6 Steps to Channeling Your Sensitivity as a Power
“Sensitive” is another word for gifted. Here’s how to identify those gifts in yourself — and start using them.
When I was 14, I used to cry easily and uncontrollably in my room for no rational reason. I would cry when a teacher would raise their voice at me. I cried when I saw my family cry. I even cried at Pirates of the Caribbean. I cried a lot because I felt a lot, and I still do.
I’ve always been a highly sensitive person (HSP), and although now I see it as a gift, I haven’t always. I thought it was a weakness. We’re taught that sensitivity and expressing our deepest emotions is not something to practice, let alone celebrate. It’s an aspect of ourselves we must learn to harden… right? Typical feminine qualities, like sensitivity, being nurturing, and empathy, are not valued by our very masculine society that praises strength, logic, and toughness. As a result, we have been raised to suppress and hide our softer, more sensitive side. For those of us who are highly sensitive, our abilities can feel like a huge burden.
I want you to know that being highly sensitive is not a burden or a weakness. In fact, there is an immense amount of power and strength in being highly sensitive. We are able to tap into energies that most people can’t. We can understand beings, situations, and environments on a deep, deep level. Everything is energy, and as highly sensitive beings, we receive way more energy than most. That’s pretty cool if you ask me!
And all of that starts with understanding what sensitivity really is — and what it definitely isn’t.
What Is Sensitivity?
Being sensitive does not mean what most people think. It’s a healthy personality trait — a core part of our temperament. That means everyone is sensitive to some degree, and some people are more sensitive than others, with up to 30 percent of the population counting as high sensitive. In other words, nearly 1 in 3 people are more sensitive both physically (to lights, textures, sounds, temperature, etc.) and emotionally (to the words, feelings, facial expressions, and social cues of everyone around them).
This trait is associated with a huge number of strengths, from creativity (who hasn’t heard of sensitive artists?) to empathy (most empaths are likely highly sensitive people) to deep thinking, emotional depth, attention to detail, and an intuitive knack for making connections that other people miss. When you put all of these together into one package, it paints a very different picture of sensitive people than most people think of — not necessarily fragile or “weak,” but gifted and thoughtful.
Just because your sensitivity comes with that potential, however, doesn’t mean it’s easy to tap into it — especially if you’ve been told all your life that your sensitivity is a bad thing, something you need to hide. This can leave you “blocked” and unable to truly channel your sensitive gifts.
So how do you get unblocked? It starts with changing your beliefs.
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The Secret to Unblocking Your Sensitive Gifts
Say it with me: Your Sensitivity Is Needed.
When you let go of the limiting and oppressive beliefs that society (and probably people in your life) planted in you, you transform. Your belief that says, “I need to toughen up and get used to this work, even though it feels way too overstimulating and draining every day” turns into “This job is not healthy for a highly sensitive person like me; it’s time to find one that fits my energy.” This way, you feel safe to channel your sensitive nature instead of gulping down the tears and smiling through the pain.
A part of my mission involves sharing the message that the divine feminine is needed in our society to restore balance. We need empathetic, nurturing, and sensitive people in power for climate and social justice. This doesn’t just mean women: it means people who can tap into and work from these qualities. This divine gift of being a highly sensitive being, when valued and channeled from a place of love, will change the world!
Once you learn these six steps to handle the energies you receive, your sensitivity will become one of the biggest blessings in your being. Here are some ways to channel your sensitivity and its many “powers.”
6 Steps to Channel Your Sensitivity — and Its ‘Powers’
1. Accept your gift of sensitivity by rewiring limiting beliefs
The first thing you must do as a highly sensitive person is to accept your gift. This involves observing and rewiring those limiting beliefs I previously mentioned. Begin to recognize those negative thoughts and make it a habit to take a moment to say, “Actually, no, it’s good for me to cry right now because it is healthy and empowering for me to release these emotions. I accept and honor this flow of energy and release it.”
It can be really difficult to accept some of the energies we receive from people, situations, and environments. However, trying to ignore these energies does not make them go away. If anything, it just brings a sense of resistance and makes life harder. Acceptance means bringing awareness to, and honoring, your ability to receive and channel every day, instead of leaning away and burying your head in the sand.
2. Process your sensitive energies instead of feeling weighed down by them
Once we have accepted the energies we receive as highly sensitive folks, we can learn to process them instead of feeling weighed down by them. I highly recommend journaling regularly to process and release the thoughts and feelings running through you. If you can commit to journaling each morning, I guarantee you will start each day feeling lighter.
