Are You a Highly Sensitive Person?

Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP)?

Lately I’ve had some experiences that reminded me that I definitely am an HSP, with all challenges (and also advantages) that come with that trait.

That reminder led me to a wonderful new book called Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World, by Jenn Granneman and Andre Solo.

I am loving this book - so validating and empowering! One of those books that I want everyone to read.

There has been an explosion of research on sensitivity over the last couple decades, and Granneman and Solo do a great job of summarizing the most important findings in a highly readable way.

Here are a few of the scientific findings on sensitivity that I’ve found most interesting so far:

• Sensitivity has been firmly established as a trait, not just in humans, but throughout the animal kingdom.

• Sensitivity is now considered to be a spectrum, with about 30% of people at either the high or low end and the remaining 40% in the middle.

• Humans (and other species) having a range of sensitivity has evolutionary benefits - it’s not an accident or a mistake.

• Like any trait, being on the high end of the sensitivity spectrum has both advantages and challenges.

I’ve been sharing more about the advantages and challenges of being an HSP on the Happy Brain Life Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/happy_brain_life/

If you’d like to find out where you fall on the sensitivity spectrum, there is a fun, free quiz at sensitivityresearch.com. 

If you take the quiz and you’d like to share the results, just send an email to liz@happybrainlife.com and let me know!

Love,

Liz