Fun Facts About Highly Sensitive People (HSPs)
Last week I shared about reading a wonderful new book called Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World.
Many of you wrote to say that you also are highly sensitive, so I thought it would be fun to share more research findings about this trait that many of us have:
Fun Facts About Highly Sensitive People (HSPs)
30% of the population is considered highly sensitive.
The key feature of high sensitivity is something called ‘depth of processing’, which means that the brain/nervous system of a highly sensitive person takes in more information from the environment and processes it more deeply.
Depth of processing provides many gifts, such as creativity, deep thinking, and empathy.
Overwhelm is the biggest challenge for most HSPs, which results from depth of processing - constantly taking in more from the environment and processing it more deeply.
Sensitivity is not the same as introversion - HSPs can be very introverted or very extroverted or anywhere in between.
Sensitivity is determined by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Equal numbers of men and women are highly sensitive (although you can imagine it might be even more challenging for boys and men to have this trait).
From their biographies, interviews, etc., the following are just a few of the many historical figures thought to have had the trait of high sensitivity: Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, Albert Einstein, Carl Jung, and Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers).
Some of the many famous people who have shared about being sensitive, with its gifts and challenges, are: Viola Davis, Bruce Springsteen, Alanis Morrisette, LIn-Manuel Miranda, Sonia Sotomayor, Mahershala Ali, and Lady Gaga.
So if you have the trait of high sensitivity you’re in great company!
If you’re curious about where you are on the sensitivity spectrum, sensitivityresearch.com has a fun free quiz you can take to find out.
Sending love,
Liz
P.S. I’m creating a special free program for highly sensitive people that I’ll be announcing in a couple weeks. If you’re interested, watch your email!
