I don’t like labels, but I have to say that when I first encounter the term ‘highly-sensitive person’, also known as HSP, it just clicks with me so much!
It’s just too relatable, in a good way.
Do you have similar feelings before? That you realize you are not alone.
Growing up, I was always conscious and had low self-esteem about my personality. But now I felt such relief knowing that there is nothing wrong with my personality! There are actually 20% of the population out there having the same personality type as me.
It brings massive power to me. Not just that I understand myself and my behaviors better, but I do see so many positive connections in my daily life.
I hope you, who are reading the post right now, could also recognize your superpowers as an HSP and live better with this gift we have. If you want to know whether you are a highly sensitive person, you may want to check out this post on the 10 common traits of HSP.
Today, I will share with you the 10 Superpowers of a Highly Sensitive Person I observed in my daily life.
1. We Can Be The Most Reliable Best Friend
I am always the go-to advisor when my friends are having troubles, whether it is relationship matters or any worries in life. It’s not due to I have experienced a lot in life, but as HSP, we definitely have the ability to empathize with people and provide our loved ones the comfort and strength they need. My friends enjoy listening to my advice as I am always able to stand in their shoes, understand their feelings deeply, and speak empathetically.
It is found that as HSP, our mirror neuron systems are more active compared to non-HSPs. Mirror neurons are the essential brain cells for social interaction. These cells will be fired when we are performing a particular action, and when we observe another person performing the same action.
An example of the work of mirror neurons is that when you see people crying, you will also feel like tearing up. Having a more active mirror neuron system means we will be more empathetic with people, and understand others’ states of mind better, especially with our loved ones.
This ability also allows us to read people’s emotions well. I can always sense if my friends are feeling down or acting differently, and attend to them when they are feeling vulnerable.
This makes us the most reliable pillar of strength for our friends and loved ones at all times.
2. We Have A Deeper Connection With People
Due to our strong empathetical ability, we can be great listeners. Do you feel more comfortable and connected to a person, when the person listens attentively to you and reacts accordingly?
For instance, when you are talking excitedly and your listener’s face is all lit up.
Or when you talk about your trouble at work, and he/she has the same concerned and worried expression. We all enjoy a conversation with an active listener who constantly shows they understand us.
That active listener is us.
Active listening helps us to have a deeper connection with people. In fact, effective listening could play a more crucial role in bonding with people compared to talking. It helps to build trust and strong relationships between people. When people feel comfortable talking to us, they will also be more likely to open up to us.
With our high empathy and thoughtfulness, we often draw people closer to us and are even able to have deep and meaningful conversations with people whom we have just met.
Personally, I don’t have a big group of friends due to social events always stressing me out, but I do have a very deep connection with each of my close friends.
I enjoy hanging out with my friend just in pairs or in small groups. I’m always deeply grateful for the time we spent together and the heart-to-heart conversations we have.
3. We Have a Stronger Positive Experience
We think and feel deeply about our surroundings, which means our experience could be heightened compared to non-HSPs. For instance, when we see majestic views or something grand, the experience could be more intense for us.
There are multiple times when I was moved to tears by the beautiful sights – watching the fireworks on New Year’s Eve, and seeing shooting stars in the blistering cold winter.
These little moments are precious to me. Even though I do not remember the scene vividly after many years, I still remember the immeasurable joy I experienced at the moment.
The positive feelings with our loved ones could be heightened as well. Just looking at my loved ones sometimes will give me an overwhelming amount of joy, and yes, occasionally I will have tears of joy for no reason.
4. We Are Deep Learners
I am always curious about my surroundings. Many things in this world just fascinate me so much that I am constantly seeking out new ideas and knowledge. I enjoy deep learning and digging into a good book to learn from the wisdom of others.
Many HSPs have the same drive in deep learning, as we have seen many successful HSPs in the academic, arts, research, and science domains. Some of us constantly seek the meaning behind the things we do, and many pursue learning at the expense of developing a high-paying career.
5. We Have A Deeper Connection With Arts and Literature
Arts and literature have always been a getaway for me. I enjoy reading all genres of books and absorbing new information daily. Nothing feels better for me than reading a good book with warm lighting and a warm drink.
I do enjoy going to art museums a lot and I am particularly grateful to my grandma who brought me to so many art exhibitions when I was young and sent me to drawing classes when I was in kindergarten. The experience definitely fuels my passion for the art field as well.
