. I'm your host, master certified life and weight loss coach, Katrina Ubell, M.D. This is the podcast where busy doctors like you come to learn how to lose weight for the last time by harnessing the power of your mind. If you're looking to overcome your stress, eating and exhaustion and move into freedom around food, you're in the right place. Well hello there friend. Thanks for joining me today. I always say this every single episode that I'm really excited to record this for you. Maybe because I need to get that energy going before I'm ready to record for you.

But I really am excited about this topic today because I think it's something that is something that honestly, everybody should learn more about. It is something that has not quite gotten the popular information out there in the culture as much as other things have. So what I'm talking about is I don't know, you know, when did Susan Cain's book quiet come out where she really talked about introverts? It was a huge bestseller, I want to say probably at least ten years ago, maybe even longer than that. That really kind of changed the conversation, this idea that if you're not extroverted, there's something wrong with you, that you're not a team player. You can't be as successful in your professional life. You know the ways that being an introvert might be difficult for you and your personal life.

[00:01:31] What it really did, that book, and the conversation around it was to help people who are introverts to understand why they are the way they are, and to accept themselves, and to know that nothing is wrong with them if they're not extroverted. Like, you know what we see praised in popular culture? And so that really has become part of our lexicon. You know, I'm an introvert, so I this and that or, you know, things like that or I'm an extrovert, so I just love doing XYZ thing.

And when I first learned about those things I was like, yeah, I think I am more introverted, but I think I'm kind of more of like an outgoing introvert. It's something that I would say a lot where I would notice I like being with people, but it takes a lot out of me and then I need some time alone. And I thought that that was me being introverted. Then about a year ago, I want to say I was just reading the paper and there was an article in there about being sensitive. It was kind of like, you know, are you something like, are you a sensitive person or something like that? Is in New York Times it was like reputable, you know, newspaper. And so I clicked on that article and I read it and it was talking about ways to know if you're sensitive and that there was a new book coming out about it.

[00:02:41] And I had first heard about, like, the Terme, Highly Sensitive Person. I learned that eight years ago or something like that was probably about the time when I first learned about it. And when I say learned about it, I mean, like I heard someone talking about it and in the context that they were talking about it, let's just say I didn't have a super positive set of thoughts around that, you know, not like in a negative way, but just kind of being like, okay, is this really a thing? Or is this like, I'm just going to lay it out there, something that people say about themselves to get themselves off the hook?

You know, if I'm just super sensitive, then that means I don't have to do this and this and this. And that was kind of the context that I was hearing about it, like the person was using it in that way, and I just didn't learn any more. I just, you know, for whatever reason, just wasn't something that was on my radar for that. So then fast forward, I saw that newspaper article and I was like, you know, it was good because the way they talked about it, they didn't use the terms highly sensitive person. They are HSP, they just talked about being more sensitive. And I think in those eight years I've evolved a lot and I've learned a lot, and I've coached a lot of people and I've done a lot of work on myself.

[00:03:46] And I was like, you know, I think I am like pretty sensitive. You know, there's just some things that had happened in my life where I realized like, yeah, you know, there are things that just affect me more than they appear to affect other people. So anyway, I read the article and it really resonated with me. And then they had a little test you could take, like a little quiz, you know, are you a sensitive person? It was basically like, you know, if you say yes to most of these things, then probably a sensitive person. So I think there were maybe like 20 or 25 questions or something like that.

And I think I said yes to 90%, you know, like I was like, oh yeah, that's me. Oh yep yep yep. And you know, it's not like sensitive people are a monolith. It's not like everybody has the exact same manifestations of it. But that's when I really thought like, oh no, I am a sensitive person. I'd like to know more about what that means. And so I bought this book. You know, I often hesitate to recommend books just because I don't want to give you more piling up on your nightstand that you don't have time to read anyway. You know, I try to make it so it's so it's not like you have homework when you stop listening to this podcast. But I also recognize that last week's episode was a bit of a marathon, one.

