Thriving as an HSP in a Chaotic World: Strengths, Struggles, and Self-Care l S1E020

Linda Orsini: 00:00:08

Hello and welcome to a call for love. I believe the most powerful gift you can offer yourself is to give and receive love more freely. I'm your host Linda Orsini meditation guidance spiritual coach. Everyone has the desire to be seen, heard, respected and loved. The journey to becoming more connected to your greater purpose lies within the ability to live from the deep source of love within you. Let's begin.

Linda Orsini: 00:00:39

Welcome back to this week's episode of a call for love. And I want to thank all those returning and for all the new listeners, which is so great to hear. Really, in the podcast world, it is all about sharing your message, which is can be a challenge, because there are many podcasts out there. But I believe there is room for everyone and I believe in abundance. For those joining in for the first time, maybe you want to binge listen to my latest episodes. For the new listeners, I would so appreciative for their reviews. And the first one I'd like to share is from jumble bug, who I actually know is Melissa. So thank you, Melissa because she let me know. And she said I have just found this podcast, and I am joining binging on all the episodes, the idea of moving from fear to love and achieving a higher frequency. As we go through life is so uplifting, it shows us we always have a choice. And that allows us to move forward. Thank you for your sage advice, Linda, I'm a fan. And another one is from gentleman check. And it says I'm so happy I found this podcast. As a yoga teacher, I couldn't relate to the topics being discussed. I have just discovered the podcast and we'll be catching up on all the previous episodes. So really, thank you, thank you for showing up here, giving it a listen. And of course if it resonates, if it lands, that's wonderful. And even if it doesn't, and you know somebody else who could use the message of turning from fear to love, there's a call for love. Please pass it on. My wish my greatest wish is just that it lands on ears that need to hear it. And which brings me to today's episode, and today is I'm talking about the highly sensitive person. You may be asking what is a highly sensitive person, I had this discussion with a friend just this morning. And she was given a lot of definitions that were not absolutely correct. So I would like to begin here. Do you feel overwhelmed by big emotions? Are you sensitive to what others say? And do? Do you get drained and hectic and negative environments? If so, you may feel or recognize that you're a highly sensitive person. And a person who is highly sensitive to stimuli, which is brought on by external the senses sights, sounds and sensations they knew may be what you call a highly sensitive person. And that's called HSP. Although you may often feel like a piece of crystal fragile and rare, you are not alone and you are normal. Have you ever heard the saying your strength is your weakness, while being sensitive does make you exceptionally tuned right to the feelings of others. And you know, that is a great thing. It allows you to tune in to the needs of others. And often it's caregivers. It's frontline workers, it's nurses, doctors, teachers, social workers, all those people are very in tune to the needs of others. That is their gift is able to support and care for others with a big and open heart. However, you know, there's the other side of the court. It can leave you feeling drained and depleted. And actually in the need of extra grounding and quiet and peaceful space to recharge. I feel this is a big issue in our world today. With a lot of people needing time off and extended leaves because they're just tapped out. Do you feel tapped out? Are you giving until there's nothing left? And being a highly sensitive person can really have an extra profound effect on you? While I'm a highly sensitive person, which is actually surprising because I'm an extreme extrovert. I love people and places I truly do. Where there is joy love and People gathering. I'm right in there like a dirty shirt. However, I empty fast, I actually am in constant need of grounding and centering, really to maintain my strength and vitality. And this was really apparent because when I was teaching, of course, there's what I guess there was about 300 students in the school give or take and add recess or lunch. If I had duty, I would often be in the field, which I prefer to be because it was grass and it was green and it was more natural. And I would often take off my shoes and put my feet in the ground into the grass, I would take a deep breath in. And then when I breathe out, I would send my breath all the way to the earth. And then on the next inhale, I would breathe in the energy from the earth to fill me. It was life survival for me. Honestly, I didn't do it. Because I liked the texture of the grass on my feet. I did it because it gave me energy. It refilled me. I empty fast, especially around a lot of people, a lot of different energies. And if there's any negative or hectic, hectic energy, I drain really, really fast. So that was a life tool, a lifesaver that I would do. If I didn't have yard duty, I'm not going to go into the yard and place my feet in the grass, it's quite obvious. So I would go for a walk. Of course, being outside and having the fresh air would also be a really really pivotal self care practice that I would do. I don't know how you spend your breaks at work or in your home. But those two things were lifesavers for me. Now I know highly sensitive people who are introverts. And of course, there's highly sensitive people who are extroverts. I actually didn't know growing up the youngest of 11 children, that I was a highly sensitive person, because I was so outgoing. I had so many people in my family, I was always around people. I always did though, feel like I was the runt of the litter. And I didn't have as much stamina as my siblings. I used to say to my mom, because I was the youngest and she had me when she was close to 42. I would say Mom, you didn't put much into making me you were tired by then. And she would laugh the first couple years for word the end. Towards the end of her life. She was not laughing anymore.

