The Sensitive and Neurodivergent Podcast with Julie Bjelland

My Sensitive Empowerment Community has become a beautiful, supportive,  loving family of HSPs from all over the world.  We share our experiences, connect, make friends, and support each other daily. I also offer weekly live events. I'm sharing the audio from one of our events in hopes it helps you too.  This was our 57th event and all previous events have been recorded and are available to all members. Get the link to join our loving HSP family at www.juliebjelland.com  Here are some of the questions we covered in today's event.  I would like to understand more about being HSP and being empathic.  Are they one in the same or are there differences between the two?    I was wondering if you have any suggestions on how to handle the fear of "disappointing/hurting" someone when you say no or need to correct them on something? I’m wondering how many HSP’s also struggle with addiction in some sort of way. Any tips or support would be appreciated. Are there any major efforts out there to educate parents, doctors, teachers, human resources, and the general public about the trait of HSP's and what to look for? What a positive game-changer it could be for so many HSP's if this trait was common knowledge. I'm curious if there is a link between being HSP and being introverted? Where I am, things are opening up and I'm expected to soon work in the office. How can we manage the fear of venturing out when it seems much safer and calmer at home, especially if it does not seem necessary?  One of my biggest struggles with being an HSP is how to communicate effectively when I am in a heated situation, for example, when someone is angry or screaming. I tend to freeze and lose my ability to speak and then feel irate later. I want to be able to address the situation calmly and in my power but am often so flooded with strong emotion I can not speak. I have the same question, except I don't freeze, I fight. And can't stop until everything I have ever thought comes out. When a fight starts, how can we calm down sooner?  How to deal with when I just am doing nothing but tears start to fall uncontrollably. for example, over the weekend I saw protestors holding signs to support police officers and I felt this tingling sensation and an overwhelming of hotness and tears starting to form (is this “flooding”?) but I was able to hold them back by taking deep breaths and not focusing or looking at the people (I was in the car with my family). Any thoughts on this would be helpful. Thanks. When talking to a spouse about HSP, what do you think are the top 2-3 things to focus on in discussion?  I'd like to avoid making him feel like he needs to change. I think he is feeling criticized when I explain my needs. It's such a huge concept, being HSP, so I would love to know a couple of big things to focus on and a couple of big things to avoid (like common mistakes)? Hoping this makes sense. I just don't know where to start, but I think he is willing to listen. Julie Bjelland is a sensitivity expert, psychotherapist, and author. Her online courses developed for HSPs and her Sensitive Empowerment community have helped thousands of highly sensitive people (HSPs) around the world reduce their challenges, access their gifts, and discover their significant value to truly thrive in the world. Known for her ability to teach people tools that work quickly, Julie is on a mission to empower sensitive people to live their best lives. For more HSP resources and to take Julie’s free Sensitivity Quiz, visit JulieBjelland.com  

HSPs have the capability of making a huge difference in the world. In fact, we need more HSPs to step into heart-centered leadership roles and makers of positive change.  Your heart and your gifts are needed. But if we don’t know how to take care of ourselves in the right ways we are doing a disservice to the world by not showing up thriving. Most of what we have been taught about self-care doesn’t work for us. Learning how to practice the right types of self-care and learn to take care of your sensitive nervous system is the key to thriving as an HSP and helping your gifts emerge to help the world. If a healer/leader/educator/parent is wilting and in survival mode, how much can they help another? HSPs need to do things differently. Getting it right, means you can have enough energy to take care of you, your family, your community, and even the world. Self-care is NOT selfish. NOT practicing the right type of self-care eventually hurts everyone. Take turns at the front lines Rest in between with self-compassion Take control over what you can control Understand what you cannot control Slow down and listen internally the messages are there Get inspired by others and learn tools Be kind to yourself! Loving-kindness toward self is healing and gives you energy and vibrancy When you are thriving you... have more energy use your gifts to contribute to the world can be your best self love life follow your ambitions understand, love & accept yourself feel confident & secure know your value live in balance have a positive, fulfilling life of joy authentically reduce stress, overwhelm, anxiety achieve life & career goals are healthier learn how to support your sensitive nervous system feel in control of your life learn how to self-regulate improve your relationships learn how to emotionally regulate build greater internal resources & feel joy, happiness, calm and peace get calmer are kinder & more supportive of yourself increase self-compassion improve your mindset learn how to set & keep healthy boundaries get unstuck & remove obstacles live a happier life find balance stop worrying & overthinking know how to prepare for life changes learn how to support yourself better live life with intention feel fully alive are higher functioning to improve finances & live more comfortably feel renewed & live in a tranquil flow of life feel better Read show notes, check out our bios and websites at www.HSPpodcast.com