Many HSPs are also highly creative. This might be due to we have so many emotions in us. Art and literature provide us with a safe and comfortable zone to express ourselves freely.
A few years ago when I was back at my granny’s house and she showed me all of my childhood drawing collections. There was one piece of paper in the folder that caught my eye.
On the paper, there was a printed question “Why do you like drawing?” and there is an answer written neatly below by 8-year-old me, saying “There is a colorful world in my head, and through drawing, I can show it to everybody.”
I guess that’s why as HSP, we have so much creativity and inspiration to draw from.
6. We Can Adjust Our Mood Easily
Even though we can be sensitive and might be prone to emotional distress, we are also the best self-regulator.
It is found that HSPs can learn to cope with their feelings and reactions, sometimes even better than non-HSPs. It might be partially contributing to we are always seeking self-help solutions and wanting to know more about ourselves. Also, as we are deep learners, we tend to internalize what we learned and apply it.
One thing I find in my personal life is that being hypersensitive can be a double-edged sword. I can fall into negative emotions easily, and also able to lift myself up easily.
7. We Are Born Leaders
Even though being a leader can overstress us a little as we tend to overlook every detail. Attention to detail can be one powerful strength we possess.
I have been in leadership positions before. It stressed me out so much in the early stage that I got a high fever from it.
But the story hasn’t ended there! After I recovered, I set out a detailed plan, shared it with my close friends, and constantly gave myself positive self-talk. Guess what? Everything just happened accordingly, and the results are even exceeding my expectations.
Now looking back on those experiences, I reflected that a large part contributes to our, 1. Emphasis on the details (it’s the attention to the small details that make the huge difference), 2. Out-of-box thinking, 3. Prone to perfectionism, 4. Ability to empathize with people/ team members.
Having a team that is bonded and close to you definitely helps when we are in a leadership position. With our ability to empathize with people, we can help our team members to communicate, inspire them and bring everyone together to work towards a common goal.
8. We Are Kind And Helpful
We do often have very deep insights and strong intuition from our active listening and deep listening skills. This leads us not only being good friends to our peers, but also in roles like counselors, spiritual mentors, psychiatrists, and writers.
We enjoy seeking meaning behind the things we do and helping people could provide the joy and fulfillment we need.
9. We Are Our Best Friend
As we tend to be affected by the external environments a lot, we enjoy a good time just with ourselves. Having alone time is like power recharge. I enjoy a productive day by myself or a day out in the sunshine reconnecting with nature. I embrace moments like these to gain energy and calmness in my mind.
Being alone is completely fine. As HSPs, we might sometimes be giving ourselves too much self-criticism and doubt. This includes questioning ourselves if we are bad in social situations or avoiding people when we enjoy alone time. But the reality is that becoming the best friend for yourself is a form of self-love as well. It’s a powerful process to build inner strength and healing.
10. We Embrace The Beauty of Life
Though there is no order of importance for this list, this is my favorite point of being an HSP.
I remember I used to be by myself a lot back in my college days. I enjoy sitting at the window seat in a cafe and spending hours figuring out my coding assignment.
Just a usual afternoon of me being overstressed on my assignment and constantly pulling my hair unintentionally. I looked up at the sky and saw one of the most beautiful scenes I have ever seen. At that moment, I saw a halo in the sky.
It’s magnificent! I was stunned at the majestic sight. I even tried to signal the passengers outside to look up to the sky, but no one paused for a second. Everyone is busy on their way, rushing to their destinations. But I remember that magical day and will never forget the splendid view I saw.
It is moments like this that give me great joy and gratitude in life, by admire the beauty and power of nature every day. I enjoy just slowing down my pace on my work in the morning, taking a few deep breaths and looking at the blue sky, or just stopping a minute to look at the blooming flowers along the pathway. I tell myself inside that it’s wonderful to be alive.
To me, the hypersensitivity that I am born with is a gift. I know the experience might be different for everyone, but I hope this post can give you some positivity in your life.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, I have also shared 3 tips in the past on how to keep calm as an HSP, and all the coping tips you need.
Everyone in this world is unique in their ways, and being an HSP doesn’t mean anything less. You can also discover your superpower in daily life! And may we all live a happier and more successful life.
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Amazing post! I relate a lot to the topics you shared in the blog and am always looking for tips and tricks to help me to deal with my sensitivity to improve myself.
Thank you for the post, and keep sharing more!
Hey Emma, thank you for the kind words. Glad that you enjoy the post!