10 Things Highly Sensitive People Do To Feel Better And Stay Well

Highly sensitive people can feel stressed, anxious, or depressed when overwhelmed with sensory overload, with too much happening around them too quickly. While no single activity is a silver bullet to well-being for the highly sensitive, research shows that a combination of these low-intensity positive activities contributes to harmony and well-being.

1. Positive emotion - Make time each day for yourself to do something that makes you feel good.
2. Self-awareness - Practice self-awareness to identify the activities that increase your well-being or detract from it. Practicing mindfulness can help.
3. Self-acceptance - Find peace with yourself by accepting who you are. Perfect is not the goal, progress is.
4. Positive social relationships balanced by times of solitude - Spend time with those that contribute to your sense of well-being and less with those that undermine it. Make time for yourself to recharge in either event.
5. Connecting with nature - Nature has a positive effect on us, reducing stress and anxiety. Go for a nature walk with your bestie! 
6. Contemplative practices - Mindfulness calms the mind and turns down the volume of the external stimuli that make us crazy. Deep breathing also reduces your blood pressure.
7. Emotional self-regulation - When you become aware that your emotions are being triggered, take a moment to rebalance yourself with a few deep breaths. Find a moment of peace.
8. Practicing self-compassion - Be kind to yourself. We are imperfect and it is ok! Striving to do our best is sufficient. Intent matters. 
9. Having a sense of meaning - Have a goal, a purpose for your life. Without a purpose, we drift or let others decide for us. With a purpose, we can move beyond the stress of the moment. 
10. Hope/optimism - Hope and optimism help us overcome sensory overload, replacing feelings of overwhelm and stress. 

Be gentle with yourself. Embrace sensitivity for the positive benefits and learn to manage the challenges. These 10 practices can help you regain a sense of balance and calm when you feel overstimulated and overwhelmed. 

If you think you may be highly sensitive and need additional help overcoming anger, stress, or depression, call Scott Olds, Psychotherapist at (303) 817-8369 or ​[email protected] for a free consultation. Scott is located in Arvada, Colorado.