Being highly sensitive at work - true potential in disguise

I walked with my red-headed crush towards the school break area outside. It must have been around late spring or early summertime; I remember it was sunny and rather warm with a slightly refreshing breeze. Yet, I remember even more vividly how I felt when looking up into the clear blue sky with a few remarkable white fluffy clouds. This deep feeling of gratitude and peace filled my inner soul – it just made me smile. I turned around to my friend whom I somewhat wanted to impress with my wise aura at that moment. I had this poking feeling to share my gratitude and inner harmony with the person I started to hold dear. My mouth opened, without me controlling any of my obvious excitement and joy, and I must have said something like this: “Hey Victor, look at that beautiful sky. Isn’t it magnificent how peaceful these fluffy clouds pass by? Do you also see these different shapes; look, isn’t it a rabbit and there, a heart? It is such a refreshing day and a beautiful world we are privileged to live in, don’t you think?” – Silence… I looked back at Victor and got instantly goosebumps out of shock because of the expression I saw on his face. Incomprehension. Disgust. As if he was seeing a crazy person.

Fair enough though, we were just about 13 years old at the time.

No, this was not the only time people thought I was weird, just because I thought, talked, or acted differently than the majority of people. The saying “only dead fish swim with the stream” always reassured me that I am not some will-less person who blindly follows just to fit in. Although I desperately sought to fit in, my values and my last bit of self-dignity prevented me to.

Still today, I find it sometimes hard to be a highly sensitive introvert. The hardest part, I feel, is the sentiment of being alone and being weird in the eyes of the ones I love, admire, or care for.

Isn’t it a paradox though… It is not the highly sensitive who do not understand the others. In contrast, we do understand the less sensitive due to our high sensitivity. We do admire and acknowledge these people, how they fit in easily, and how they can put negative feelings aside to focus and get back on track at work. So how come these same people think we are weird?

Here are some common beliefs others have towards highly sensitive people. The less sensitive people often tend to see us as being too emotionally consumed and too moody. They believe that we have bizarre ideas and unrealistic dreams or world views. Many also think that they have to walk on eggshells around us because we just can’t take criticism well. The worst of all though, is the fact that very sensitive people are seen as “not from this world” and not fitting into society or in the workplace due to our often (but not always) rather introverted, quiet, or reserved attitude.

A few of these claims are correct. Mostly though for the highly sensitive people who don’t know, how to regulate their emotions effectively and shine with their unique abilities in this modern world. If you know how to use your talent, you can, however, find your place in society and the workplace. Using appropriate emotion regulation strategies, you can turn your burden into your unique gift.

Being a very sensitive person offers us the unique ability to get to know one another on a deeper level thanks to our intuitive-, empathic- and analytic skills. We may see right through true intentions and sense any emotional traits that require our compassionate support. In the workplace, we are a real asset due to our high level of creativity, innovative ideas, and problem-solving skills. We can easily foster a compassionate attitude at work and create meaningful collaborations with colleagues, customers, and partners. Our deep processing ability enables us to see the trickiest flaws in a process and leads us to make appropriate well-thought-through decisions. These are just a few of the many advantages of our very sensitive traits when knowing how to effectively regulate our emotions at work.

There are many different ways to do so and I am sure that, with my support, you will find yours…

Visit my website today at www.emotional-inspiration.com and book a consultation session with me to overcome your challenges with emotion regulation at work.

In my next article, I will talk about the science of why we are the way we are. Stay tuned and have an inspiring day at work?

Check out article 2 in this series of 2 articles "Being highly sensitive at work - science explains why we are the way we are": https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/being-highly-sensitive-work-science-explains-why-we-way-grobecker-hqmuc/?trackingId=H7V0Wg0SSFmvvXap%2FLs11Q%3D%3D

About the author

Ama is a highly sensitive introvert. She has more than seven years of experience in Human Resources and has focused, among other tasks, on recruitment and learning & development for six years. Over the past years, she has specialized in emotion regulation and social awareness. Ama obtained various certifications in emotional intelligence, emotions at work, emotion regulation, empathy, subtle and micro expressions, people skills, and stress management. In addition, she published her book "Becoming an Optimist in a Realists World" in 2024.