Managing Energy and High Sensitivity

I'm gazing out upon bright sunshine on top of (yes) snow. Whatever spring is bringing your way, I hope it's magnificent!

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How's your energy level these days??

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I recently held a round table focused on high sensitivity and one of the topics that arose, as it always seems to, is that of how to manage energy.

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Even while seeing the sensitivity trait as a gift and recognizing how it benefits ourselves and others, without the right tools or mindset we can become overwhelmed, depleted and exhausted. This can leave us withdrawing from others or even, as one participant noted, becoming not the person we want to be and actually irritating or pushing others away.

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As a highly sensing person, you are likely to be more in tune with your energy levels and how they are affected by your environment, social interactions, and other external factors. This high sensory experience means that managing and protecting your energy is even more critical to your overall well-being and success.

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Let’s explore some strategies for managing and protecting your energy as a highly sensing person.

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~Practice self-care

In my book, this is the first and most important approach for managing energy. Self-care is essential for everyone, but it is especially important for highly sensing people. Because of the way we’re wired, the take charge, fight or flight part of our nervous systems are more highly activated than in non-HSPs. We can essentially be in that stress response 24/7.

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Taking care of yourself by maintaining a healthy daily calming practice and giving yourself permission to stop and just be, and to recharge with things that resonate with and inspire you helps to calm the nervous system and allow you to shift into rest, digest, recover mode.

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~Identify the energy drains

This may seem simplistic, but sometimes we’re not even aware that some things are draining for us. This could be certain people, situations, or activities that leave you feeling exhausted or overwhelmed…even if you chose to participate, or simply having too much on your plate.

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It's essential to recognize these energy drains so that you can take steps to avoid or minimize them in the future, or be better prepared to manage the input. This is particularly important for HSP extroverts…if you’re putting yourself out there, by choice, you can become depleted more quickly.

~Be intentional

Without our awareness, we can be soaking up others’ energy, whether supportive or not. It’s good to be intentional about what energy is allowed into our fields; using an energy ‘bubble’ idea can be helpful…consciously keeping out unhelpful energies.

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I became aware a few months ago that in spite of my tools, some energies were making their way into my field and causing issues (like vertigo for several weeks!). Now I start my meditations each day by stating an intention that all unwanted, unsupportive, unhealthy energies in my field be released, and only those energies which support my highest good are allowed.

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~Set boundaries

Once you have identified your energy drains, the next step is to set boundaries. As a highly sensitive person, you may find it challenging to say no to others…or to yourself, but setting boundaries is crucial to protecting your energy. This could mean limiting your time with certain people, saying no to activities that drain you, or creating a quiet space for yourself where you can recharge.

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~Honor and validate your needs

Allowing yourself to set boundaries and opt out of activities and change your mind is so important. And recognizing that others don’t see things as you do: If they push your buttons, being able to say no or walk away or change your plans without feeling or expressing animosity or frustration. If we acknowledge that it’s ok to have our own experience, different from others’, it frees us up to move on in a positive way.

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~Surround yourself with positive energy

It can help you maintain your own positive energy levels if you bring in positives from the external environment. This could mean spending time with supportive and uplifting people, listening to music that inspires you, or reading books or listening to podcasts that make you feel good.

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It's also essential to create a positive and uplifting environment in your home and workspace.The key is creating the most resonant space around you, energetically, wherever and whenever you have the opportunity.

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~Learn to manage your emotions

As HSPs we may be more prone to intense emotions, which can be draining. Learning to manage your emotions can help you conserve your energy and prevent overwhelm. This could include techniques like mindfulness, deep breathing, or journaling. Emotion release techniques and?EFT/Tapping ?can be very helpful for managing emotions.

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~Take breaks

Part of self care is taking regular breaks. This can be really challenging for HSPs, and so necessary, especially with the busyness of life these days. This could mean taking a short walk outside, practicing a quick meditation, or simply taking a few minutes to breathe deeply. Often the only way to make sure this happens is to put the breaks in your daily schedule, maybe even set an alarm to remind you and make you pay attention.

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I know that it can be challenging for us to manage all of the energy out there, and to keep ours charged up. Remember, we’re wired this way, there’s nothing wrong, and taking care of yourself and establishing healthy boundaries will help immensely.

If you’d like more guidance on making this work for you, let’s chat! You can schedule a?free call .

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Peace to you.