Linda Orsini: 00:07:44

She said Lindy you played that card long enough, it's enough. And I agreed with her because I wanted to empower myself. But then I really realized is really actually who I am. I do have a lot of stamina, but in spurts and then I really need time to reground and rebalance. It wasn't until I began my healing journey that I realized, I'm not weak, nor am I fragile. I'm actually super strong, loving and emotionally in tune person. But I do require extreme self care to function. And I'm going to emphasize extreme here, because it may not be as much as the average person who acquires. But for me, I need it. self care is not selfish for me, or the highly sensitive person. It is a source of survival. Through my healing journey to find more balance and energy. I have become of course a yoga teacher meditation guide, reiki master sound healer, hypnotherapist and mindfulness self compassion. I've used my skills to really tap into what it means to live with greater energy and vitality and balance, to learn to set healthier boundaries that do not always coincide with other people. Although I do feel really guilty sometimes for saying no, which is the complete sentence in itself. I do find that through self compassion and changing my mindset through hypnotherapy. I'm able to really show up the best version of myself, but I do need to cleanse and that's where I would like to share what it means to cleanse when you're around a lot of people, a lot of situations, negative news, movies that are violent, all these extra energies and you're sensitive. You can really draw them into your body and they can drain you so cleansing methods are really important. It's important to know and actually take the time to be intentional to relieve and release all those heavy energies that you collect through no fault of anyone else's. But because you're susceptible to it, you take it on and it becomes a big heavy weight for you, which drains you which can actually give you soul fatigue. There is a buffet of options to find spiritual cleansing methods to clear you have negative or hectic energies. And I have been practicing many of them. So today I would like to touch upon a few. When you cleanse what no longer serves you, you become lighter, relaxed, and through self care, you become nurtured and you become less agitated. But if you are at home and you want to rebalance at home, it's a little easier at work. It's a little bit more challenging, although you can as I said, go outside or put your feet in the ground or go out into the sun or coming to a slight meditation or your breathing. But at home. What can you do at home? Let's think about this. I like to surround my home with salt lamps. I have many salt lamps all over my house. I love the soft lighting. blaring bright lighting actually drains me. It's just too much. It's too much for my senses. So I like very soft lighting. Actually, I prefer natural lighting that is my top source for lighting. But when I can't or at night soft salt lamp is very, very soothing. I like to use the himalayan salt lamps, and they are rage everywhere. I know I bought it for my youngest son when he was just a baby and he's 22. So I've had them in our home for about 20 years. I've always gravitated to them. The other thing I like to do, and I said it and if you are follow me on social media, I'm a big water person. Water cleanses and releases. I of course to shower wash and let everything flow down the drain. But I was actually talked to Lindsay at one of the yoga studios the other day and she said she only has baths. So if you only have showers, that's great. You can do cleansing allow all what no longer serves you to go down into the drain. Or you can have a bath and I will be sharing bath rituals on another episode because I know there's some big bathers out there. And I know there are some that aren't some people are not water people but if you are water person, bathing is so so nurturing. So soothing for the heart, the mind the body and the soul. Now when it is raining, I have a bath but if it's not raining, or if it's not bitterly bitterly cold, I have a hot tub. I have a hot tub, not because necessarily I want to but because it really makes me feel better. I'm outside I have the fresh air against my face. I'm in the bubbly water. It's the same kind of action of cleansing so water, water can be very healing, like can be very healing music, music can really heal you as well heal you from all those energies that can drain you and music. What kind of music nurtures your spirit, mind body and soul. That is what you need to really honor and of course there's music that you want to uplift you or this music to calm you down and to suit you. What kind of music can you use to really allow you to release all that energy, maybe the news, gossip, all those energies that you do not want sticking on to you like a bird you know burr sticks on your clothes and you got to pull it off. When you want to get rid of that you don't want to carry it around you because it's heavy, energetic weight that drags you down. Now to cleanse your home, you could use Sage you could burn sage or smudge or of course use incense and I used to do that a lot and I do do burn Palace Santos wood which I really love the smell because it kind of reminds me of Have a campfire and I love the smell of campfires. However, lately, I am just really sticking to the essential oils. As a cleanser from my home, I find they are crisper cleaner. And more here. I love to defuse bergamont, peppermint and lavender together is really awesome. There's some that people do not resonate with. Especially if you live in a home with other people, you want to avoid them, you need to honor it. I know I have one Patchouli that my husband does not fond of. And so I only diffused that essential oil if he's not in the house. So you really have to be mindful of those around you. If you're a sensitive person, you want to really honor yourself. But because you're a sensitive person, and here's your strength, you think of others, which is key. And the last thing I'd like to share as a way of cleansing, just the energy around you is what color are you wearing? What color is your bedding, I absolutely love black, I get it black is versatile, it's endless. It looks great on you. But White is pure and cleansing. I had colored sheets for so many years of my life. And oh, I'd say for the last 10 years, I use white sheets, I really love the freshness of it. And when you go to hotels, they have white sheets, really love white sheets, and they say it's a really great aid for sleeping, is light is purifying. And it just really gives you this protective feeling. Of course, then you could wear white clothing.

