May is mental health awareness month. For 2023, the Mental Health Awareness month campaign “is focused on how surroundings impact mental health, and we are calling for individuals to look around, look within.”

In 1949, Mental Health America (MHA) designated May as Mental Health Month to raise awareness and “to spread the word that mental health is something everyone should care about.”

This is an important theme for HSPs and Sensitive Youth. Why?

We are more impacted by our surroundings than anyone without high sensitivity.

"Look around and look within" and you will surely see the people, places, and things in your surroundings that are impacting your mental health.

The impacts are both healthy and problematic.

Remember... We are better at healing, so... When we improve our surroundings... We get BETTER!

Mental Health Awareness month is a time for us all to remember that we have the power.

We can heal and be healthy because we react to the good stuff even more than we react to the bad stuff.

So... CREATE the good in your life.

I often hear from HSPs who say, “I understand that it's a superpower, but I just don't feel it because I find myself having to isolate or be aloof in order to survive.”

The truth is...

We can't underestimate how important our childhood experience is to how we feel and function today. HSPs who had a childhood that was more difficult or not supportive enough need a lot of support to feel the superpower.

I'm one of those.

A lot of 12-step work and a lot of therapy and a lot of exercise and a lot of meditation and a lot of the other kinds of self care...

And it's still hard sometimes! That's why I offered this open forum on all things great about being sensitive... And bring the hard things: we will reframe them.

The struggle is real! And so is our phenomenal ability to heal.