[00:04:53] I didn't even realize it till I stopped recording. I was like, oh my gosh, that was really long. So I want to try to keep this a little bit more contained and condensed. So if you're interested in learning more, I highly recommend this book. And then there's the authors also have a website that'll tell you about too. So the book is called Sensitive The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a loud, fast, Too much World. The authors are Andre Solo and Jenn Granneman. So I just decided like, oh, let me read this book. And it was very, very, very helpful for me, particularly because, again, similar to what happened with introverts, with Susan Cain's book quiet, it was very much just like normalizing this.

Like, if you are like this, nothing is wrong with you, which has often been. In the message that us sensitive people have gotten throughout our lives. Like, you're being too sensitive, stop being so sensitive. And so we have to try to assimilate and to be accepted. We have figured out these ways to try to toughen ourselves up or to try to dull our sensitivity. A huge reason why I think a lot of us overeat, and I know that it contributed to my overeating as well. I highly recommend that book. But the authors also have a website called Sensitive Refuge. The website is highly sensitive refuge.com.

[00:06:04] I'll put that in the show notes here. They have a quiz right on that front page. So really recommend that you take that quiz just to familiarize yourself with it. But another thing I really loved about this book is that it was also, it's not just for people who are sensitive. It was really addressing 20 to 30% of humans are sensitive, like you have sensitive people in your life. It could be your child, it could be a parent, it could be your partner or spouse, it could be siblings. It could be people you work with. It could be friends. And when you understand more about sensitive people, you will better be able to understand why they do the things that they do, why they respond to certain things.

And I think it's great, particularly if you have a child who's sensitive, which I do. So reading that book not only helped me with me, but it really, really helped me with how to approach that child. So the majority of what I'm going to talk to you about here today, I mean, really, all of it comes from the Sensitive Refuge website and the book sensitive. So citing my resources, so much stuff in there, again, like just for the sake of time, I couldn't even begin to scratch the surface. There's lots and lots of great stuff on there, which is really awesome. So and the test is super easy. It's just like yes or no questions.

[00:07:14] You know, I actually took it again as I was preparing for this and it was like, yep, you're still you. You're still sensitive. So what does it even mean to be a sensitive person? So what it means it doesn't mean something's wrong with you. And what it means is your brain is wired to process information deeply. And when it's like that, that means that you respond strongly to your environment, and that can be through all of your senses. So I'll give you an example. I mean, for my whole life, even when I was a kid walking through a department store where they have all the fragrances, I would end up with a headache.

I would end up feeling bad, like I didn't love being there, or like walking past the body shop or something at the mall. And like, you can smell that. It's just it was like too much for me when it didn't seem like it bothered other people or they liked it, you know? So it's it's just one small example of that. And it also means that you notice things that others miss and that you make connections that other people don't. So this sometimes can show up for us where we're like, oh my God, did you notice how that person looked at that person? How this thing, you know, when it's like, oh my gosh, read the room and the other people are like, what are you even talking about? Like, we think the way we are is normal.

[00:08:30] And what I mean by normal is that everybody is experiencing it the same way as we are, but they're not. And so what I really want to impress upon you that I learned from learning more about this is being a sensitive person is a superpower Spider-Man or whatever, you know, with great power comes great responsibility. What I mean is, like, there's going to be pros and cons to it. There's going to be things that are really, really beneficial. Definitely pros to being sensitive. But it comes with some cons too. It comes with some downsides. But when you know how to manage those and support yourself and build out resources around that, it can be so helpful.

So even having language around it can help you to ask for what you need, can help explain to people close to you why you need what you need so they can maybe get on board. So not thinking you're, you know, being selfish or self-centered or like things like that. So like I said, being sensitive is a trait. About 20 to 30% of the population has it. So it is actually like a gene. There's genes that make people highly sensitive as far as how it works. Like are there introverted sensitive people? There are, but there are also extroverted sensitive people. And there are, I think they call it an ambivert if you're like in the middle and there's ambivert sensitive people.

