The Highly Sensitive Creative with Ritu Kaushal

As a multipassionate creative person, I spent my 20s going back and forth between what art form I wanted to commit to. I loved to dance, do photography and write. How could I choose among them? Choosing felt like sacrificing a part of myself. But in the meanwhile, not choosing was turning me into “an echo upon echo” of a person. There was all that potential, but nothing was realized. In this episode, I talk about the importance of choosing for highly sensitive people & sensitive creatives. Throwing our hat over the fence can be good for us.  Sign up for The Highly Sensitive Creative newsletter:  https://www.walkingthroughtransitions.com/newsletter/

Even though I have written a book about being an empath, some things about the online conversation around being sensitive REALLY bother me. Sometimes, we talk as if EVERYTHING can be solved on the individual level. There is no doubt that as highly sensitive people, we need to take responsibility for saying no. We need to pay attention to our energetic boundaries, so we can stand our ground instead of feeling pushed around by other people’s feelings. But in addition to all this, as highly sensitive people, we need to bring our attention to the ways in which our upbringing might have encouraged us to give up our boundaries. Sign up for The Highly Sensitive Creative newsletter: https://www.walkingthroughtransitions.com/newsletter/ Learn more about the book here: https://www.walkingthroughtransitions.com/the-empaths-journey/

Often, we hear the saying, “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.” But is that always true? There is a quote by author Anais Nin that I have come across multiple times that scratches the surface of compulsive overgiving, those times when we feel like we HAVE TO give.  In this episode, I talk about the times when we, as highly sensitive people and empaths, give almost as an apology for taking up too much space. Sign up for The Highly Sensitive Creative newsletter here: https://www.walkingthroughtransitions.com/newsletter/      

Are you a highly sensitive person who struggles with their creativity?  Creativity has no rules, but if there were any rules, this would be my Rule No. 1: Always Make New Mistakes. Many years ago, when I was struggling with paralyzing perfectionistic tendencies, I got a fridge magnet with this quote by Esther Dyson, meant as a reminder for myself. One of my biggest regrets till then was that I had played it too safe, that I had been too afraid of making mistakes in my life. So, my new mantra was: Make more mistakes. Try new things. Experiment. Risk failing. This fridge magnet was a little symbol for a new self I was trying to birth. Sign up for The Highly Sensitive Creative newsletter here: https://www.walkingthroughtransitions.com/newsletter/

Do you ever feel like you have two people inside you? One is stepping on the accelerator and the other one is pushing the brakes. One part of you loves variety & new experiences and can take risks while the other part is very cautious and risk-averse. If yes, you might be a highly sensitive person who also has the trait of high sensation seeking.  This is how I have often felt in my own life. One part of me seeks out new experiences while another part is always ultra-cautious. Read more about being a highly sensitive creative on my blog at: https://www.walkingthroughtransitions.com/

When I first fellow sensitive Alice Archer articulate how she is “built for depth, not speed,” I resonated so deeply with it, I felt it in my heart. I thought, I am just like her. I am someone who is built for depth, not speed. How wonderful to be able to understand that, to not compete or try to rush or “hustle” to be the first one in the metaphorical line. Understanding that this is what we bring to the table as highly sensitive people -- Depth, NOT Speed -- can help us value what we contribute to the whole.  Read more about being a highly sensitive person on my blog: https://www.walkingthroughtransitions.com/ SIGN up for The Highly Sensitive Creative newsletter here: https://www.walkingthroughtransitions.com/newsletter/