Winter    Vol. 4, Issue No. 1    February 2008 | Archives Here

Jacquelyn's Top Ten Suggestions for HSP Self-Care
by Jacquelyn Strickland, LPC

1. Search for ways to live a balanced life, including spiritual, occupational, social, emotional, intellectual, and creative. Finding a creative outlet to express our deep perceptions of the world around us is crucial in supporting our unique HSP selves.
2. Examine all your environments - work, home, social, friends, and become aware of those who are supportive of the HSP trait and those who are not. Protect yourself (set firm boundaries) with those who are not inclined to be supportive, or who are not inclined to learn more.
3. Seek employment which values not only who you are as a person, but your unique set of skills as well. This may mean taking a "craft" job which pays the rent and honors your self-care plan, while also allowing time for your authentic and passionate self outside of work. Refer to Dr. Barrie Jaeger's concepts of drudgery, craft and calling in Making Work Work for the Highly Sensitive Person.
4. Take a Values Assessment inventory to ascertain what is most important to you in your HSP life. Knowing your own priorities can help make adjustments to your own (or others' expectations) of you, whether that be in the amount of money you make, or how you spend time in your daily life.
5. Spend time becoming aware of your unique needs - adopt a motto from the HSP Gathering Retreats "Focus on Needs, Not Approval." Ask your loved ones to do the same. It is an amazingly freeing concept that has worked amazingly well in my family. Identifying your needs serves as a guideline for setting healthy boundaries - an absolute must for us HSPs!
6. Seek out like minded friends or community to be with. Isolation, or being invisible, is the bane of an HSP's existence. Find someone with whom you can share your keen observations and depth of perception - preferably another HSP. This works well because our depth can sometimes unduly burden our non-HSP friends to "get" us. The many HSP message boards can sometimes serve this need.
7. Find your optimal level of arousal - being under-stimulated leaves us bored and lethargic - being over stimulated increases the cortisol in our systems. Being outdoors in nature seems to be the optimal state of arousal for me - and it is also the place where I can find solace, wisdom and clarity.
8. Become intimately familiar with your current and/or past traumas - whether they be traumas with a capital "T" or traumas with a smaller 't'. Remember for HSPs any trauma can be deeply felt. Seeking professional help may be necessary to assimilate this trauma and to heal fully.
9. Try to spend at least 10-15 minutes outside in the sunshine. This not only increases natural Vitamin D in our systems, but can also help increase our serotonin levels.
10. Find, cultivate and nurture your own unique spiritual life and practice. This could include yoga, meditation, prayer, walks in nature, or being part of a local church community your choosing.

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