[00:09:43] So it's not like, oh, if you are sensitive, you're also an introvert. So as I've learned more about this, it's the more I'm like, you know, I think I'm less of an introvert and more of just definitely a sensitive person. So what it means if this is like a genetic thing, right? There's actual differences in a highly sensitive person's brain. And this is something that there's still a lot of research going on right now. So all the answers are not there yet, but they're figuring these things out. So interestingly we're going to call them an HSP. An HSPs brain responds to dopamine differently. So like many of the genes that are involved with being highly sensitive affect how dopamine is used in the brain, which I think is super fascinating.

So this is still being researched, like trying to figure this out, but like your brain actually functions differently. Your mirror neurons are more. Active, so it doesn't mean you have more in numbers of mirror neurons, but they're more active. And so what that looks like is more empathy. That's a really, really good thing in a lot of ways, like more compassion. But it also may mean that, you know, you just can't watch some shows or watch images on social media, or look at videos on social media, or read things in the paper as much as other people can like. It will affect you more.

[00:11:05] Like, I know this for myself for sure, and I've known for a long time. There are certain shows when I find out, like what it's about, I'm like, yeah, that's not for me. That's not going to be good for me. I mean, there was a the first horror movie I ever saw was in sixth grade at a sleepover. I'd never seen one before. And it was, I think, all things considered, really not that bad of one. I mean, I can scare myself to this day over those images. I mean, terrified me, absolutely terrified me. That was the wrong thing for me to be watching.

And so I just know, like, that's just not for me. It's really not for me. Okay. Another thing like a difference in the brain and really in the body too. But the way that highly sensitive people experience emotions is more vivid. So you're still feeling like everyone is feeling those emotions, but you may feel them more intensely inside of you. I think this is really important because, you know, some people will be like, well, you just got to like let that, you know, roll off your back and move forward. And those of us who are sensitive are just like, I would love to do that, and I can't. This feels so bad. What's tough is when other people are just like, yeah, it's not that bad. And you're like, but my lived experience is that it is that bad.

[00:12:18] You know, this helps to explain that. It's like, yeah, sometimes there's going to be emotions that feel worse for you than a lot of other people. So that's normal for you. That is okay. And that just means that we have the opportunity then to learn how to process those, how to support ourselves within those. But when you're experiencing those intense emotions, it makes sense, particularly when you're younger, that you would maybe start asking sugar to help you to feel better, or just volume of food, or just eating food that, you know, it's just favorite foods or candy or things like that to just try to dampen the intensity of those emotions, you start to realize like, okay, yeah, that's why that food helps me so much or did help me so much in the past.

The final difference is that you're just much more tuned in to other people. So that means that you're just more alert, more so to speak, conscious in a social context. So where other people will miss things, you will totally pick up on it. You know, you're the one who's just like, did you notice this and this and this? And if you're talking to another sensitive person, they're like, ah, heck yes I did. Yes ma'am, I did. Whereas other people are like, what are you talking about? I didn't see that at all. So what I realized was this is a relatively recently to that.

[00:13:39] I really thought that everybody at least had the ability to pick up on all that and that they were just like ignoring it or something. And now I realize, no, they they literally their brains will not show it to them. And so this can be a great thing. What I was reading is like, you know, very often people who are, who are more sensitive are going to be able to notice, like, I don't have a good feeling about that person, or that's someone that I got to be careful around or, you know, just pick up on those little nuances and that can actually be really good for us.

You know, we have more of those spidey senses and things like that. Okay. So I want to just be clear that being highly sensitive is a real research based characteristic, okay? This is not a made up thing. This is a real thing. So the test for it. Is having a very high degree of sensory processing sensitivity. Okay. So somebody who on a sensory processing sensitivity test scores highly, very highly, they would be considered highly sensitive. And having that sensory processing sensitivity is a trait of deeply processing experiences and stimuli around you with specific differences at the neural level. Okay. So this is what we're dealing with here. What I want to share with you now are some of the characteristics. So these are some signs you can read this on. Highly sensitive refuge com.

[00:15:13] They're not by any means complete. There's many other signs and characteristics, but what they say here is if you relate to most of these, there's a good chance that you're highly sensitive. So I just want to kind of go through them to help you get a little bit of an idea of like, okay, am I leaning toward that more or not? I believe that many people who go into medicine are highly sensitive, and what's actually really cool, before I get into those signs, is that there is a page on this website, the seven Best Careers for Highly Sensitive People. And literally number one is the caring professions, including doctors.

