One of the many hidden gifts of being a highly sensitive person (HSP) is the extreme ability to sense and feel things, due to a highly permeable nervous system. “It’s like feeling something with 50 fingers as opposed to 10,” explains Judith Orloff, a psychiatrist and author of Emotional Freedom. “You have more receptors to perceive things.” HSPs make up about 20 percent of the population.

I recently talked to a client of mine who appears to be in a constant state of overwhelm. She is particularly sensitive to doing too many things at once, is deeply affected by other people’s moods and the subtleties in her work environment. She needs to withdraw during busy days to get relief from stimulation, and she tries hard to avoid making mistakes or forgetting things.

As she described her situation to me, I mentioned to her that it sounded to me like she was an HSP. I told her about a great book she could read, called The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

She said matter of factly, “Oh, I have that book. It’s on my bookshelf – I’ve never read it.”

Curious about her answer I asked her, “Why not?”

She said, “Because I hate being so sensitive and I don’t want to know about it.”

She was clearly defensive – and in denial.

I empathize with her because I’ve been there myself. It was clear to me that she had a (wrong) sense of being flawed. She felt ashamed of her sensitivity and saw it as a liability. It was something she didn’t want to have to deal with because she was too busy trying to get on with her life.

In my experience, the path is always the way. What appears to be blocking the path is simply something that conceals a key to unlocking an important message. It merely begs to be met with an open heart so you can understand the truth, because it’s in seeing the truth that you will truly be set free.

I see this perspective a lot in the world of entrepreneurship. Of business owners and leaders rejecting their own inherent being-ness… of working against what God has given them… of living in denial of what IS and living in false hope of what is not. What this produces is a life sentence of pain, suffering and struggle, while zapping all potential joy and freedom that comes from recognizing your gifts, embracing your superpowers, and owning all of yourself – not just the bits you like or those you deem worthy of love.

Does any of this resonate with you?

I’m curious about how much time and energy you spend criticizing your actions, examining your flaws, wallowing in your mistakes and berating the parts of you that you consider imperfect, bad or wrong?

Be honest.

Sometimes it’s a small voice that whispers to us and other times it’s a loud voice that screams at us.

And sometimes if the inner voice is too tired of not being listened to, it morphs itself into emotional outbursts or breakdowns, physical accidents or illness.

If we are really not paying attention then it manifests itself as physical disease or a chronic health condition.

Connecting your intellectual thoughts with the body of your feelings is what is being asked of you, and it is an important task. Often we separate our thinking head from our emotional body and this disconnects us from spirit. You are not intended to rely entirely upon your mind in life, but to look for your true reflection of what is resting within. This is what it means to be a fully integrated human being, and an elegant leader.

As we enter into a new Lunar year the energy of the Fire Rooster prevails, which is all about being a healthy leader, having integrity and being sourced by love. Self-love.

Here are 5 things you can do to turn your inner voice into your greatest ally and your wise messenger:

• Get quiet and distinguish your automatic thoughts from who you really are
• Identify the different voices and give them each a name (i.e.) The Bully, The Wounded Child, The Judge, The Protector, etc.
• Be an observant witness and do not judge your parts as good or bad. Own all parts of yourself, both the light and dark.
• Enter into a dialogue with your inner voices. Ask them what wisdom they have for you, and what positive intention they want for you.
• Then listen… and hear their message with every ounce of your body and being.

Being a business owner is the best personal development teacher you will ever have. Every day you are called forward to stretch yourself outside of your comfort zone and tenuously hang out in your unknown zone. The difference between the successful and the not so successful is the dedication to continual personal growth. Your business will only grow to the ceiling of your own self-esteem, self-worth, and self-love.

If you are ready to break through your own glass ceiling and you want a soft place to land with a velvet-gloved approach, reach out to me. I believe that change is inevitable, you have all of the resources you need to succeed and you are not broken. Sometimes, when we are so deep in the forest of our own mind chatter, we cannot see the forest for the trees. A skilled and unbiased outsider like me can see all of the individual trees plus the whole forest, and can mirror back to you what’s in your blind spot. Contact me for your no obligation 45-minute consultation. You’ll be glad you did.