Linda Orsini: 00:16:54

The thing with white is that it really allows you to be more focused on what you're doing in a thoughtful way. It's having you be more mindful. For instance, when I'm eating a sauce, up tomato sauce wearing white, you bet I'm going to lean over You bet I'm going to be more mindful and careful how I eat. When you're wearing white, you're more conscious and more mindful of what you're doing. I'm not going to go sit on the rock by the lake, wearing my white pants. If it's muddy out, I'm going to be more conscious. And there's nothing wrong with being mindful. So I love to add white into my wardrobe. Maybe that's something that resonates with you. But that is your choice. And that's what makes the world go round is that what resonates with you. As we approach the end of this episode, I want to thank you for really sharing your time and your energy to listen to hear about being highly sensitive, and how you can really cleanse and purify all the energies around you. Because everyone has certain needs. And are you getting your needs met? It is not selfish to take care of yourself. Because we live in a social world. We live where other people depend on us. And if we really want to show up as the best versions of ourselves, we need to practice self care. I actually talked about this with Alessia Torian in the last episode, Episode 19, where I said you have to know how to love yourself. In order to teach somebody how to love you. You need to honor yourself in order to model how other people can honor you. And that creates a beautiful essence, a richer relationship between yourself and all others, because we want to emulate love, kindness and compassion. And then we want to be empathetic to other people's needs. So I hope this resonates with you. If you know somebody who could benefit from cleansing rituals, or how to really help yourself feel and handle being sensitive, then please share this episode and reach out to me as I have many offerings to support you on your journey to really feeling vibrant, balanced and energetic in your life by giving and receiving love more freely. So from my heart to you. Namaste