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Today, I want to share with you 30 do's and don'ts for sensitive people.
Whether you consider yourself to be a highly sensitive person, an empath, an introvert,
or you would just like some tips for taking good care of yourself and your well-being, then you're
gonna get some good tips and strategies here. These are also things that I have personally been
practicing myself and they have been very helpful for my mental, emotional and physical health.
I've made a bunch of videos about being sensitive before. What it means to have the high sensitivity
trait. How we are different from non-highly sensitive people. Why our brain and nervous system
works differently and all of that stuff. So if you want to learn more about it, I will leave some
of these videos that I recommend for you in the description box below. Do take time to recharge.
Because of your sensitivity, your battery will get drained a bit more quickly. So it is important to
recharge frequently, or daily if you can. You don't need hours. Just spending 15 minutes by
yourself can already work wonders. So try to find some small ways to get some rest and recharge your
batteries frequently. Don't cross your own natural limits. Being sensitive means that we are taking
in a ton of information, but that also means that your nervous system will get overwhelmed
by stimuli much more quickly. And we live in a society where we are often told to just push
through. Or toughen up. Or keep going, just drink a cup of coffee, no pain no gain. But continuing
to not listen to your own boundaries and crossing them regularly will not lead to anything good. You
are not being weak or a drama queen if you decide to listen and respect your own natural boundaries,
instead of always pushing through. Do remember that if you are a highly sensitive person,
that that is a real trait that you were born with. It is not something that can be changed.
It is definitely not something that needs to be fixed. It is a normal personality trait that about
15 to 20% of all people share. And it comes with its own pros and cons. Recognizing and accepting
my sensitivity has truly been life-changing for me. Because I realized that I wasn't broken,
and I could just choose to live my life in harmony with my sensitivity. Don't think
that you need to toughen up. Sensitivity is not a medical disorder or an affliction
or something that you need to be cured from. And I say this, because this is a common misconception.
It just means that you process sensory information differently and more deeply.
So you might need some more breaks or some more self-care in order to feel happy and healthy.
But toughening up, not only is it not going to work, it is also just completely unnecessary.
Do set clear boundaries around how much news you want to consume. Sensitive people oftentimes don't
do very well if we're watching the news all day, every day. Because the news is phrased in a way
that gets clicks. And unfortunately, that means a lot of negativity and scary titles and scary
images. I would actually recommend everyone to think about this, and set some boundaries
around how much news you want to consume. But especially so for sensitive people,
if you choose not to watch the news all day, that doesn't make you a bad person or a selfish person.
You don't have to put yourself through all that. Just staying informed on a very basic
level is good enough. Don't skip meals. We need regularity in our meals, because we will feel
the effects of too little food much quicker. So if you're going to go somewhere and you're not
sure if food will be provided, then bring some of your own. Do prioritize your sleep. Sensitive
people often don't do very well if we don't get enough sleep. And studies have actually shown
that we need more sleep than most to function, just because of how easily our nervous system
gets overwhelmed by living our life. So try to prioritize sleep. Get your eight hours. I actually
noticed that I function better if I get nine hours of sleep. But usually I will get eight. Don't over
plan your schedule. Give yourself time and space to get things done. Having a jam-packed schedule,
or having to do things very quickly under pressure, is not really something that sensitive
people are good at. Do make sure you have a space in your home that feels like a retreat.
Sensitive people need a safe space where we can feel comfortable and decompress. Somewhere without
too many stimuli. So try and make sure that you have a place in your home that feels like that.
Don't over analyze social interactions. Deep thinking is a sensitive person's strength. But
that also means that we are prone to overthinking and ruminating on things, like social interactions
we've had. Because we will more quickly notice changes in someone's body language or their tone
of voice. And this can cause us to go over the interaction again and again in our own head,
and that's not gonna lead to anything. So if you get like that, try and save your energy and just
try and let it go. Do identify your triggers and stressors. Know which things overstimulate
you easily. For example, some sensitive people cannot really handle scary or violent movies,
whereas others might be completely fine with that. So we're all different. For me personally,
noise is a really big trigger and crowds as well. And also the weather somehow. If it's like really
windy, my battery gets drained very very quickly. So find what it is for you, and try and find some
ways that you can work around it when you can. Don't go overboard with caffeine. I know that
we get tired easily. And I have certainly had periods where I couldn't do my corporate job
unless I drank coffee, and lots of it. But it is kind of hard on our body to deal with all of that
caffeine. So know where your limits are and switch over to decaf or herbal tea when you need to. Do
become friends with other sensitive people. Not that non-highly sensitive people cannot be a great
fit, they truly can. Some of my best friends are not exactly highly sensitive. But it also helps if
you can seek out some kindred spirits. Someone where you don't even have to really explain
what it is you're feeling, because they're experiencing it like that too. Don't be
afraid to plan ahead. If you need to go shopping, maybe go when there are less crowds. But also,
if you need to do something and there is no way to work around your triggers or your stressors,
then plan ahead by perhaps bringing something that's going to make it easier for you. Or finding
where you can take a little break. Or if you're going to go with someone, tell them what you
need to enjoy the day and feel good. Do bring your essentials with you when you go out. Kind of like
a tool kit. I always bring my own water. I always have some kind of nuts granola bar type situation
going on. I will bring lip balm, I will bring deodorant, mints, those soft little square towels.
I'll bring sunscreen, sunglasses and many more things. Don't think that you cannot do certain
things because you're a sensitive person. I think that there is tough and then there is strong.
And while sensitive people might not be that tough or like sturdy in the traditional sense,
we can be very very strong. And there is nothing that you cannot do. It just means that you might
need to go about it a little differently. And plan ahead and make things easier for yourself.
