Sensitivity is a gift for yourself, not only for others
You're a legend. Just know that. Yes, even if you’re sensitive AF and have already had a meltdown today, or six.
If you hate being known or thought of as sensitive...let me just go ahead and take the lead here.
Hi! I'm Gabriella I’m your Captain Sensitive and I’m reclaiming the word sensitive! I say it loud and proud! I am sensationally sensitive.
When you don’t own it yourself, it causes big problems in your life.
I'm so bloody sick of sensitive women falling apart because they're trying to squeeze themselves into a lifestyle and routine that wasn't designed for them.
You may think you're depressed, or flaky, or have low resilience or no confidence. But what if you lived in a world that actually supported and valued your sensitivity, rather than demonised you into shame and hiding?
The mainstream world sells us this blueprint of life like they've got it all figured out but they don't- Millions of people are suffering from isolation, loneliness, mental illness, financial insecurity and deep disconnection from themselves.
For sensitive women, following this rat race or blueprint feels like:
You're on a speeding train that you can't get off. The only speeding train I like is the Frecciargento train racing through Italy, thank you very much.
You're running a marathon you never signed up for and don't know how to cheat on.
You're forced to play a competitive game everyone else seems to love but you don't get it, at all. Can't we just eat chips and chat?
You're from another century but somehow got stuck here in 2023 with AI and ChatGPT when you would prefer to sit by a campfire, write poetry and decoupage natural flowers with other wise women.
If only we were living in a movie, we had buttons to control, so you could hit the 'slow the hell down' button and catch your breath for once.
If this resonates with you, you're in the right place: I’m talking to the gentle, thoughtful, perceptive, in-tune, deep thinking, feeling, curious being that you are.
A lover of community, of the tribe, of deep connection, not awkward chit-chat.
I’m talking to the creatives, the healers and the helpers of the world.
The women with secret brilliant ideas about what needs to change in the world, and the ones wiping a tear away when seeing cute old people hold hands.
The women who keep their families together and who are a soft place to land for so many people in their lives.
The woman who feels like taking time for themselves is indulgent and they shouldn't take so much time for themselves.
How do I know if I really am sensitive or not?
I know you're here in the right place because you were intuitively drawn to me and you already enjoy what I write to you about.
When I’m writing about sensitive women, I want you to remember I don’t have a ten-point checklist I want you to pass. You don’t have to meet the criteria for being a Highly Sensitive person (HSP) or an empath or an Indigo Child or any other prescriptive label.
This isn't a club you need a secret code to get into.
You just have to have a hunch you’re more sensitive than others and are interested in turning towards it, rather than ignoring it, pushing it down or pretending like you’re not sensitive AF.
I’d bet my bottom dollar you probably have a strong sense that you’re more sensitive than others for a long time or have even been called "so sensitive" a handful of times.
If you have some resistance to being called sensitive- I get it: Sensitivity isn’t a dirty word although it gets used as one, often thrown back in your face and it can lead you to want to hide from the label.
When you hear the word ‘sensitivity’ you will always have the possibility of hearing it as negative.
It can be closely associated with ‘dramatic’ or ‘too much’ or ‘over the top’ or ‘difficult’ or ‘being such hard work’.
Ask yourself, when I or someone else calls you sensitive, what’s your reaction?
Even as I write this, I can feel my heckles getting up!
Sensitivity is a gift, not a burden
I’m here to guide you to consider your sensitivity as a tool or gift, not as some uncontrollable monster that lives inside you that makes you an ‘out of control’, projecting, emotionally all over-the-place woman.
I’m inviting you to relate to your sensitivity as a valuable tool for self-connection, emotional intelligence, reflection and curiosity, both about yourself and the world.
In my counselling sessions, sensitivity is used as a tool to provide the most beautiful exploration of one’s self, and if I wasn't the sensitive therapist I am, my counselling would be dry, boring and a text-book snore-fest, and that ain't healing to me!
If we turn away from sensitivity, it can lead to living only in the mind and ignoring our felt sense, and our intuitive, body responses which hold so much wisdom and frankly, are way more accurate than our monkey mind.
I know it's often scary to turn towards your sensitive self and listen, but that part of you isn't going away. It's longing for you and has been trying to get your attention for a long time.
Sensitivity can be a gift for yourself, not only for others
Using sensitivity as a tool is what I want to cultivate and draw out of you, especially so that you can support yourself. I’m certain you’re already supporting many loved ones and I don’t need to spend 1 second guiding you to do that.
I’d like to guide you to use sensitivity as a tool for YOURSELF, your own healing, and your own nourishment rather than something that uses/dominates/controls you and runs your life into the ground.
Take a moment to check in here:
Are you utilising sensitivity as a super-power tool that gives you insight into the world, others and yourself, and that you can use to be curious, interested and supportive of yourself?
I ask this because what I notice about sensitive women is that you may use these natural talents to be expertly clued into others and their needs, but forget to use the tool to be expertly tuned into yourself.
You may use it to share your magical support, empathy, compassion and cheerleading with others, but when it comes to yourself, you get stuck with the overwhelming, muddy, confusing parts of being sensitive and no self-love.
I think this happens when we spend all our ‘sensitivity battery’ on others, and when it comes to ourselves at the end of the day, well we just get relegated to a Netflix binge or another glass of wine that’s only going to make you feel worse in the morning.
You don’t gift yourself all the empathy, compassion, kindness and enduring support you naturally give others that feels effortless, and I want to shine a light on that.
Journal prompts for self-reflection:
Why is it that when you’re struggling, you’re more likely to be critical, ashamed, and tough on yourself? Empathy and kindness seem to be reserved for anyone in the world going through a hard time, except YOU!
How can you turn those beautiful magical skills onto yourself, moving forward?
If you took 10% of the nourishment you give to others and gave it to yourself, what could you do differently this week?
Gabriella
Psst...something magical is brewing in my cauldron for you here.
