The Healthy Sensitive's Podcast

The Challenges of Being a Highly Sensitive Man

Did you know that the trait "sensory processing sensitivity" is found in both women AND men? Not just that...it's found in equal numbers. Sensitivity is not linked with our sex. I talk a lot about the challenge of being a highly sensitive person, but I thought it might be useful to highlight this fact (that it's not correlated with either sex). I thought it especially important given the climate we all live in right now...where it is easy to assume that men have all the power. It turns out, men are struggling, too. Just in different ways.

In this podcast, I will first talk about the challenges men face in general. I talk about the fact that they are imprisoned in higher numbers, and they account for a greater number of suicides. Then I go into the specific challenge that highly sensitive men face in a world that seems to celebrate rough and tumble boxed-in versions of masculinity. 

Hard Conversations

We all seem to be in agreement in this country that what we need is to stop pointing fingers and start being willing to have hard conversations and compromise. But...are we willing to walk our talk? Highly sensitive people often struggle with this very thing - the willingness to be assertive and have difficult conversations. In this episode, I'll divulge some of my personal challenges in this area. I'll describe some of the events I've been exposed to more recently that have forced ME to be willing to be more assertive and honest and engage in conversations that are uncomfortable. I'll also talk about why this is such an important skill for all of us...but ESPECIALLY highly sensitive people (as we tend to shy away from it...and often are the people who NEED to do this work the most). 

Tangible Strategies for Building Contentment

As we close the month of May (Mental Health Awareness Month) It feels fitting to do a summary of strategies (evidence based, of course) that are known to help foster contentment (irrespective of what may be going on around us). In this episode, I cover specific, actionable steps we can all take to cultivate our best selves. 

S is for Sensitive (Not for "Special")

When I say I work with "highly sensitive people" I often get one of two responses. I either get "oooohhh...that's super cool! You mean those super special people that are unique and awesome?" OR I get "Eewwwwwe. That sounds gross. Is it contagious?" 

My aim with this podcast is to simply create a conversation about what it is to have a more vigilant nervous system...one that NEUTRALIZES the trait. It comes with some perks as well as some pitfalls. 

In this episode, I try and demystify what it is to have "sensory processing sensitivity" and I talk about our strengths...and our weaknesses. In particular, I talk about the importance of WORKING on our challenges to become more robust, well-rounded people.

On Being a Healthy and PRODUCTIVE Sensitive

Highly sensitive people, contrary to what others might think, tend to be extremely productive. They are creative, intuitive, and capable homo-sapiens, I can assure you. The catch is that they really need to find systems for organizing themselves and their time that honors their specific needs and temperament. In this episode, I'll cover a wide variety of examples that highly productive people have used in order to get a lot done, without feeling overwhelmed. I'll also talk about how HSP's can hack their system and get a lot done while keeping their health intact. 

 

Link to Show Notes: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pAHB7hC5UOWurZVC7ETeSPQML4N3luvp-2G2v1aH650/edit 

Collaboration and Leadership

What makes a country...GREAT. 

In looking at this pandemic meets economic question mark, I've definitely been preoccupied with that idea. It's easy for some of us to look to countries like China and say "daaaang. They really know how to pandemic. Why can't we do that?!?" But does that mean China is the best country in general? I would argue not...but I'm also biased. 

But shifting gears, is America the greatest? We certainly have the strongest military. We have a pretty strong economy (well...for now). We celebrate the individual and I would argue that's a good thing. But when it comes to situations that require social cohesion...we often flounder. 

How can we integrate both individualism alongside social cohesion? The answer, so far as I can tell, is with good leadership. 

In this episode, I talk about social determination theory, motivation, and research surrounding what makes a good leader and what kinds of leaders are able to both hold the space for each person's autonomy while also facilitating collaboration. 

Being a Part of the Solution

There is no doubt that we are in uncertain times right now...but the thing is - WE ALWAYS WERE. It's just that now it is being presented to us directly. So how can we navigate these times effectively (not just surviving it, but being a part of the solution). And beyond that, how can we carry the lessons we learn from this experience into the future so that we can navigate uncertainty in ANY situation? In this episode I'll talk about practical tips and tools you can employ to not just protect yourself, but ARM yourself. You will walk away with a sense that you can not just use this time to stay safe, you can use this time to flourish. 

Navigating Coronavirus Overload

I'm sure everyone is feeling saturated with information about the coronavirus. But is anyone talking about the impact all this is having on us in our everyday lives? In this episode, I'll discuss a bit of information regarding the virus, and why everyone is so worried about it (but also trying not to incite any panic around it). I'll spend an even GREATER amount of time talking about how navigating decisions around the virus alongside decisions regarding the economy is leaving most of us feeling a low-grade level of tapped out and overwhelmed. I'll talk about the challenge of coping with a situation that basically feels like a three-way chess game. Finally, I'll talk about some strategies you can employ to stay level-headed during a really tough - so that you get through it feeling like a hero. 

Work with a Capital "W"

David Whyte, in his book The Three Marriages, talks about how there are three commitments we hold as central in our lives: our work, a relationship to a significant other, and the relationship we foster within ourselves. In this episode, we will talk about that first one - our work. I invite you to consider what it is you love doing enough that you're willing to put up with all the crap that comes with it. I discuss my own work marriage (my marriage with my writing) and share some of my work to give as an example. Ultimately, what I hope is that this is an invitation to consider doing the thing that brings you joy in the midst of celebration...and brings you comfort even in the darkest of times in your life.

Mindfulness

When we think about being "mindful" we often think about being calm. Kind. Compassionate. All that might be a byproduct of mindfulness but that isn't mindfulness, itself. In fact, sometimes being mindful might require being assertive. Sharp. Even cruel on the surface of things. Come as I turn some of our most beloved assumptions about mindfulness on their head.