Having a sensitive, deeply emotive way of experiencing the world is nothing to be ashamed of. It can feel however like we live on a different planet to our colleagues, friends, and loved ones who don’t have a nervous system that is as highly responsive and sensitive as ours. I’ve seen so many of you (myself included) hold shame for this; a sense that you are innately wrong and should change to be more like others. You don’t need to change who you are so you can fit in with others. What we need is a bridge. A bridge to connect our different worlds.
Think of it as you living in one country and your loved one living in another. You have different cultures, even a different language to communicate and express yourself. Should someone with a different language feel ashamed for speaking that way? Should they feel ashamed for having a different culture or way of being in their land. No, it’s not wrong. It’s just different. The same applies to neurodiversity. It’s not a wrong way of being or expressing one self, it’s simply different.
What we need is a bridge to help us stay connected with others, so we can understand and communicate together.
What is the bridge?
This bridge is empathy.
The more we cross the bridge and try to see the world from the other person’s perspective, from their world, from their way of relating and communicating, then we can understand each other. This has to work both ways. Crossing the bridge goes in both directions, and is the responsibility of both parties to take that journey of empathy and understanding so we can stay connected. So we can let go of the shame for who each of us are.
Whether you’re highly sensitive, an empath, have ADHD, autism, sensory processing disorder or any other neurodiversity, or if you are part of the majority and neurotypical, let go of the shame. Accept who you are. Cross the bridge. We are stronger together.
With love always,
Donna 🌻
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