The term highly sensitive has become a popular catch phrase for people who feel highly emotional or overwhelmed with the normal challenges of life. However, in all my years of working with energy, what I believe is that many of these highly sensitive souls are light workers; people who are highly sensitive to the energy that makes up all living things and have a great desire to be part of the process of helping others connect with their divine nature. This sensitivity allows them to express profound healing energies through a variety of modalities; vibrational or holistic healing, the arts, teaching, you name it!
Here are what I think are some of the most common signs of being a highly sensitive soul.
You feel everything very deeply
The sensitive soul feels everything, and they feel it deeply. But at first glance, they may actually think they are just being overly emotional, or being too sensitive. This is likely because people around them are telling them that! The sensitive soul will seem to be overly sensitive, but actually they are just hyper aware of the energies carried by the people and situations around them.
You always know when something is wrong
This highly sensitive soul can so easily pick up on the vibes around them, and they will know when something is up with a loved one; even when they tell them everything is fine.
You are deeply moved by music, or other forms of art
The sensitive soul can be so deeply moved by the arts, that they will either find themselves in tears, or so overcome by their experience, that they actually need time to recover from it (or as their friends may say, pull themselves together). But what’s happening is that when an artist creates something from their soul, the highly sensitive soul will connect directly with that deeply emotional state expressed by the artist. They experience the art as if it was expressed through them.
You tend to be a people pleaser
The sensitive soul will do anything to avoid drama, so they will say yes even when they mean no. They have a genuine worry about not being liked (it causes too many bad feelings), so they will please others even to the point of becoming a doormat to avoid the pain and drama!
You make instantaneous connections
The sensitive soul easily recognizes a kindred spirit. They recognize best friends and lovers within moments of meeting, and when this kindred spirit reciprocates, deep, lasting bonds are formed. However, this isn’t always the case, as this recognition is often only seen from the perspective of the sensitive soul.
You have a powerful imagination
Highly sensitive souls know the power of using their imagination as a creative tool. They can imagine living the grandest version of life, and various scenarios for every decision they have to make, and they are good at working out the details. This makes them valuable team players. However….
You prefer working alone
Sensitive souls are fine working as part of a team if they have to. But they will often feel judged throughout the process. They much prefer to work alone, and feel much more creative freedom when allowed to do so.
You have a vivid dream life
Sensitive souls have a very vivid dream life. In fact, they often feel their dreams are some sort of other life they live while they are sleeping, and may actually feel themselves connecting to other souls during their dreamtime. They have a deep connection to signs and symbols, and will often see them appear in both dreams and waking life.
Sensitivity to the environment
Sensitive souls often find themselves highly sensitive to their environment. While their friends may love shopping on a busy Saturday afternoon, the sensitive soul dreads having to go out. Crowds, loud noises, and bright lights are so overwhelming, they can’t really enjoy the experience, so prefer go somewhere quiet, or just stay home.
You deeply mourn mistakes, losses, and set-backs
It’s very difficult for highly sensitive souls to let go when something doesn’t turn out the way they’d imagined. In part, this is because with their wonderful imaginations, they have seen the joy that comes through their imagined outcome; they form deep attachments to things that have yet to manifest. They also form deep attachments to relationships, and when faced with the loss of one (whether through death, break-up, or falling out), they will never quite feel as if their heart becomes whole again.
You are prone to anxiety and/or depression
Being highly sensitive to the energies around you, especially as a child, and then being told you are just overly sensitive, and you need to pull yourself together, can actually cause trauma over a period of time. This can lead to feelings of betrayal, which may lead to depression and anxiety, because the experiences that are causing real emotional pain are not being acknowledged.
The last thing a highly sensitive soul needs to hear is buck up and deal with it, or pull yourself together. Because honestly, if they could, they would! The highly sensitive soul is not here to just deal with life, they are here to see the beauty and wonder that is Life, through the veil of difficulties and obstacles. Their sensitivity allows them a keener awareness, which in turn allows them to call forth that light for the greater good.
Their challenge will always be to transmute the energies of fear, lack, and hatred. However, it’s this transformation that allows them to step into the powerful creator being they came here to be.