I’ve always been a sensitive person. Sometimes that’s a good trait to have, because I feel like it makes me more empathetic towards others. Sometimes it’s not so good, because I get my feelings hurt very easily. I’m convinced there is a genetic component to it, because I see the same trait in my oldest daughter. My husband, on the other hand, is very good at letting things roll off of his back. He doesn’t let rude comments or misunderstandings bother him. He’s able to take it in, and then let it go. I’m just not like that. I let things bother me too much. For example, I blog about a variety of topics and never know what kind of response I’m going to get. Some topics that seem very straightforward surprise me with the strong comments they receive. I’m okay with someone saying they disagree with me or didn’t like the blog for whatever reason. But when someone makes comments that attack me personally, it hurts my feelings. I’m not saying this to get sympathy and offers of big hugs. I say it because I would love to find a way to learn from feedback (or just ignore it), but not let it bother me. Ask my family and friends, and they will tell you that it’s too easy to get under my skin sometimes. Recently a friend came over for a visit. It had been a long day, and by the end of the day with three little kids, I’m beat. The next morning she emailed me and said “You just looked SO tired.” I could have just thought “Yes, she’s stating the obvious,” and moved on from there. But I started thinking about it too much (which I have a tendency to do.) Does that mean I look terrible all the time? Do I need to invest in some new makeup or the latest facial creams to help me look more rested? How bad do I really look? And so on, and so on. If you’ve ever struggled with your weight, you know how difficult it can be receive unsolicited feedback from others. It might be a comment from a good-intentioned family member who points out that you look like you’ve gained a few pounds. Or maybe it’s a look from a stranger on the street that bothers you more than it should. When it happens, don't you wish you could find a way to brush it off and keep your head held high? I let things bother me in all areas of my life, not just those comments related to my appearance or my blog writing-skills. If you’re like me, you probably notice that some topics are more sensitive than others, but that often it doesn’t take much for things to upset you more than they should. So what do you do about it? Every day I wake up and recognize that I’m a work-in-progress. I have faults just like anyone else, and so I try to identify and learn from them. You never know what effect the comments you make will have on others. Knowing what it’s like to be a sensitive person on the receiving end, I try to think twice before being on the giving end of the harsh comments. What do you think? Do you feel like you’re more sensitive than you should be sometimes? How does that affect you? |
More From SparkPeople |
