Welcome, dear heart.

I’m so glad you’re here!

Whether you’ve just discovered that being a Highly Sensitive Person is even “a thing” or have known that you’re an HSP for a while, this is a safe space for you.

Sensitive and Strong is a place where you can come any time—day or night—to feel understood, be encouraged, and discover the strengths of your tender heart.

To learn more about this space and what we’re all about, come on over here.

If you’re already excited to be here, and you’re looking for the best place to start, here are our most popular posts.

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If you’re new to the whole idea of being an HSP:  What “Too Sensitive” Has Come to Mean

A metaphor that I keep coming back to:  Learning to Carry My Own Jam Jar

And, the 5-part series I wrote right as I was learning what it means to be an HSP:

1.  HSP Part 1: What Does it Mean to be an HSP?

2.  HSP Part 2: When You’ve Heard “Just Get Over it”

3.  HSP Part 3: It’s “Just So Hard Being Me!”

4.  HSP Part 4: Why Self Care is Anything But Selfish

5.  HSP Part 5: Why HSPs Need Community

Learning that I’m an HSP has helped me clarify my values. “How to Create Your Personal Manifesto“ walks you through making a short, simple reminder of who you actually are and who you aspire to be.  

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We HSPs have typically spent our lives caring for others at our own expense. We need to learn how to take good, gentle care of our HSP selves. Here are a few ways to begin.

1. When Disaster Strikes: Five Ways to Push Pause Rather Than React

Looking for ways to tone down your reactivity? When Disaster Strikes: Five Ways to Push Pause Rather Than React describes a successful sequence that will help you stay calm rather than over-react.

2.  Wake Up Better, HSP! One Simple Morning Strategy for You

Do sometimes get lost in A.M. multi-tasking? Wake Up Better, HSP! One Simple Morning Strategy for You discusses matching our morning routines with our HSP needs.

3.  How to Say No to the Hardest Person to Say No To

Often, we HSPs try to compensate for our “defects” with productivity. Once we discover that we’re not defective, just different, we can start learning How to Say No to the Hardest Person to Say No To.

4.  Ten Things to Do When New is Hard on You

If you have a hard time adapting to change—whether a short road trip or a full-on move—Ten Things to Do When New is Hard on You is packed with practical, proactive suggestions for taking intentional care of your HSP needs.

5.  How to Create the Perfect HSP Sanctuary for You 

Your external environment impacts your internal equilibrium. How to Create the Perfect HSP Sanctuary for You walks you step-by-step through creating a place of peace and rest in your bedroom.

6.  Five Steps to Go From Chaos to Calm in the Kitchen

Food preparation is such a multi-sensory experience, it can easily overwhelm an HSP. Five Steps to Go From Chaos to Calm in the Kitchen maps out a strategy for de-overwhelming the meal prep experience.

7.  What if You’re Better Than You Thought?

Feeling bad doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve done bad. What if You’re Better Than You Thought? explores the fact that feeling “bad” may indicate something else entirely.

8.  The Problem With High Stakes Performances

I struggled with performance anxiety throughout my decade of piano lessons. The Problem With High Stakes Performances traces a series of “ah-HA!” moments that helped me know what I need in to perform better.

9.  What was I…? Three Questions to Ask When Disappointment Hurts

Disappointment can be especially crushing to those of us who are HSPs. What was I…? Three Questions to Ask When Disappointment Hurts offers practicalsteps for recalibrating when your hopes are dashed.

10.  Six Right Choices to Make After Any Mistake

Accidents hit HSPs extra hard, physically, relationally, and emotionally. Six Right Choices to Make After Any Mistake offers you an intentional, proactive plan for responding to the consequences of poor decisions.

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Because we’re reflective, we can be judged as “over-thinkers.” Because we’re perceptive, we can tend toward people-pleasing. Because we’re responsive, others may feel that we take things “too personally.” Here are a few proactive, practical ideas for intentionally connecting with others in healthy ways.

1. How to Know How Much to Share

Because we value authenticity, we often share too much information—and, thus, give too much power—to the wrong people. How to Know How Much to Share helps you discern between safe and unsafe people.

2.  What Did He Actually Say? Becoming Less Hung Up on How

Ever feel wounded by someone’s tone of voice? Becoming Less Hung Up on How helps you identify and process their intended message (vs. what you’d have meant if you’d said it that way!)

3.  How to Say the Right “Yes”

Your desire for deep connections with people can quickly morph into over-commitment. How to Say the Right “Yes” guides you to say “no” to too many tasks while still saying “yes” to relationships.

4.  The Key Difference Between Helping and Rescuing

Our empathetic natures make it hard for us to watch others struggle. Learning The Key Difference Between Helping and Rescuing helps us know when to step in and when to step back.

5.  HSP – Who Us? A Tale of Two HSPs in Love

Daniel and I are grateful to know, now, that we’re both HSPs. We share the story of our silly first fight, and what we now recognize in retrospect, in HSP – Who Us? A Tale of Two HSPs in Love.

6.  The Kind of Person I Want to Be When People Are Unkind

We each need mentors and role models who understand us, encourage us, and recognize the value of our tender hearts. When hurt by others’ words, Joyce is The Kind of Person I Want to Be.

7.  The Best Way to Receive a Compliment

HSPs usually avoid the spotlight and shrink from appearing self-centered. The Best Way to Receive a Compliment offers a generous alternative to dismissing other’s genuine positive feedback.

 

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We know that a personal relationship with Christ is the ultimate source of all answers and hope. We also need practical guidance to make Him a moment-by-moment reality in our easily over-stimulated hearts.

1.  The Discipline of Breath Prayers: The Best Drug-Free Anti-Anxiety Practice

Learning to recognize and modulate anxiety is a vital skill. The Discipline of Breath Prayers: The Best Drug-Free Anti-Anxiety Practice is a go-to practice for many HSPs.

 

2.  She Said What? Jesus said Wise Women Say “No”

In this overwhelming world of others’ expectations and demands, it’s encouraging to remember: Jesus said Wise Women Say “No”.

 

3.  There IS a Right Way to Lose Your Mind: How to Use Anchor Verses                                      

ANCHORing in scripture can help you avoid being swept away by the “emotion ocean.” There IS a Right Way to Lose Your Mind spells out how to prepare and us six types of ANCHOR verses.

 

4.  Win Every Food Battle Right Here

Like many HSPs, my story includes a life-long struggle with food. When I’m aware and intentional, it’s possible to Win Every Food Battle Right Here.

 

5.  How to Prepare Your Prayer Chair

Practical instructions for How to Prepare Your Prayer Chair — stationary or portable.

 

6.  How I Know God Gets Me

How I Know God Gets Me explores three little words that Jesus didn’t have to say … but he did say. And they speak volumes about how deeply he understands you and me.

 

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More of My Story

A bit more backstory.

1.  Accusing Perfectionism as the Bully It Is

In May 2012, I publicly accused Perfectionism of the crimes committed against generations of women in my family.

2.  A Tale of a Girl Who Found Her Voice

In June 2005, while trying to write my “vision statement,” I made a startling discovery.

3.  It’s a Lie: When Bullying Feels Like Love

I listened in horror as another young woman using the name “love” for bullying behavior.

4.  The Wisdom I’d Share with Teenage Me (Part 1)

In 2013, I pulled out my high school diaries and took a stroll down memory lane. Oh, how I wish I could go back and tell teenage me a few things!  For starters, I’d say…

5.  Ten Lessons Worth Learning About Grief

Grief overtakes us in the most unexpected of places. For me, it was in the middle of Target on a mission for craisins.

Questions? Topic requests? Contact me here!