​We’re solidly in Summer now, and here in Colorado, we’ve gone from having a snowstorm in May to temperatures in the 90’s in June! The above photo is a gorgeous view of the mountains from where I am. 

Not only has the weather been in a state of flux; It’s also been a time of massive transition personally:
5 weeks ago, I moved homes.
A week later, we wrapped up Intuitive Warrior’s Flourish Program.
In the midst of all that, I’m engaged and planning a wedding.

These are all positive things…

I’m excited to be in my new living space, thrilled to have had such a wonderful time with the folks who took our online class, Flourish, and so excited to be marrying someone exceedingly special. 

And yet…

It’s also been rough for this Highly Sensitive Person.  All the change has left me feeling at times overwhelmed and disoriented. Occasionally I ask myself, “If this is all so awesome, why aren’t I enjoying myself more?”

This question made me think about how we HSPs tend to respond to change and transition in general.

How Do HSPs Respond to Change and Transition?

Our nervous systems are wired to be more reactive to our environment than non-HSPs. We register every change and then we must process it mentally and emotionally.

Change your schedule by an hour? 
Start seeing a friend more (or less) regularly? 
Move to a new living or work space?
Gain new responsibilities? 
You’ll be impacted by all of that.

Have you ever heard that exceedingly annoying advice, “don’t let it bother you”? That’s often not an option for HSPs. 

You might be saying, “Brooke, are you saying that everything HSPs experience is destined to challenge and overwhelm us?

I’m not saying that every single thing that happens around us will have a profound impact, but your nervous system will register the change. By register, I mean that you’ll notice it (consciously or unconsciously) and then have body, brain and heart reactions to it until you’re done “processing”.

We can grow to have more positive reactions to change and work through ways that we’re triggered by it, but there’s no way to avoid its impact on our nervous system (caveat: if you’ve experienced trauma, your nervous system may be more reactive than it needs be. In that case, I’d highly recommend exploring a trauma therapy like EMDR or Somatic Experiencing).

How to Deal with Change as an HSP

I’ve needed to remind myself during this time to slow down and radically accept the principles below. As you read these, consider whether you can use them to support your reactions to transition you’re experiencing right now:

1. Feeling overwhelmed and disoriented is sometimes a part of being an HSP (and of being human). 
2. There’s nothing inherently wrong with being powerfully impacted by our environment. In fact, it’s evidence that we’re beautifully finely-tuned beings.
3. There’s nothing wrong with having emotion (even big emotion). This displays our passion and life-force. 
4. It’s good to tell those around us when we need extra gentleness or support. 
5. Allow the waves of emotion/physical sensation/thought to come and go. They’re reactions that don’t always need responding to; we can just observe them and let them pass.

I hope that the way I’ve been coaching myself supports you as well with any transitions you’re going through <3.

I’d love you to join me on Facebook and let me know how this speaks to you! What transitions, big or small, are you experiencing right now and how are they impacting you?