The Bold HSP

I call myself the Bold HSP and I thought it was time I explained myself.

It was February 2021 that I finally started listening to my intuition and realised that I was coming across people talking about being an HSP (highly sensitive person) because I am, in fact, an HSP. It was quite a revelation and it took me a week or so to actually tell anyone else about my discovery. 

I listened to podcasts and read articles. I did my homework. You see, I found it hard to comprehend that I am who thought I was and that I am an HSP. In my mind, the two just did not go together. 

I am caring, empathetic, a good listener - to name but a few of my HSP strengths. I can also be very loud, I have a big personality and I can take up space in a room. Those parts of me come out when I’m in a good place and full of energy. There is another side of me that is much quieter, reflective and needs time to recharge after a lot of “people-ing”. 

I have been through a lot of hard shit in my life and I keep bouncing back. I don’t sit at home waiting for things to happen, I take action. I like rollercoasters and I have done a bungee jump, a sky-dive and the longest zip wire in Europe. 

I just couldn’t understand how I was not just sensitive, but highly sensitive. I’d bought into the long-held myth that somehow sensitive means weak. 

The more I researched being an HSP - the challenges, the gifts and the strengths - the more I knew I was an HSP. The nervous system regulation work I had done as part of my therapy had given me practices that really support me as an HSP. I began to realise that empathy, active listening and reading the energy in the room were not things that anyone could do. The deep processing, deep feelings and deep connections are strengths to be nurtured not cast aside and ignored. 

It's my mission to dispel the myth of weakness, reclaim the word sensitive and help the world see the strength in sensitivity.

As I stepped into that mission, a funny thing happened. Over a span of a couple of weeks I was asked three times whether I’m sure I’m an HSP. It threw me the first time and then I realised what was happening. A lot of people buy into the idea that sensitivity is a weakness (I was one of them!) and when the people who were questioning me looked at me, they didn’t see weakness so they couldn’t see sensitivity either. I was something of a conundrum to them.

In that moment of realisation, the Bold HSP was born. Yes I am bold and I am also sensitive and I want the world to know that not only is sensitivity NOT a weakness, sensitivity CAN be bold as well. 

I am here to support all HSPs on their path. It is my pleasure to connect with you, whether you identify with the word bold or not. And if you do identify as being bold AND sensitive, let me know.

I am here for all HSPs but I know I am not alone being bold and sensitive and I want to know where the rest of you are!!