Okay, so they're talking about how these careers really play to our strengths empathy, compassion, intuitive awareness of others needs, but also that it's important for sensitive people, typically to have a profession where they feel like they're making a difference or that's very meaningful to them. I know that's a huge reason that so many people become doctors. I think it's also easy to think that, like women are, you know, the sensitive people and men are not. And that's not the case at all. In fact, actually, the male author of the book talks about that a lot, and it was very eye opening for me. You know, this is not a gender or sex based kind of thing. Okay. 21 signs You're a highly Sensitive person. So I'm just gonna give you what it says and then share with you my thoughts on it.

[00:16:37] So number one, you absolutely abhor violence and cruelty of any kind. And I think that's so classic for a lot of us. Like I was talking about like seeing, you know, horror movie is just extremely upsetting, unsettling, you know, things that are really, really violent. I recently started watching a series I can't remember it might be on Netflix or something that's on a book that I read and the book itself, it was so well done. It was an amazing, amazing book. And also just like gutted me. It was so sad in a lot of ways. And also historical fiction.

So you know that a lot of what you're reading actually really happened to people, or at least, you know, something similar. And then seeing the visual representation of that, I had to turn off even the first episode. I was just like, this is not working for me. I'm not in a place right now where I want to be feeling this way. I think that's kind of a representation of that where it's just like, you know, when people are like, have you watched the whatever video of this atrocity online? Yeah, I will not be doing that. In fact, that's why one of the reasons I got off social media and just get my news from an actual newspaper, I feel like I have more control about, at least from the video perspective, you know, and like just reading headlines like I can choose what else I'm going to see.

[00:17:51] It doesn't just like as much just show up in my face. But literally just two, three days ago, there was a headline on a really just like a tragic thing that happened. I'm not even going to say what it was, and I didn't even click through. I read the whatever they call this, the sub headline or whatever it was, and I was just like, oh my gosh. I mean, literally for days it stuck with me. It was just tragic, really, really sad. And did I really need to know about that happening? I probably did not, to be quite honest with you. Probably better for me to not. So when people like you have to know what's going on in the world. If you're highly sensitive, it's important that you really figure out what that looks like for you. Okay? It can really be too much.
Okay. Number two, you're frequently emotionally exhausted from absorbing other people's feelings. So this concept of absorbing other people's feelings and stuff like that, I mean, I wouldn't use that language personally as a coach. That's not really how it works with emotions and stuff like that. But I do think that when other people are emoting, we are much more in tune with it. And it's like those mirror neurons we start to feel how they're feeling. It's like all those little subtleties, their tone of voice and facial expressions and like all those little subtle things, we really pick up on that.

[00:19:07] You know, you might feel like I just got nothing left emotionally. And honestly, I felt that way in practice a lot to just kind of being like, you know, I was quote unquote on a lot, really connecting with people and then just needing to retreat for a while. I don't think that's an introvert thing. I think that's a sensitivity thing. Okay. Number three, time pressure really rattles you more so than other people. So this can be like, you know, timed quizzes or speed tests, which I hated those growing up. Oh my gosh. Um, it says perhaps to the point of not being able to perform as well as you normally would.

Absolutely, totally. But as an adult, it can be like you have too many things on your list. You don't have enough time to finish them, right. It's just too much stimulation. Time pressure is just too much. But I also want to say, for people who struggle with staying on time in the office, I think this can be part of it too. Like you get more and more behind and then that really starts to rally you and it just it all kind of devolves from there. I know I personally can really identify with that as well. It's not my favorite. Like, can I get through it? Yes, I. Can, but it takes a lot out of me, right? And it's not so great.

[00:20:11] All right, number four, you withdraw often, and it's clear here whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, you just need plenty of downtime and preferably alone. And I think that's really what it is. It's like sometimes I'm like, I just need downtime. I can have people around me. It just needs to be downtime. It's like lowering the stimulation level, you know, recharging, taking down the sensory input. You know, sometimes I joke when my dog is like just barking like crazy, you know, every now and then they just get like, so worked up and I'm like, oh my God, he needs a tranquilizer dart. Like he just needs to be put down. You know, like I'm very occasionally I'm like, oh my God, I need a tranquilizer dart. Like I just someone just like, oh, I just need something, right?

