The topic of sensitivity is coming up more frequently in news, magazines and conversations around the globe. In this episode we'll talk about what it means to be sensitive (or highly sensitive) and three things you can do to support your nervous system so you can stay calm, grounded and feeling really good. 

Here are the takeaways...

1. There is a growing body of research that says that your sensitivity is not only your superpower but it's part of your biology. 
2. Melissa Hogenboom of the BBC recently published an article in Family Tree (BBC) about sensitivity in parenting. Here is a link to that article. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230525-the-rise-of-highly-sensitive-parents 
3.  There can be an accumulative effect for the sensitive person of sensory input where brightness of lights is fine at the beginning of the day but becomes too bright in late afternoon, or where the volume on the TV is fine at the beginning of the evening but becomes much too loud at the end of the evening. 
4.  There is a correlation between empathy and being highly sensitive. In other words, it is normal for someone who is sensitive to have an increased awareness of the emotional states of the people around them, especially their loved ones. 
5.  Adding parenting to the mix of sensitivity can be a recipe for stress and overwhelm but there are three you can that will make a huge difference in how you feel and increase your capacity to show up in your life. 
   1.  Meet your needs. Give yourself what you need so you feel good. Wear soft clothing with soft fabrics, soft/silky sheets and blankets, create ambient lighting, use airpods/earbuds that are not connected to create a sound buffer to give yourself a break. Treat yourself with the same care and consideration as you would treat a best friend. 
   2. Use a timer to add in 1-5 minutes a day of quiet white space. Use the microwave timer to take breaks. For children, you can set the timer for one minute per number of years old a child is (starting at the age of 2) to take a quiet break. Use the three B's to support you in teaching your family to take breaks: bleeding, barfing, or broken. Use this time as white space without consuming or doing anything. You can even do this at work. 
   3.   Calm your nervous system with a square breath. Inhale for a count of 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4 and hold the exhale at the bottom for 4. You can teach this to your kids and use it at home and also you can use it at work. It will not only help you calm down but it can help energize you in an afternoon slump.