Highly Sensitive vs. Too Emotional?
Common beliefs are that if someone is “highly sensitive”, chances are they are pretty emotional or attract drama into their lives. This misconception, and the subsequent comments and judgments, have led highly sensitive people to look on this trait as a weakness – something they need to change, and perhaps ought to be ashamed of.
Highly sensitive people tend to hide their sensitivity – not showing their true reactions to a person, situation, event, or even a thought. Because of this, they aren’t showing up authentically – aren’t playing fully in their lives. This presents obvious challenges…and Princesses want to show up authentically.
Many people who are drawn to personal growth, who crave personal development, have at least a bit of the super-sensitivity trait. We are very attuned to ourselves and how we are responding to the outside world as well as the inside world. But, because the cultural bias is toward suppressing this trait, we may mistakenly use personal growth opportunities and resources as a way to become less sensitive, rather than finding the value in the sensitivity and how we can use it to serve others as well as ourselves.
To put your mind at ease a bit, there is some evidence that super sensitivity may have a biological component. Some people have blue eyes, some have green. Some people are tall, others are short. And some people are very sensitive, and others are not. Thinking of it this way makes room for the possibility that being highly sensitive might actually be an advantage.
What are the advantages of being highly sensitive?
You are more tuned in to what is going on around you.
Highly sensitive people tend to be highly affected by their environment and the “energy” in the space or among people. This high susceptibility means you need to set up environments that support you. It ALSO means that you recognize what is happening in a situation before others do. This highly tuned sensitivity means you pick up on nuances – more quickly and more accurately. (More accurately because you are so well practiced at it.)
You are incredibly resilient.
Even if you appear tender or fragile, you have had to become remarkably resilient in order to make it through the day. This resilience will serve you in many ways!
You’ve already mastered the basics of personal growth.
You know yourself so well that the basic programs don’t cut it for you anymore. You are ready for more advanced opportunities – which means you seek out challenges and embrace them (even if you are a little fearful). This is excellent role modeling for others in your life.
You tend to be effective, and get things right.
Highly sensitive people are often very creative – but because of the sensitivity, may have a tendency toward perfectionism in order to avoid criticism. This can be a problem when taken to the extreme, but can also be a great asset. You will notice things others do not…and therefore have the ability to correct them – positively affecting not only your experience, but others’ as well.
You find innovative solutions.
Because you are creative, and are used to “working around the environment” when it becomes overly stimulating, you have a tendency to look at things in a different way than most people. This gives you a unique perspective which is extremely useful when problem solving.
You are aware of just about everything.
You have an incredibly memory (which at times might drive other people crazy. 
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So the next time someone tells you to “quit being so sensitive”, remember that your sensitivity gives you an advantage they simply do not understand. I’m not suggesting you start feeling “superior”, but you do bring something to the table that others do not. Your uniqueness, your sensitivity, makes you a great asset.
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