And so sometimes I think people can think when we do that withdrawal, they think that, you know, it means other things, that it doesn't mean when you recognize this about yourself, you can make sure that you have that time for yourself, that you ask for what you need. This is, I think, so helpful. Okay. Number five, you're jumpy. So that means, like, you know, someone sneaks up on you, someone rounds the corner, and you just, like, you know, so really high startle reflex, even if it's non-threatening, like that nervous system is just more dialed up.

[00:21:25] That's me to a T, for sure. It literally just happened, I think, yesterday. Well, yesterday or no, it was two days ago. I didn't know my husband was home. I turned the corner and he was right there, and I literally left the ground and yelped. I mean, it was just wow. But I did hear someone coming. I just thought it was someone different. So I knew someone was coming, but when I saw it was him, I just. Whew. Yeah. Number six. You think deeply. So this means you process information deeply, you reflect on your experiences. But like, more so than other people. So you spend time thinking on things.

But it's you're also then more prone to have this turn into rumination. Negative, you know, overthinking of things, obsessively playing events over and over again in your mind, spiraling with anxiety and anxious thoughts. You know, a lot of times spent in that mind where other people can just, like, put it down, you maybe find it harder to to put it down. So again, right, you may not be sensitive, but someone in your life may be like this and you're like, what is their problem? Why can't they stop? Well, now you're going to maybe understand a little bit better. This is why their brain just works differently. Okay. Number seven, you're a seeker. So people who are highly sensitive seek answers to the big questions in life.

[00:22:37] They want to know why things are the way they are. You may be fascinated with things and wonder why other people aren't as captivated by them as you are. That's for sure. Been my experience where I'm like, I am so excited about this and why is nobody else? Like one time we were out walking in the forest and found an owl feather, and I just literally was like, I could not get over myself. And no one seemed to be as excited as me, you know? I mean, right, I'm just like, okay, yeah, there we go. All right, so this is kind of similar to the startle response, but eight sudden loud noises will startle you. So this is more of an auditory kind of a thing.
So, you know, some really loud, you know, siren or motorcycle or something goes by and it can really sort of shake you again, like I said, you don't need to have all of these, just the majority. Um, number nine, your clothing matters. This is something a lot of parents, you know, I remember working as a pediatrician. A lot of parents would struggle with this and with my child, who's more sensitive. Same thing with with that child as well. Like, just needs to have clothing that feels a certain way if things are too restrictive, if they're scratchy, it's just not good. I know, because like for myself, there was like, I get very itchy with wool and I would force myself to wear things because I thought they were cute or like, you know, people are like, well, cashmere doesn't itch.

[00:23:52] So even though it itched for me, I'm like, well, I'm going to wear cashmere. I remember years ago I was just finally like, you know, if I take my clothes off at the end of the night and just feel like, oh my gosh, I feel so much better, why am I wearing that? You know, like you can find other things. You don't have to do that. And there are some, you know, wools that aren't maybe as itchy or, you know, a lot of what I do because I live in a cold climate is just find underlayers that protect the at least the majority of my skin.

So anyway, if you're sensitive to those types of things, could be sensitive. Number ten your pain tolerance is less. And I kind of took this. At first I was like, no, I've got a really high pain tolerance. But another element to this can be just experiencing more pain than average people. So it can be like more injuries, more body aches, just more sensitivity to what you're feeling in your body. Maybe more headaches then is typical or what other people seem to struggle with. It for sure is my experience in my body. I just think it's been me for so long that I'm just like, right, you know? That's just what happens.