You can also use journaling and writing affirmations to rewire your beliefs! Articulating and physically writing down your thoughts really helps with this process of changing your mindset.
3. Set boundaries, which will help protect your energy
One of the most important things I have learned to do as an HSP is to set boundaries — which can be a challenge for highly sensitive types. This means making it clear to yourself, and sometimes others, that a line has been drawn in order to protect your energy. Look at your energy levels and find out what areas of your life are abusing, draining, and disrespecting your sensitivity. This is worth journaling about, too.
Maybe you need to break up with a partner who does not work well with your highly sensitive nature. Or it could be that going on social media first thing in the morning is a habit that needs breaking. Or perhaps a work environment is way too overstimulating for you, so you may consider changing that.
When you set boundaries, you are making decisions that honor your highly sensitive nature. It is a hugely important form of self-love and care. You do not need to shut yourself off from the world to protect yourself; you just need to create a life that serves your highly sensitive soul.
Need to Calm Your Sensitive Nervous System?
HSPs often live with high levels of anxiety, sensory overload and stress — and negative emotions can overwhelm us. But what if you could finally feel calm instead?
That’s what you’ll find in this powerful online course by Julie Bjelland, one of the top HSP therapists in the world. You’ll learn to turn off the racing thoughts, end emotional flooding, eliminate sensory overload, and finally make space for your sensitive gifts to shine.
Stop feeling held back and start to feel confident you can handle anything. Check out this “HSP Toolbox” and start making a change today. Click here to learn more.
4. Regularly cleanse your energy by doing something requiring movement, like dancing
The next step is to regularly cleanse your energy. The point of cleansing is to essentially clean away the energy, thoughts, and feelings you may be carrying. This step is particularly helpful when you’re really feeling weighed down by your sensitivity. Setting the intention of cleansing as you take a shower, bath, or go for a swim is super relieving. Think of the water washing away your fears.
Or maybe a stroll through your favorite natural environment is the medicine you need to detox your energy. Breathe in that fresh air and allow the purity of the plant world to rejuvenate you. And my final recommendation for cleansing is to dance. Allowing yourself to move, jump, and shake off any built-up energy will always lift your mood.
5. Access the present moment: all we really have is the “now”
Now we want to incorporate practices that allow us to process and work through the energies our mind and body are channelling. Highly sensitive people take on a whole lot of energy; sometimes, it isn’t even ours!
The most powerful tool for channeling that you always have access to is the present moment — the past is just a memory and the future is only anticipation. All we really have is the now, so return to it and feel that deep sense of peace that makes all feared resistance disappear. Practices like yoga, meditation, breathwork, hiking, and generally spending time being present in natural environments is super important for our health and well-being.
When we regularly return to the present moment, we exercise the skill of slowing down to process energy in times of stimulation and overwhelm. A very handy skill for us highly sensitive folk! It may take patience to find the practices, habits, and routines that work for you, but when you do, you will have a very valuable tool.
6. Work with your sensitive gifts to serve others
Our last step, now that we have made changes in our life that align with our highly sensitive abilities, is to work with our gifts to serve others. The way we channel our sensitivity will differ from person to person.
I love to channel my sensitivity in my work when I communicate with, and hold space for, other women. Within my work, I listen to, empathize with, and advise women regarding their struggles. My highly sensitive nature provides my clients with someone who can tune into their energy on a deeply comforting and empowering level. So how can you use your gift of sensitivity to serve others?
Maybe you find that leading a community is a fulfilling way to channel your highly sensitive nature. Being able to deeply understand and connect with community members is a powerful part of leadership. Another example could be expressing your sensitive nature through art, painting the energies that flow through you. Or perhaps you feel deeply for the well-being of animals and you can channel your sensitivity during your time and work supporting animals. Channeling our abilities can be a huge motivator and superpower when it comes to work.
Help the World With Your Gift of Sensitivity
When we honor and channel our sensitivity from a place of love, incredible things happen. We bring more joy, freedom, and love to our inner worlds, as well as the world around us. I believe it is actually a disservice to the collective for highly sensitive people to suppress this power. It can be so difficult to feel so much so deeply, I know. But take a step back and look at the bigger picture. See the justice to be had and learn how to help the world with your gift, however that may look. The world needs you.
Are you seeking a sense of clarity and empowerment around your current situation? Contact me via Instagram to book a tarot reading with me: @earthly.katie
