"You're too sensitive!"
This is something I heard my whole life.
It was a label I desperately wanted to remove. No matter how hard I tried, I always fell right back into being sensitive to the world around me. It was a pattern I repeated over and over, hoping that one day the outcome would be different.
But then I started questioning why this "Weakness" was within me in the first place. What's its purpose?From that question came the realization that the pattern wasn't ALL bad.
I call upon my sensitivity whenever I need to empathize with someone. I use my sensitivity to tell me when it's time for me to take a break. And I use it to develop awareness about myself - and awareness is our most powerful tool in life!
My sensitivity was also keeping me safe. Whenever there was something new for me to face in my life, my sensitivity would try to convince me to NOT go for it. "It's too overwhelming," my sensitivity would say. "Go back to what's comfortable!"
Once I could recognize what my sensitivity was doing and why it was doing it, I could actually take a pause and ask my sensitivity some questions. "What's overwhelming?" "I want a new outcome- don't you think staying comfortable will just result in more of what I don't want?"
Today, I view my sensitivity as one of my greatest strengths!
Once I could harness the power of my so called "weakness," I could re-write the script, so to speak. I could make different choices in response to my life that resulted in more positive outcomes.
Shifting your perspective on a "weakness" takes awareness and consciousness. When you are aware of when your pattern triggers certain thoughts and emotions, you then have the power to take control of your response. And when you respond differently, the outcome will be different too.
What is something about yourself that you think makes you "weak" or limits you in some way? Something you've tried to change and yet it persists. Do you have a hard time saying "NO?" Are you a procrastinator? Do you avoid conflicts but then feel resentment towards everybody?
These are all patterns of weakness. They are our kryptonite!
So, how can YOUR weakness could be viewed in any way shape or form as a strength?
It takes practice. And courage. It's never easy to change a pattern because we don't know what will happen. Whereas, we DO know what will happen if we continue with our pattern. Although we might not like the outcome of our pattern, at least it's familiar.
But this isn't a "better the devil you know" situation. This is a "get UNSTUCK" tool!
In this episode of Growing in Uncertainty, I walk you through the process of shifting your perspective on your so-called weaknesses and then help you see how you can harness the power of that lies within.