[00:24:50] Uh, number 11, your inner world is alive and present. And so this is, again, because of that deep processing, you know, having that what they call a rich inner world. So it could be when your child, you, um, you know, had imaginary friends you really liked imaginary play. Fantasy based play. A daydreaming a lot. As adults, it can show up as vividly realistic dreams. This is something that actually is not really me, but I, you know, definitely know tons of people where it is. 12 change is extremely upsetting. You know, again, I'm kind of like extremely upset. I don't know, I mean, I don't think anybody really likes change, but for some people, even positive change can really throw them off.
And sometimes again, with other people in our lives or our children. Right. Like it can be just it's a lot. And, you know, for sensitive people, you can be feeling equally joyful as you are totally stressed about what's happening. So people are sensitive, might just need more time than average to adjust to different changes. So if there's a lot of changes going on, that can be more difficult. Number 13 sometimes your environment is your enemy. So kind of along those same lines, like, you know, going on vacation, even though it's an amazing vacation or moving to a new place, it can be really difficult because there's so many new stimuli, right? Like you're on this fun vacation, but it's just it's a lot.

[00:26:11] It's like kind of the sensory bombardment that can sometimes be too much. Um, 14 you're misunderstood. You know, you might be called shy or anxious. Definitely. Many, many, many of us who are sensitive, um, there was, you know, either explicit or implicit messaging that something was wrong with us, right, that we should be different. I specifically remember being told, don't be so sensitive. It's like, don't be you is really what that is. The way you are is wrong and bad, right? So then we try to figure out how to not be that way. And often food can come in to help dampen the pain of that. So again like I mentioned, you know, a lot of sensitive people are labeled as introverts. But it looks here like about 30% of sensitive people are actually extroverts. So it really doesn't have to be both.

This is what they say. We'll see. I think this is kind of interesting considering the work that I do. It says here that sensitive people tend to be sensitive to changes in blood sugar levels. So if you haven't eaten in a while, you can get more like hangry, like, you know, more upset. What I would say about that is that often can be completely fixed with making some simple dietary changes. And so that's something that I'm like, I don't know, we'll see about that. But maybe for other people in your life, you know, just kind of recognizing like, okay, like children or, you know, so you can be more sensitive to stimulants too.

[00:27:30] So sensitive people tend to be more sensitive to caffeine, maybe need very little to actually feel its effects, possibly even more sensitive to alcohol's effects. That's a really common thing. Number 17 I was like, read this. I was like, oh man, it says conflict is your poison. This is something that so many of us struggle with. But I you know, I do want to say, though, it doesn't mean that you can't get better at conflict. I've gotten so much better at it. I've worked really hard on it. And it's something that I'm actually really proud of, the progress that I've made, but I think it can help us to understand why conflict is so uncomfortable.

Just tension, even just disagreements. Like you're going to feel that more deeply if you're sensitive. You may even feel physically ill during conflict. I definitely can relate to that. And because of that, you know, some sensitive people are going to become really avoidant of conflict, you know, like people pleasing, doing anything that they can to keep the other person happy, to avoid feeling the pain of that conflict. So I think that's a really good one to recognize, you know. But what I do know is that with coaching, we can change the way we think about conflict. And so I'm not going to say, like, I can make it so that a sensitive person just is like totally runs toward conflict all the time.

[00:28:41] But I think there's a lot of work that can be done to make it less uncomfortable for us to feel more supported while we're doing it, and to be able to, you know, do it even though we are feeling that discomfort or tension. Okay, here's another big one. 18 criticism is a dagger. Words really matter to sensitive people. And so it's, you know, positive words can make them sore, but harsh words will send them crashing to the ground. Cannot tell you how many times I have coached people on how they're feeling from feedback that they've gotten, whether it's, you know, from teaching, you know, things from patients, whatever it is, that criticism can really just feel like a dagger and feel really, really painful and be hard to move through.

I've definitely had that experience myself as well. Also something that coaching can help with a lot, but just recognizing, like, why does this feel so bad? Oh, because I'm sensitive and that's normal. And this is what this feels like for sensitive people. All right. Number 19, your conscientious I did a whole podcast about being conscientious a while back. So you just try really hard not to make mistakes, but really giving things your best effort. I was like, oh yeah, me and lots of my doctor friends. Number 20, you're deeply moved by beauty. Remember I talked about the owl feather, but so interesting here they say find meals, rich scents, beautiful artwork, stirring melodies can have a deep impact on you.

