Some people cope with “not feeling well” better than others. Unfortunately, as a highly sensitive person, I tend to fare poorly on this spectrum. It was beyond distressing to feel lousy for almost two years! During this time, I suffered from high blood pressure and extreme fatigue. I felt like I was in a fog and had trouble concentrating.

I went to several different doctors and specialists, but nobody could pinpoint the source of the problem. I constantly worried about the consequences of having uncontrolled hypertension. I was in dire need of a strategy to keep me from losing my mind! (more…)

Making changes, especially major ones, can be extremely difficult for highly sensitive people. It’s tempting to stick with what’s comfortable and familiar, even when we may not be completely satisfied. Change is hard, but it can be accomplished!

Below is Part One of a list of Lessons Learned from my “Big Move” series, where I chronicle a major move that my wife and I made to live closer to our daughter. It was a multi-year journey that encompassed a series of significant life changes, including the loss of my mother, settling her estate, selling my home of 33 years, selling my business of 35 years, and moving from New Jersey to Missouri.

It is my hope that this series of blog posts can help motivate you, as a highly sensitive person, to take on something that’s truly important to you. (more…)

Making changes, especially major ones, can be extremely difficult for highly sensitive people. It’s tempting to stick with what’s comfortable and familiar, even when we may not be completely satisfied. Change is hard, but it can be accomplished!

Below is Part Two of a list of Lessons Learned from my “Big Move” series, where I chronicle a major move that my wife and I made to live closer to our daughter. It was a multi-year journey that encompassed a series of significant life changes, including the loss of my mother, settling her estate, selling my home of 33 years, selling my business of 35 years, and moving from New Jersey to Missouri. (more…)

As of late, I feel as though I’ve become somewhat of an expert on change. If you’ve been following my “Cliff’s Big Move” series of 23 posts, you will certainly understand why I feel qualified to say that! This is the final post in the series. Coping with the loss of my mother, settling her estate, selling my business of 35 years, leaving my home of 33 years, and moving half way across the country to be closer to my daughter was A LOT to deal with in a four-year period!

Changes—whether good or bad—cause stress and anxiety. They can usher in a cascade of unpleasant emotions, such as the sadness of leaving something behind, concern over adjusting to a new situation, fear of an uncertain future, and grief over a loss. As highly sensitive people, we often focus on the negative aspects of change, which can induce us to stick with the status quo, regardless of how unsatisfying the circumstance may be. We fail to consider the many positive features of change, such as the joy of controlling your own destiny, the opportunity to grow and learn, and the sense of accomplishment you feel in reaching your goals. (more…)