I was really touched by this quote Every day, I now choose emotional truth over emotional safety. It's always a choice, and it's always worth making.
I was really touched by this whole piece. There's something really special about Amanda. I really appreciate your way, as a sensitive person. Being told that your emotions were too much and suppressing them for so much of your life and then realizing they were the key all along. That's powerful medicine so many of us need to hear.
The timing of this piece is very resonant for me. I just submitted a piece to a collaboration about becoming the woman I need to be versus the woman I was shaped to be. I found it hard to write. I didn't want to go there emotionally. And I do want to say there is a certain difficulty in writing the hard stuff. But I finally allowed myself to just go there. I wanted to quit so many times. But somehow I made it through and submitted my piece. And I just really appreciate this post because it really cements that I made the right choice. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your lovely words, Sam. I’m so happy my words helped you. And well done for writing the hard thing and submitting it! That takes real courage. 💙
Thanks Amanda, I really appreciate it. And I’m learning that it doesn’t matter what comes of it, it matters that I wrote it. It matters and was meaningful to me and that is enough.
Wow! Thank you for this. This resonated with me at such a deep level. I had the same childhood. I am at the phase where I'm still trapped by it though. Good for you being able to write using the "when you were most terrified" prompt. When I read prompts like that, I blank out, can't think of a thing, and completely freeze up. So, huge credit to you for being able to push through and do it anyway. Loved this article! Very motivating but also so very moving to not only know there are others like me out there but that there is hope to being able to reconnect with my emotions and write them down on a blank page without being shamed for being "too much". Thank You!
Rindy, I have had the pleasure of witnessing Amanda work with very sensitive soul groups of writers and coax them gently into writing about the most vulnerable stuff. She really does have a skill of making a safe space so that those "hide under the covers" emotions can come out and feel heard. If you haven't yet, I encourage you to look up her programming and sign up for one of her workshops or programs. She does a Year of Mindful Writing group that is just phenomenal. Every year the group gets to the end and is so transformed that they can't have it end.
Hi Rindy, I’m so glad my words touched you. And sorry to hear you had the same childhood experience as me. It really is hard to break the pattern of keeping emotions suppressed when we’re told that as children. But I bet you can do it! 💙
so relatable, I was also always the "too emotional" one, the "too nice" one - now I understand that empathy and kindness and emotions are my superpower, not just in writing, but in my professional life as well.
Thank you so so so much for this Amanda! I was always called the "too emotional" one at home. Though my sister superseded it at one point lol. It took me years to realise that mom, sister and me are all HSPs and process things in vastly different ways just because no one taught us how to.
Writing changed everything for me. It felt like a dam opened up. I wrote and wrote for the first year like a maniac, being in awe, shedding buttload of tears and layers, and for the first time ever in my life activating my 5 senses. Coming back to the present moment. Letting my mind roam free.
As I read your words, I could see all the past moments like a slideshow! Thank you thank you thank you so much! This really meant a lot today!
Thank you for sharing this. I get this on so many levels. I was often told I was too sensitive and too much of this and too much of that. For so long I thought something was wrong with me. It took a lot of work to become the woman I am today and honor all parts of myself.
I am so glad you kept writing and putting your words out into the world.
welcome @Mo Jones to our little sensitive corner of the ‘stacks. everyone is just right here, and honored for our sensitivities. We’re glad you’re here!
Thanks for sharing your story, Mo. I’m glad to meet you through this post I thought there was something wrong with me too, for so long. And the work to become the me I am today has been huge! And is ongoing. I’m so happy for you that you can now honour all parts of yourself. We’re all amazing! 💙
Great to meet you fellow too much-er, Heidi. It’s a lot of work to unpick what we are told about ourselves as children. I was 40 when I had that class where the teacher clapped. I’m still a work in progress and just turned 53! 💙
Absolutely amazing piece. Thank you so much. This is just what I needed to hear. I hope I’m doing this in my writing (overly emotional person here) still a third through a novel I can’t decide the end of.
I’m glad it arrived with you when it was most needed. Good luck with the novel. When I can’t decide what a story should do, I ask the characters what they think!
I was really touched by this quote Every day, I now choose emotional truth over emotional safety. It's always a choice, and it's always worth making.
I was really touched by this whole piece. There's something really special about Amanda. I really appreciate your way, as a sensitive person. Being told that your emotions were too much and suppressing them for so much of your life and then realizing they were the key all along. That's powerful medicine so many of us need to hear.
