Highly sensitive beings suffer more but they also love harder, dream wider, and experience deeper horizons and bliss. When you’re sensitive, you’re alive in every sense of the word in this wildly beautiful world. Sensitivity is your strength. Keep soaking in the light, and spreading it to others.
Victoria Erickson
A Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is someone whose nervous system is very fine-tuned and easily overstimulated. When you have an averagely sensitive person and an HSP being stimulated with the exact same stimulus, you often find through a brain fMRI that the brain of the HSP lights up much more and in a greater variety of areas than the brain of the averagely sensitive person. That’s why the HSP usually needs more time to recover or recharge at the end of the day. They spend a great amount of energy navigating through simple daily events (e.g. meetings, busy places) and when relating to others.
The subjective experience of an HSP becomes a bit more complex when he or she is a high sensation seeker. Not all HSPs have this characteristic but it can occur, even among introvert HSPs. High sensation seekers are often driven by a sense of thrill and adventure. They look out for new experiences and they may get bored easily. They are also not afraid of going against societal norms. I personally am an introvert highly sensitive person who is also a high sensation seeker. I must say it’s difficult to find a balance as living with such inner complexity can be pretty overwhelming.
For instance, I love engaging with people but I can’t do it for long periods of time in a social context. I sometimes can get bored with repetitive talk or if we only talk about the weather and what the next-door neighbor did yesterday. If I do the same tasks every single day, over and over again, I’m likely to start to malfunction at some point. That’s why I have a very unique approach to managing my time and day. You won’t find me doing the exact same tasks every day, at the same hour and minute, unless it is something very important I have to prepare for. I like to work with blocks of time and types of tasks. Learning this about myself has helped me a lot.
To counteract this huge need for creativity, variety, and change, as an HSP I sometimes need to make an extra effort to simply slow down and rest. This is usually referred to as one foot on the gas, one foot on the brake. If you mess it up, your car will burn out. It takes mastery, but as HSPs we must set the intention to protect ourselves from unhealthy behavioral patterns. Because we can have a hard time managing this dual-energy, we often find ourselves overwhelmed. We get burned out, and we might look for quick restorative fixes such as drugs and food. In my case, I indulge in food to seek relief from over-stimulation. Quick fixes, however, never do the job right. They make everything worse.
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If you are a Highly Sensitive Person and you often find yourself with one foot on the gas, and another on the brake, make sure you find the right balance for you between engaging in stimulating activities and resting. Also, incorporate as many sources of positivity as possible into your daily life as it helps to buffer stress and overwhelm. Take it as an act of self-care and make it a priority. These are healthier ways of getting and recovering from that thrill you seek without harming yourself.
This post is brought to you by Carrie Spencer from thespencersadventures.net who has a family mini-farm and is passionate about living self-sustainable and environmentally conscious.
With the right knowledge and a sizable backyard, anyone can be a proficient gardener. Not only is gardening a fun and healthy hobby, but it can also feed your community and family. If you’re interested in getting started, here are a few resources to get you on the right track.
How You Can Make a Difference
If you want to give back to your community, starting a garden will help families who can’t afford food. Many homes rely on food stamps or end up buying processed foods because they’re cheaper.
In 2019, around 13.7 million households in the United States were food insecure. This number continues to grow.
Fruits and vegetables are a source of important vitamins and minerals. They’re necessary for maintaining a healthy diet.
Once you’ve grown an abundance of veggies, you can bring them to your local food bank, senior center, or church.
Plotting The Garden
Before you start your garden, you’ll need to have a plan and the right tools.
Choosing the right location for your garden is essential. Make sure the area where you want to plant gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day, has good drainage and is level with healthy soil.
Fencing off your garden area is ideal in order to keep kids, pets, and pests/animals out of the space. Using the terms “cheapest fence company near me” can help you connect with the right contractors.
If you’re a new gardener, your best bet might be starting with easy-to-grow veggies like tomatoes, squash, spinach, and green beans.
Take some time to purchase essential gardening equipment. You’ll need gloves, rakes, shears, a shovel, etc.
Planting The Seeds
Now that you’ve put together a plan, you can start growing food for your community and family.
To ensure that most of the sprouts survive, you can plant them indoors in potting soil with a light to help them grow.
Once they are big enough, you can start transitioning them to being outside.
Know how to properly water your garden for the best results.
You should also make sure your garden is deweeded regularly.
As you tend to your garden, you’ll find that growing veggies is both rewarding and fairly easy if you know what you’re doing. Knowing that you’re helping to feed people without consistent access to fresh food will make the process even more enjoyable. Your efforts might also inspire neighbors to get involved!
It’s not really news that hobbies as part of a mental health getaway are good for you, though. Scientists have known for a long time that the mental and physical benefits hobbies offer to make the activities we do just for fun a very important part of our lives. In addition to making us happier…
I argue that there is persuasive evidence for the existence of several relatively autonomous human intellectual competencies, abbreviated hereafter as “human intelligences”.
Howard Gardner
A decade of coaching kids and adults has shown me that everyone is intelligent in their own way. Intelligence is not only reason and logic. There are many types of intelligence, and this notion grew in popularity in the fields of Psychology and Education thanks to Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory.
