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It’s tough to be a highly sensitive person, especially when some people seem to lack any form of empathy or sensitivity themselves, or take other peoples emotions into account, so in this post we will look at how to develop a thick skin with 15 tips for how to stop being sensitive.
1. Don’t Take Things Personally – How to stop being sensitive to criticism
One of the most effective ways of dealing with emotions for sensitive people is to try your best not take negative or nasty comments personally.
Constructive criticism is one thing, by when someone is attacking you verbally for no apparent reason, it’s more often than not, really about them, and how they are feeling and they are projecting their own feelings of anger and hurt onto you. So don’t take it to heart, let them say their piece and then forget about it and move on.
2. Don’t Dwell on Negative Thoughts
The nice thing about emotions is that they are momentary and they pass. Just like physical pain, you know that it will go away, but dwelling on negative thoughts or a negative emotion will only make them stronger.
In order to stop being sensitive, stop dwelling on negative thoughts and feelings. It’s easy to get stuck in a cycle of negative thinking and this can cause you to become overly emotional and sensitive. When you allow your thoughts to dwell on negative emotions, it can really harm your self-esteem and cause you to become frustrated and upset.
To stop being such a highly sensitive person, you need to catch yourself when you are having negative thoughts and emotions and then try to release them, because when you stop dwelling on negative thoughts and feelings, they will pass. And the moment that they pass, you will feel a lot better about yourself.
This can be easier said than done, but some effective ways to achieve this are breathing exercises, meditation, and doing things you enjoy to distract you from overthinking such as reading a book exercising , watching a good film.
3. Stop Overreacting
One of the worst things about having a sensitive nature is that you can overreact to small things.
When you make a mistake, overreact, take things personally or are just having a bad day, your emotions can get the better of you, and stop you from responding in an appropriate way. When you stop overreacting, it will make you feel better about yourself and it will help you in developing a calmer less sensitive personality.
It can be really difficult to not take things personally, but when I’m having a rough day I find it helps to laugh about it, this works for me, but anything you can do to help you put things into perspective will help stop overreacting.
4. Stop Feeling Responsible for Everyone Else
When you are sensitive, you can find that you feel responsible for other people and you worry about what they are thinking and feeling.
I know it can be hard to stop feeling responsible for other people, especially when as part of your relationship they depend on you and ask you for help, but you can’t take on the responsibility for other people’s feelings and emotions, all you can do is be there for them, don’t over-commit yourself, be realistic and remember the importance of saying no if necessary.
5. Take Care of Yourself
Taking care of yourself is so important when you suffer from high sensitivity, because it’s bad enough that you feel sensitive and overreact to things, so the last thing you need is to not taking care of yourself and to stop eating properly, stop sleeping enough and not exercising.
These things can make you feel even more sensitive and emotional and can cause you to overreact even more, so make sure to take care of yourself and to rest and relax whenever you can.
6. Get Rid of Toxic People From Your Life
Sometimes it can be a good idea to just get rid of people from your life that make you feel bad about yourself, fill you with anxiety and make you feel sensitive. This can be really difficult to do and obviously it’s not something that you should be doing if you have genuine friends that you care about, but sometimes, it can be a good idea to just cut toxic people out of your life.
7. Spend Time With Positive People
It’s a good thing to surround yourself with positive people who will make you feel great about yourself and who will support you, because when you are feeling sensitive and emotional, it can be really easy to just want to isolate yourself and be alone, which can send you into a negative spiral, so having a positive supportive network can be one of the best things that you can do.
8. Stand Up For Yourself
This can be really hard to do, especially when you are sensitive and easily overreact, but standing up for yourself is so important because if you don’t, people can walk all over you, and this can make you feel even worse about yourself.
So make sure that you are able to say what you think, how you feel and how you want things to be, don’t be afraid to be assertive and to ask for what you want, but show empathy and do it in such a way that you don’t hurt peoples feelings.
9. Stop Giving Other People Power Over You
Giving other people power over you is one of the worst things that you can do, especially if you are a highly sensitive person.
This can be done by taking the blame for things that you didn’t do, by not standing up for yourself, by letting people walk all over you, and by over-reacting to things.
Sometimes it can be hard to stop giving other people power over you, but doing so can help you to stop being overly sensitive and allow you to have greater control over you life and feelings.
10: Be More Assertive
Being more assertive can really help you to stop being sensitive and to stop overreacting.
Being assertive can be really difficult because it means that you have to voice your opinions, your needs and wants, and this can cause you to feel uncomfortable, but you have to overcome this and be able to say no, to be more comfortable standing up for yourself and to be able to deal with other people in a more assertive, confident way.
So being more assertive can really help you to stop being sensitive and to stop overreacting.
11. Stop Looking for Approval
One of the worst things that you can do when you are sensitive is to always seek approval from other people.
Feeling the need to seek approval from other people can really hinder you from being yourself and it can really cause you to become overly sensitive and emotional. So try to stop looking for approval and to stop worrying about what other people think of you.
12. Stop Being Hard on Yourself
It’s so important to stop being hard on yourself, to stop being too critical of yourself.
This can be really difficult to do when you are sensitive, especially when you make mistakes, but no one is perfect and you have to learn to forgive yourself and to accept yourself for the person that you are.
13. Focus on Your Strengths
In order to help yourself stop being sensitive, you need to start focusing on your strengths and things that you like about yourself.
Instead of focusing on your weaknesses and things that you don’t like about yourself, start to focus on the things that you have to offer and the things that you are good at, find your strengths and think about these when you are feeling sensitive or when you are overreacting.
14. Improve Your Self-Esteem
Improving your self-esteem is one of the best ways of helping to stop being sensitive and to stop overreacting.
When you feel good about yourself, you are more likely to be able to deal with negative situations in a positive way and to be able to deal with any negative emotions that you feel.
You will be able to deal with your emotions and thoughts in a more positive way, and you will be less likely to feel overly sensitive
15. Be Interested in Other People
If you are always thinking about yourself and your own problems, it can be really easy to become over sensitive.
Sometimes it can be a good idea to take a more interest in other people, to be more sympathetic of their problems, to ask about their day, and to make an effort to be more caring and considerate. This can help you to stop being overly sensitive and to develop a stronger, more balanced personality.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, 15 ways for how to stop being sensitive and to stop overreacting. Use these tips to help heal any emotional wounds and get a control of your emotional sensitivity.
