I’m an INFJ, and over the past few years have also self-diagnosed as a Highly Sensitive Person, which just means that I’m particularly affected by all kinds of sensory and emotional stimuli. (I score a 26/27 on this test.) I think that my intuition and my sensitivity combine to make me hyper-aware of energies in all situations. My sister is the same way. And yes, this is exactly as fun as it sounds!
Over the years, even though I’ve known this about myself I’ve struggled to take my own impressions seriously. Oftentimes, I’m picking up on dynamics that other people don’t seem to be as aware of, or at least not as affected by. It’s easy to start doubting myself and feel like I’m blowing things out of proportion.
But I have also seen enough evidence by now to know that I’m actually really not blowing it out of proportion. Maybe you can relate? When we start to take our feelings seriously and listen closely to what they’re telling us, we tend to have better results. We act more proactively, we set better, healthier boundaries, we find alternate solutions, and we have better experiences.
So here’s a gentle reminder to myself today: you are not crazy. Stop gaslighting yourself! If you sense a weirdness, or a heaviness, or a Codependent Creature® in the room, it’s probably there. Start by accepting that, take it as gospel, and stop wasting time doubting whether “it’s all in your head”. It’s not. Acknowledge it, and then decide what to do about it.
(The only exception to this is when you are super tired, like “didn’t sleep last night” tired, or super stressed, like “mid-panic about the CRA” stressed. At those times, energy still doesn’t lie, but you might interpret it a bit more dramatically than usual. You’re still probably on the money with your assessment, but you might be catastrophizing about what that energy actually means.)
Can you relate? Do you also sense weird vibes but doubt yourself? How have you learned to take your feelings more seriously? Help a girl out!