I had a beautiful, heartfelt conversation with author and speaker Michael Arterberry about his journey from hardship, trauma, and growing up in dysfunction to being able to break the cycle and now help others! I am so inspired by his story of strength and resilience and believe you will love it too! Michael now uses those experiences to speak to and inspire teens and adults all over the world. He's such a great example of empowerment. It is people who have overcome tremendous obstacles that can teach us so much.  I really love his inspiring resilience!  His message: “I help people to use what they have gone through to get to their breakthrough. I walk my audience through the effects of their past and present trauma, including the most recent impact of society's imbalance.” Michael Arterberry is the author of the book, Be Encouraged!!! 250 Days of Motivation and Encouragement.  He has received several awards such as the USA Network’s Characters Unite Award for exceptional commitment to combating prejudice and discrimination while increasing tolerance and acceptance within the community. He is also the recipient of the 100 Men of Color Award for leadership in education, government, mentorship, entrepreneurial success, and community service. EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD from the Youth Community Outreach Program. Learn more about Michael, get his book for free, and take his 10-week challenge at https://www.michaelarterberry.com/ The course can be found at shakethedirt.com

What is HSS? How can we recognise this part of the trait and what does it mean? How can we be of best service to ourselves when we have this part of the trait? We will be looking at how to manage the need for high sensation experiences when they can so easily lead to overwhelm. Also how to recognise this in others, perhaps friends and family members. This part of the trait is of great benefit and learning to honour it of great importance. Read show notes, bios, and share comments at www.HSPpodcast.com

I share some tools that can help you reduce your stress in the moment and also long-term. I also share my own story about how I moved out of survival mode into thriving.

What makes some people take steps towards positive change and others get stuck? We explore what several HSPs had to say about their first steps of sensitive empowerment. Let’s get inspired together!

What is self-care? How is self-care different for HSPs?  How does it need to be different during a global pandemic? Willow and I share what helps us stay resilient so we can stay balanced, take care of ourselves, our families, and stay productive in our work helping others. Visit HSPpodcast.com to read show notes, leave us a voice message, and get links to our websites to learn about all the tools we offer HSPs.

I share what I find hard and what I’m hearing is hard for HSPs. I also share the results of a poll I did on what self-care HSP therapists are doing that helps. Visit HSPpodcast.com to leave comments about what is hard and what’s helping.

In this week's episode we look at the challenge that anxiety often poses for people born with the trait of sensory processing sensitivity. The ability to process deeply can often be turned against us when we focus on worst outcomes. Through the relationship we have with trust we can learn to manage difficult thought processes and the habitual tendency to believe our minds. Through practise, and self inquiry using past experience we can learn to shift our belief system to trust that we have the ability to handle whatever may arise. We will be discussing: What trust really means in this context Why learning to develop trust in ourselves is so important The importance of regularly recalling evidence of our ability to look after ourselves How trusting in ourselves is a route to accessing authenticity and empowerment The irony in the habit of trusting anxious thoughts over truth How to develop the muscle of trusting in ourselves The importance of inner trust and our role in the world We also share tools that we use that help us!

It’s common for highly sensitive people to have a busy mind and have a hard time turning it off to relax. I hope this meditation helps you relax and find peace as you visualize a beautiful stream in the forest during this meditation.