Do speak up at work. If you need a better desk chair because this one is hurting you,
or if you need a quieter workspace, or anything else that you might need to do your job without
burning out doing it, then at least try asking for it. Because you never know what could be possible
in changing or improving your work environment. Don't get stuck when you have to make a choice or
a decision. Sensitive people have an overactive mind. So we can easily get stuck in ruminating
and overthinking. So as soon as you have the basic idea of the choices that are available to you and
like the pros and cons of each, try to just make a decision and stick with it and commit
to it. And save yourself some precious energy. Do choose a morning routine and evening routine
that work for you. That's realistic for you and that helps you to slowly wake up in the morning
and slowly wind down in the evening. For me personally, my mornings and the hour before
bedtime are truly like sacred times. I need those times to feel good the rest of the day.
And you really don't have to do like a two hour routine or anything like that. Don't over exhaust
yourself with intensive exercise. If it doesn't feel good for your body. If you are like me,
then gentle and intuitive exercise all the way. Do remember that being sensitive comes with many
gifts and advantages. Again, being sensitive doesn't have to hold you back from anything in
your life. And depending on what it is you want to do, it can even be very helpful and it can
give you a clear advantage. Don't wait with going home until you are completely and utterly spent.
This is hard for me too sometimes, but I have learned that it is better to leave and go home
when I still have about 10 to 20% percent left in my battery. Instead of going to complete zero,
basically crashing, and then still having to go home. Do treat yourself with compassion. Sensitive
people are oftentimes very compassionate, but more so towards others than towards ourselves. So try
not to push yourself too hard, or beat yourself up, or criticize yourself for things that really
are not your fault. And give yourself the same kind of compassion that you so easily give others.
Don't ignore the signs your body is giving you. In order to do the things you want to do in life,
and feel good doing them as a sensitive person, I believe that it is absolutely vital to learn how
to tune into how you're feeling. And to quickly recognize if you need something. If you need to
eat or drink something, or if you need a little break. If you need to change your posture or
wear something more comfortable. Or if you've been at home for too long and you need to go
out and be around people. Learn to recognize these things and try to give it to yourself as
soon as possible. Do make time for hobbies. Preferably things that are creative or involve
some kind of play. Reading is also great. But also things like gardening, cooking,
making art, knitting, puzzling, going for walks. Some sensitive people enjoy thrilling activities,
so they like to go on roller coasters or something. Like it's all different for everyone.
But try and find some kind of hobby where you can use your creativity and your passion.
Don't take on the problems of your colleagues, friends or family members. You need to remember
that everyone has their own life to live. And that everyone is responsible for the choices that
they make. So your empathy is great. Listening to people, yes. Helping them whenever you can, yes.
Taking on their emotional baggage as yours, no. Do practice with setting clear boundaries with
others. Sensitive people oftentimes don't really enjoy confrontation. But letting people know what
you are and are not okay with is very important. And the more you practice it, the easier it will
get. And if it is too scary for you to do it in person, I don't believe that there's anything
wrong with doing it through a text or an email. Especially in the beginning. Don't hide out at
home. You have gifts and so much to offer the world. Yes, being sensitive means that we need
a bit more rest. So maybe we are home a bit more often. But we also need to go outside and live
our life. And do the things that we enjoy. And you are more than capable of doing that. And the world
will become a better place by your presence in it. Do surround yourself with beauty, nature and
things that make you happy. We need positivity. We need something to recharge our battery and
make us feel like life is beautiful. And there are all these beautiful, lovely things out there. We
are also deeply affected by our surroundings. So if you have something of a park nearby,
or some kind of nature, some water, or beach, try going there often. And it can also be other
things. For example, if I want to remind myself of the magic and the beauty of life and people,
I like to watch a Studio Ghibli movie. Something like My Neighbor Totoro, or Porco Rosso, or Kiki's
Delivery Service or Whisper of the Heart. I will always feel a hundred times better after watching
a movie like that. And also, things like art and music. And anything that inspires you. And lastly,
don't feel like you are a burden on others. If you speak up for yourself or if you try to make things
easier on yourself. You have value and talent and heart and empathy and compassion and so much true
love to give. And just because you might need a break a bit more often than others, or you might
need to be by yourself a bit more often, does not mean that you are weighing down those around you
with your sensitivity. To feel things intensely is not a sign of weakness. The moment I started
to accept my sensitivity and started to speak out about the things that I need to feel good,
my life changed for the better in a hundred different ways. This video is part of my do's
and don'ts series. So far I've done do's and don'ts of minimalism, decluttering,
self-care, and now sensitivity. I will make a few more probably. So if you want to catch up with
this series, I'll be sure to leave the link to the playlist in the description box below. And again,
I will also leave some videos about sensitivity that I recommend in the description box as well.
Every time I talk about sensitivity on this channel, I am amazed by the overwhelmingly
positive response in the comment section. It really seems like so many of you can relate to
this. And perhaps feel like it can be hard to talk about or to feel understood. So I think
that this is a very important topic to talk about. And to see that there are so many others out there
who are experiencing exactly the same things. So I would love it if you could share some tips and
tricks that help you to take care of yourself as a sensitive person, so that we can keep learning
from each other and getting inspired. And if you want to help out more, then you can always
do that by liking the video, subscribing to the channel, leaving a comment and sharing the
video with someone. Right here is a survival guide for sensitive people. And right there
are 30 do's and don'ts of self-care. As always, thank you so much for being here. Questions,
comments, conversations down below. Have a lovely day and I will see you again next week. Bye bye.