Explaining High Sensitivity to Someone Who Doesn’t Get It. “I feel deeply. And there’s meaning in that.”
Here’s a letter to help you explain what being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) really means. From you, to someone close to your heart.
Dear [fill in the name of the person you want to share this with],
Sometimes it’s hard to explain what it means to be a Highly Sensitive Person. Especially to someone who doesn’t quite experience it themselves or maybe doesn’t even believe it’s real. So, this letter is from me to you. My words, my feelings and maybe even a small part of my heart you haven’t seen yet. I’m not asking you to fully understand me. I’m just asking you to feel with me, for a moment.
Explaining High Sensitivity to Someone Who Doesn’t Get It
When we’re together in a room, I sense what’s going on beneath the surface. Like I’m walking barefoot on a wooden floor, and I notice every creak. I feel shifts in energy. I notice unsaid things. A glance that hides something. A pause after a joke. The tremble in your voice when you say, “I’m fine.” It’s not a burden. It’s a tuning-in. Sometimes too sharp, yes, but also deeply loyal and full of care.
Because my heart stays open. Not because I’m stronger or weaker than you, just because that’s how I’m wired. A beautiful film, a moment of connection and even a certain smell can unlock a whole memory inside me. Sometimes, I overflow. And yes, I cry. Not because I’m fragile, but because I move with what is.
Accept me for who I am, completely
It’s like I don’t just see the world with my eyes, but with my whole nervous system. As if life is constantly brushing up against me. Sometimes softly. Sometimes loudly. And I feel it. Fully. I’m learning that my sensitivity isn’t a wall, it’s a doorway. To connection, beauty and to truth. And also: to myself.
What can you do for me? Not fix. Not question. Just sit beside me, even when I’m quiet. Maybe ask, “What do you feel?” instead of “What’s wrong?” And the most beautiful thing you can offer? Belief. Believe that what I feel is valid, even if it’s different from your experience. Because belief, too, is love.
An ear that truly hears. Eyes that see more than words. A presence that stays, even in silence. If you give me space to feel, I’ll give you space to be. That’s what being an HSP means to me. Not just feeling, but connecting. Not just getting overstimulated, but becoming deeply aware. And somewhere inside that softness… is incredible strength.
Thank you for wanting to understand me. You don’t need to fix me. Just see me. And maybe… you’ll notice something new within yourself, too. Something gentle. Something real and something that’s been quietly waiting for you.
With love,
[Your Name]