The timing of this piece is very resonant for me. I just submitted a piece to a collaboration about becoming the woman I need to be versus the woman I was shaped to be. I found it hard to write. I didn't want to go there emotionally. And I do want to say there is a certain difficulty in writing the hard stuff. But I finally allowed myself to just go there. I wanted to quit so many times. But somehow I made it through and submitted my piece. And I just really appreciate this post because it really cements that I made the right choice. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your lovely words, Sam. I’m so happy my words helped you. And well done for writing the hard thing and submitting it! That takes real courage. 💙
Thanks Amanda, I really appreciate it. And I’m learning that it doesn’t matter what comes of it, it matters that I wrote it. It matters and was meaningful to me and that is enough.
Yep. It’s all about the doing of it. 💙
Thanks so much for having me TeriLeigh! 💙
Wow! Thank you for this. This resonated with me at such a deep level. I had the same childhood. I am at the phase where I'm still trapped by it though. Good for you being able to write using the "when you were most terrified" prompt. When I read prompts like that, I blank out, can't think of a thing, and completely freeze up. So, huge credit to you for being able to push through and do it anyway. Loved this article! Very motivating but also so very moving to not only know there are others like me out there but that there is hope to being able to reconnect with my emotions and write them down on a blank page without being shamed for being "too much". Thank You!
This resonated with me too, and I just wanna say you are not alone.
Rindy, I have had the pleasure of witnessing Amanda work with very sensitive soul groups of writers and coax them gently into writing about the most vulnerable stuff. She really does have a skill of making a safe space so that those "hide under the covers" emotions can come out and feel heard. If you haven't yet, I encourage you to look up her programming and sign up for one of her workshops or programs. She does a Year of Mindful Writing group that is just phenomenal. Every year the group gets to the end and is so transformed that they can't have it end.
Aw, thanks TeriLeigh! 💙 Rindy, it would be great to work with you if one of my offerings resonates with you.
Hi Rindy, I’m so glad my words touched you. And sorry to hear you had the same childhood experience as me. It really is hard to break the pattern of keeping emotions suppressed when we’re told that as children. But I bet you can do it! 💙
so relatable, I was also always the "too emotional" one, the "too nice" one - now I understand that empathy and kindness and emotions are my superpower, not just in writing, but in my professional life as well.
In all of life! 💙
Thank you so so so much for this Amanda! I was always called the "too emotional" one at home. Though my sister superseded it at one point lol. It took me years to realise that mom, sister and me are all HSPs and process things in vastly different ways just because no one taught us how to.
Writing changed everything for me. It felt like a dam opened up. I wrote and wrote for the first year like a maniac, being in awe, shedding buttload of tears and layers, and for the first time ever in my life activating my 5 senses. Coming back to the present moment. Letting my mind roam free.
As I read your words, I could see all the past moments like a slideshow! Thank you thank you thank you so much! This really meant a lot today!
Writing is so transformative! I’m so glad my words took you back to that important time! 💙
Thank you for sharing this. I get this on so many levels. I was often told I was too sensitive and too much of this and too much of that. For so long I thought something was wrong with me. It took a lot of work to become the woman I am today and honor all parts of myself.
I am so glad you kept writing and putting your words out into the world.
welcome @Mo Jones to our little sensitive corner of the ‘stacks. everyone is just right here, and honored for our sensitivities. We’re glad you’re here!
Thanks for sharing your story, Mo. I’m glad to meet you through this post I thought there was something wrong with me too, for so long. And the work to become the me I am today has been huge! And is ongoing. I’m so happy for you that you can now honour all parts of yourself. We’re all amazing! 💙
A fellow “too much-er” here. Your words brought tears to my eyes. To think it has taken me more than 50 years to finally (mostly) choose to be me
Great to meet you fellow too much-er, Heidi. It’s a lot of work to unpick what we are told about ourselves as children. I was 40 when I had that class where the teacher clapped. I’m still a work in progress and just turned 53! 💙
Absolutely amazing piece. Thank you so much. This is just what I needed to hear. I hope I’m doing this in my writing (overly emotional person here) still a third through a novel I can’t decide the end of.
I’m glad it arrived with you when it was most needed. Good luck with the novel. When I can’t decide what a story should do, I ask the characters what they think!
Did you paint this watercolor? It's beautiful...so loose and light-filled.
Judy, thanks for noticing. I get this question a lot. It's actually an AI app I use to put my image into watercolor scenes.
This was intense and beautiful.
Thank you, Nancy! Intense and beautiful makes me feel great as it means I’m getting those emotions on the page! 💙