10 Tips for HSPs and Survivors to Boost Emotional Wellbeing
Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) often navigate the world with a heightened sense of awareness and a deeply empathic nature. However, this sensitivity can make it challenging to maintain emotional balance, especially for those who have experienced trauma or dysfunction. In this article, we explore ten strategies that HSPs and survivors can use to boost their emotional wellbeing and find a sense of peace in their daily lives.
Believe in and Grow Your Goodness to Improve Emotional Wellbeing
Highly sensitive people (HSPs) often carry the emotional weight of toxic environments, leading to shame and guilt. Growing up with dysfunctional or inadequate parenting can create a constant sense of chaos, making it hard to believe in one's own goodness. To boost emotional wellbeing, HSPs must start by recognizing their inherent goodness and nurturing it. This involves taking responsibility for their actions without taking on the blame for others' toxicity. Accepting your faults and actively working to improve them helps cultivate a healthier self-image, which in turn enhances mental health.
Tend to Your Body and Don’t Overvalue Your Thoughts
Many HSPs live in their heads, overthinking and analyzing situations. This mental pattern often stems from childhood trauma, where it was safer to overthink than to act on gut feelings. To maintain emotional wellbeing, HSPs must learn to reconnect with their bodies, noticing physical sensations and reducing tension. Taking deep breaths and engaging in grounding exercises can help calm the mind and bring focus back to the present moment. By prioritizing physical wellness, highly sensitive people can reduce anxiety and prevent burnout.
Light Up for Yourself to Promote Positive Mental Health
Re-parenting yourself is crucial for HSPs who grew up without consistent support or encouragement. "Lighting up" for yourself means showing genuine enthusiasm and approval when you look in the mirror or achieve something small. This concept, borrowed from Toni Morrison's advice to parents, encourages us to treat ourselves with the same kindness and warmth that we desire from others. As you work towards better emotional wellbeing, practice lighting up for yourself to strengthen your sense of self-worth and improve mental health.
Lighten Your Load by Discarding Emotional Baggage
Emotional wellbeing for HSPs often involves letting go of past burdens. Similar to cleaning out a closet, examine the dynamics in your life and determine what you can discard, what you should keep, and what can be passed on to others. This exercise helps highly sensitive people shed the emotional weight they’ve been carrying and fosters a sense of freedom. By identifying which aspects of your upbringing or relationships no longer serve you, you can focus on the positive traits that enhance your mental health and contribute to a more fulfilling life.
Accept Who You Are and Embrace What Makes You Different
Many HSPs struggle with self-acceptance due to the stigma around sensitivity. Society often views highly sensitive people as overly emotional or fragile. However, embracing your sensitivity can lead to improved emotional wellbeing and a stronger sense of identity. Acknowledge that your sensitivity is part of what makes you unique, and work to cultivate a positive relationship with it. When you accept yourself fully, it becomes easier to navigate boundaries and maintain healthy relationships, contributing to better mental health.
Friends Are Not Easily Replaceable for Highly Sensitive People
Real friendships are rare and valuable, especially for highly sensitive people. HSPs often experience deep connections with a select few, rather than superficial relationships with many. Recognize that true friends are like gems—they are not easily replaceable and require time and effort to maintain. Social media can make friendships seem cheap, but building authentic connections is essential for emotional wellbeing. Cherish the friends who understand and accept you, and don’t be afraid to let go of those who do not. Quality over quantity is key for HSPs.
Accept That Everything That Scares You the Most, You’ve Already Survived
For highly sensitive people and survivors, anxiety often stems from past traumas. Remind yourself that you’ve already survived the worst, and the fear you're experiencing might be an echo of the past. This perspective can empower HSPs to face new challenges with greater confidence and reduced anxiety. By recognizing that the source of your fear may be rooted in old wounds, you can work towards replacing it with a sense of accomplishment and resilience. This shift in mindset can significantly improve emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Learn to Ride the Waves of Emotion Without Doing or Deciding Anything
Highly sensitive people often find it challenging to sit with their emotions without immediately reacting. This tendency to act or decide when feeling overwhelmed can lead to regrettable choices and increased anxiety. To promote emotional wellbeing, practice allowing emotions to flow without taking action. This process involves acknowledging your feelings without rushing to resolve them. By learning to ride the waves of emotion, HSPs can develop greater emotional resilience and prevent overreactions that might damage relationships or mental health.
Accept Who Your Parents Were, Who They Are Today, and What Is Likely at the End of Their Lives
Acceptance is a key step in improving emotional wellbeing, especially when it comes to family dynamics. Highly sensitive people often struggle with the realities of their parents’ behavior, both in the past and in the present. Acknowledge who your parents were and who they are now without expecting them to change. This acceptance can lead to healthier boundaries and a better understanding of what you can and cannot control. By letting go of the need to fix or change others, HSPs can focus on their own mental health and personal growth.
Boundaries Are Essential for Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health
Boundaries are crucial for maintaining emotional wellbeing, especially for highly sensitive people. Setting boundaries is not about controlling others; it’s about protecting your own mental health. Learn to set clear and respectful boundaries that prioritize your needs and well-being. When you encounter resistance or pushback, it's a signal that the person may have control issues or a lack of respect for your autonomy. By establishing firm yet flexible boundaries, HSPs can navigate relationships with greater confidence and reduce the risk of emotional exhaustion.
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- Childhood 37
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- Disassociation 4
- Emotions 71
- Existentialism 1
- Faith 1
- Family 24
- Fatigue 4
- Focus 3
- Gratitude 11
- Grief 10
- Guilt 2
- Healers 7
- Healing 51
- High Sensation 4
- Hope 1
- Hypervigilance 7
- Introverts 6
- Lonliness 7
- Love 3
- Manifesting 5
- Manipulation 19
- Men 1
- Mindfulness 36
- Money 10
- Music 3
- Nutrition 2
- Overthinking 8
- PTSD 11
- Parenting 12
- People Pleasing 7
- Perfectionism 6
- Pets 4
- Relationships 12
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Episode Tags
- ADD 1
- Abuse 14
- Alcohol 3
- Anger 8
- Bullying 4
- Childhood 37
- Codependency 7
- Covid 4
- Crystal Catalina 4
- Depression 15
- Detachment 2
- Disassociation 4
- Emotions 71
- Existentialism 1
- Faith 1
- Family 24
- Fatigue 4
- Focus 3
- Gratitude 11
- Grief 10
- Guilt 2
- Healers 7
- Healing 51
- High Sensation 4
- Hope 1
- Hypervigilance 7
- Introverts 6
- Lonliness 7
- Love 3
- Manifesting 5
- Manipulation 19
- Men 1
- Mindfulness 36
- Money 10
- Music 3
- Nutrition 2
- Overthinking 8
- PTSD 11
- Parenting 12
- People Pleasing 7
- Perfectionism 6
- Pets 4
- Relationships 12
- Resiliency 12
- Sadness 1
- Self Esteem 16
- Self Love 11
- Self-Care 24
- Sex 1
- Shame 4
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