... my sensitivity was not a weakness and your sensitivity is not a weakness either. It is a strength if you connect with it on a deeper level and cultivate it in your life.
Growing up, I was always taught that my sensitivity was a weakness. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I finally was able to learn that my sensitivity is a strength. Maybe you have also faced derogatory comments because of your sensitive nature. No matter what people have said to you, know that your sensitivity is nothing to be ashamed of or something to be “fixed.” Sensitivity is actually a great strength and something people should try to cultivate in their lives.
Too Sensitive?
As I mentioned, I was looked down on because of my sensitivity as a teen. Rather than someone helping me cultivate my sensitivity, I was told I was “too sensitive” and was taught I needed to eradicate my sensitivity. Over the years, I started to believe these words and I came to the conclusion that I must, indeed, be too sensitive. After all, I would cry often and words seemed to cut to my bones in ways other people didn’t seem to be affected. Since I would cry often and take things personally, my mom thought that I needed to improve in this area.
As a teen, I believed and listened to my mom. Moms only try their best; however, we have to remember that they can fall short and fail us at times too. Nonetheless, my mom taught me that I needed to be “more strong,” not to be “so sensitive,” and to never let other people see me cry. As you can imagine, this was extremely difficult for me, especially since I was living with undiagnosed depression and a severe eating disorder. Everything made me feel sad and upset, therefore, this request was something that was very difficult for me.
Despite this being a difficult task for me, I adapted. I molded into what my mother wanted as best as I could—until I couldn’t anymore. No matter how long I could go without crying or turning inward with my pain, it was never good enough. I would still fail and the result would be that I was told I needed to improve on not being as sensitive the next time. I tried and I tried, but my sensitivity always came through. If someone would yell at me, I would cry. If I didn’t do well on an assignment, I cried. If someone looked at me in a mean way, I would cry.
Maybe you have also been here and you are a sensitive person like me. Or maybe you aren’t. Either way, you can tell that I was in no way using my sensitivity as a strength because it was something I was shamed for and something that I saw I needed to get rid of. The truth is that my mother was wrong—my sensitivity was not a weakness and your sensitivity is not a weakness either. It is a strength if you connect with it on a deeper level and cultivate it in your life. Never be ashamed of your sensitive nature.
Sensitivity Is Strength
Sensitivity is a strength because it helps you connect on a deeper level with others, helps you understand others better, and allows you to be emphatic with others. If we look at these things, we can see how sensitivity is a beautiful thing. People who are not sensitive have a hard time relating to others and truly being there for them. Over time, this can cause others to not feel close to you or feel their feelings are invalidated when they talk to you since you are not sensitive.
Not only this, but non-sensitive people can easily hurt sensitive people’s feelings without thinking. Sensitivity helps a person to better understand other people’s feelings and know how to best help others. I don’t believe only certain people can be sensitive or that you can only be sensitive if you are born that way. Rather, anyone can cultivate and learn sensitivity if they try. Just like any skill or quality, you have to work at it. For some people, it might be harder to cultivate sensitivity; however, all people can develop sensitivity through the right means.
Often, people become sensitive after undergoing a difficult circumstance. After having gone through difficult circumstances, it makes the individual more sensitive and more attuned to their emotions. While difficult and painful experiences are never pleasant, they do help us become more understanding of others. As an example, before I personally faced the death of a loved one, I couldn’t really understand how it felt to grieve or to have the absence of a loved one in my life.
It was not until my mom passed away that I went through this experience of grief, and I am still continuing to go through it. It has made me more sensitive to those who are going through grief and the process of losing a loved one. If you have also lost a loved one, you know how painful it is and you probably are grief-literate. By being grief-literate, you are able to connect with people who are grieving in a personal way and you know what to say to help them in their grieving process.
Sadly, it can be hard to relate to certain difficult situations or to become sensitive to particular issues unless you have also gone through the same thing. While you can still be there for them, it’s hard to fully understand how they are feeling and know what to do in their time of need. However, if you cultivate sensitivity in your life and really work at it, you can truly be a supportive person to others.
Sensitivity Is Not a Weakness
If you have been shamed because of your sensitivity, don’t allow it to get you down. There is nothing wrong with being a sensitive person. As we have established, it is a great strength to be sensitive. God wants you to be sensitive to the needs of others, and He wants you to care about them. The greatest of all things is to love others and by being a sensitive person, you will be able to love others more fully. Even though it can be difficult and painful at times when you are sensitive, know that it is a beautiful thing to be sympathetic and empathetic toward others.
It is not a weakness to truly care about others. As you continue on in your life, don’t be afraid to be sensitive. See this beautiful quality as a blessing and work with others to help cultivate this quality in your life. Choose to surround yourself with people who are supportive, caring, and loving. Although you will not always be able to be around caring people, you can still view your sensitivity as a beautiful thing. Be confident in your sensitivity and don’t let others get you down.
God created you just the way you are, and He did not make a mistake when He gave you a sensitive nature. Even if you cultivate your sensitivity later in life, know this was by the help of the Lord. Sensitivity is something all people need to have because it helps you to be a more caring, loving, and compassionate individual. Your sensitivity is a strength—it is never a weakness, and it should not ever be treated as one. You will do great things in your life because of your sensitivity, and you will help many people.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Martin Dimitrov