According to Gardner, we are not born with a finite amount of intelligence. Instead, intelligence can be expanded and developed across our lifespan. Gardner’s proposition is that there is more to intelligence than the so-valued cognitive abilities, with emotional competencies being only one example.
This new approach to intelligence has contributed to more supportive school environments around the globe. It proposes that there are eight types of intelligence. These include linguistic intelligence, logical/mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, musical intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, and naturalist intelligence. Theoretically, we all have these types of intelligence. Some of us have some types more developed than others, based on genetics and experience, but the good news is that we can learn and evolve if we are willing to.
One aspect that I like about the Multiple Intelligences Theory is that it promotes diversity and individuality. For this reason, we can’t assess intelligence as an absolute. Let’s say John is good at reasoning and not so good at managing relationships with other people. Peter may be good at dancing and not so good at math. Mathew can be good both at reasoning and handling people but not so good at dancing. Can we say one of them is less intelligent than the other? I refuse to say we can. Different situations and tasks require different types of intelligence.
The idea that human beings have multiple intelligences promotes diversity and individuality.
Not being limited to the amount of intelligence we are born with also gives us the confidence to grow and expand different personal assets. I’d say this is the goal of personal growth. If your aim is to evolve, you can’t be stuck with the idea that you are only good at one thing and that thing only.That’s a limiting belief you must get rid of. If you’re good at reasoning and awful with people, you can learn how to relate better, and if you’re not that good with numbers, you can start practicing calculus and simple equations.
For instance, I was never a sportsperson. This means I had very little bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. One of my goals has been to be physically active though. It doesn’t come naturally to me but it’s part of my personal development plan. It’s linked to my health and well-being goals. What do I do then? I give my best to make this type of intelligence a priority. I search for ways I can develop it further. I’ve tried jogging, yoga, pilates, and even body-building. This allows me to explore different avenues I can expand my bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.
Now that I gave you a practical introduction to Howard Gardner’s theory of intelligence, let’s have a closer look at each type of intelligence. You can either use the buttons below to navigate through the content you are more interested in, or you can scroll down and read it thoroughly.
This type of intelligence comprises skills in both spoken and written words. It deals with being sensitive to what people say but also to the way you express yourself. Learning new languages or using communication are examples of this type of intelligence.
Examples of people with high linguistic intelligence: Shakespeare, Oprah, Tony Robbins
Examples of careers: Authors, Speakers, Lawyers, Journalists
Logical-Mathematical Intelligence
This type of intelligence involves approaching problems using logic and mathematical operations. These skills are usually associated with research and science.
Examples of people with high LM intelligence: Albert Einstein, John Nash, Stephen Hawking
Examples of careers: Scientist, Accountant, Computer Analyst, Mathematician
Spatial Intelligence
This type of intelligence involves the capacity to identify and reorganize spatial patterns. It’s useful in activities such as piloting, working on a piece of sculpture, or projecting a house.
Examples of people with high Spacial intelligence: Leonardo DaVinci, Frank Lloyd Wright, Neil Armstrong
Examples of careers: Pilot, Surgeon, Architect, Graphic Designer
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence
This type of intelligence requires us to use the whole body or parts of it. It’s a very important kind of intelligence among athletes and performers.
Examples of people with high BK intelligence: Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Cristiano Ronaldo
Examples of careers: Dancer, Athlete, Dentist, Carpenter
Musical Intelligence
This type of intelligence involves identifying, creating, performing, and composing musical patterns. These skills are related for instance to musical pitch, rhythm, timbre, and tone.
Examples of people with high Musical intelligence: Alicia Keys, Sting, Frank Sinatra
Examples of careers: Singer, Composer, Musician, DJ
Interpersonal Intelligence
This type of intelligence involves understanding and identifying other people’s psychological needs. It’s an intelligence that is very important in the development of healthy relationships.
Examples of people with high Interpersonal intelligence: Lady Diana Spencer, Robin Williams, Dr. Phil
Examples of careers: Psychologist, Teacher, Manager, Publicist
Intrapersonal Intelligence
This type of intelligence deals with understanding oneself and practicing self-regulation. It allows us to understand and be in touch with our own psychology. It’s useful to understand and define one’s life purpose.
Examples of people with high Intrapersonal intelligence: Carl Rogers, Maya Angelou, Marcus Aurelius
Examples of careers: Therapist, Psychologist, Entrepreneur, Counselor
Naturalist Intelligence
This type of intelligence involves identifying and classifying different types of species.
Examples of people with high Naturalist intelligence: Charles Darwin, Carl Sagan, Jane Goodall
Examples of careers: Botanist, Biologist, Astronomer, Geologist
Concluding Thoughts
Howard Gardner’s approach to intelligence has made quite the impact on how human intelligence is perceived and assessed. Although cognitive competencies are prioritized within the traditional educational system, there is a growing number of alternative schools and frameworks that promote a diversity-based approach to intelligence and teaching. Learning about multiple intelligences can also be useful to individuals who are interested in personal growth and development.
Would you like to know your multiple intelligences profile? You can take this fun test for free.
The ego-mind is very likely to play tricks on us and unless we learn to master its game we can’t go very far. We will keep relapsing and breaking the promises we make to ourselves and others. It’s a tough job; it’s hard work really but you must become acquainted with the way the mind…
The Wellbeing Blogger 