[00:30:00] I definitely find that music is something that impacts me. If. Feels like more than other people necessarily. You know, just seeing like, natural beauty. I feel like I'm the one. I'm like, oh my gosh, look at the night sky, or look at the sunset. You guys, like very few other people I feel like in my life are pointing it out to me. I'm the one who was like, oh my gosh, look how nice that is. And really taking that in. So that's here. You don't understand how other people aren't as moved by beauty as you are. I'm like, yeah, pretty much. Okay. The number 21.

You're perceptive. So you really pick up on things, you know, more insightful. Maybe as a child you were seen as being wise beyond your years. And this is a good thing, right? Like the world is a better place with highly sensitive people in it. Okay, so this is not bad. It's important to recognize, like, you know, you're not too much of anything or not enough of something, like you're just a sensitive person, which is a trait. It's genetically how you were built. And, you know, I think the more we educate ourselves about things like this, the better, you know, we end up doing. So ultimately, there's lots of resources online.

[00:31:09] There are really important pros and cons, you know, pros. You're more empathic, creative, intuitive, highly aware of other people's needs. But the flip side of this is that you may be more easily overwhelmed, exhausted, more, more likely to maybe burn out any kind of loud, crowded, visually stimulating space. It can just be too much. Um, this happened to me not long ago. I had to go to one of my kid's sporting events. It was the first one for us. I assumed it would be loud, so I even went with noise canceling headphones for myself. But after many hours of being there, it took much longer than I expected.

I just I couldn't even take it anymore. I was just like, I have to get out of here. I cannot be here anymore preparing this. I was like, oh, that's right. That's that's the sensitivity there. And so you can anticipate some of that a little bit more. You know, I could have left and taken a break and come back. And instead I called my husband and was like, oh my gosh, this isn't going to end anytime soon. And I really need to do a swap with you. I cannot be here any longer. And that's fine too. You know, that's completely fine. But it helps us to know, like I can do it for a while and then I can't anymore, you know, or, um, you know, going to like, some sort of event will maybe be fun.

[00:32:21] And then I'm going to need some downtime after that. I remember even working as a pediatrician, like, it would have really been helpful for me to have some admin time. Like there were times when I just felt like, I wish I could just sit in front of a computer and not talk to somebody for a little while. And I think if I had understood this more about myself, I could have worked to adjust my workday to have it work for me instead of me depleting myself because this is the way it was, you know? So ultimately, again, there's nothing wrong with you if you're sensitive.

The people in your life are sensitive. There's nothing wrong with them. It really, truly is a superpower to be sensitive. Honestly, there are so many good things that come from it and I am very grateful for it. But all the more reason to learn how to process your emotions. Coaching is great at helping you to do that, guiding you through learning that skill and really learning how to support yourself so that you don't end up going through the like extreme highs and lows, right? Like, you know, you're doing okay until you're not, and then you're crashing and burning and then you've got to scrape yourself off the pavement, get yourself back going again, recovering from burnout and things like that. Like just understanding yourself better, I think can make a really big difference.

[00:33:28] So one more time plug for the book sensitive the hidden power of the highly sensitive person in a loud, fast, too much world. Andre Solo and Jenn Granneman or their website is called Sensitive Refuge. And again, I'll put that link in the show notes for you. I'm so curious to know what you think about this. If you identify as sensitive, if there's people in your life that you're like, oh, that explains a lot. And like I said, whether you are or are not sensitive, all of us could benefit from learning more about this, particularly if you're in patient care.

Just being able to understand people, if you're in any kind of supervisory or management role of people, it can be very helpful to understand more about sensitive people so you can connect with them and help them to be their best, and of course, to connect with yourself and help yourself to be your best as well. If you're sensitive. So us sensitive folks unite. It's just who we are and you know we can drop the resistance. Stop telling ourselves that we need to be different. Something's wrong with us. Like, no, this is who we are. And that's valid. It's totally okay.

All right, I hope you have a great rest of your week and I'll talk to you next time. Thanks for your attention bye.
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