Especially for the Introverted Introvert

There are good blog posts out there.

There are really good blog posts out there.

And then there are those blog posts which grab you by the shoulders, slap you across the face, and say, "WAKE UP! I'm talking to you, so PAY ATTENTION!"

This was one of those blog posts.

It is rare that I run across an article that describes exactly, point-for-point, what I am and what I am experiencing, but this one was me to the very core. I saw myself in every word of this post, and it was a blessed relief. Yes, there are people like me out there!

The author writes:

"A highly sensitive person is someone who’s more sensitive to physical and/or emotional stimuli than the general population. They have sensitive nervous systems, are more attuned to subtleties in their surroundings, and are more easily overwhelmed by highly stimulating environments.

"Interacting with people drains introverts; sensory input — sights, smells, sounds, emotional stimulation — drains highly sensitive people. (HSPs are more likely to be introverts, but about 30% of HSPs are extroverts.)

"I’m an HSP to the core. In practice, that means I avoid violent movies, am easily overwhelmed by loud noises and bright lights, need time and space to regroup on busy days, and feel like my head will explode when two people try to talk to me at the same time."

I loved everything she had to say! Her article also answered a lot of questions for me - questions that have driven me nuts for years. Basically, WHY can I not handle so many of the things that other homeschool mothers handle so routinely and so gracefully? (Things like noise, messes, tons of crafts, busy schedules, etc.)

This article answered many questions, and gave me a lot of peace. It's not a matter of "I've got to improve! I need to stop failing!" - but rather a need to honor how God has made me, without trying to force myself into a mold that I will never be able to fit. 

The "survival cheat sheet" in here is pure gold. Definitely check it out!

Read the whole article here. 

I've printed off the entire article to put in my parenting notebook, and I'll be rereading it often. 

Enjoy!

Hat tip to Zsuzsanna for linking to this article! 

* Despite the way I have labelled this post ("Especially for the Introverted Introvert"), the original author notes that 30% of HSPs are, indeed, extroverts. Just an FYI.