Happy Warrior Blog Wednesday! I thought I’d make an introductory blog post for all of my new readers and dive into some meaningful content surrounding sensitivity.
For those who don’t know me, hi! I’m Kaycee Krell, a 21-year-old bullying prevention trailblazer, currently in my last year of my Community Health undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas. I founded my adolescent mentoring program, Kaycee’s Warriors, in 2019 and have created this offshoot blog to share some of my stories, experiences, and expertise surrounding hot button topics within the middle/high school age group.
Last weekend, I was crowned the new Miss Red Brick District 2024, an official preliminary to the Miss Kansas and Miss America. My “community service initiative”, formerly called platform, is called The M.I.R.R.O.R: A Reflection on Overcoming Bullying, utilizing my six step framework of overcoming bullying to help victims and educate bystanders, parents, and school faculty/administrators.
I thought I would take this time to talk about sensitivity and being an “HSP” or a highly sensitive person. I would 110% classify myself as a highly sensitive individual and I think there are so many of you out there who also are, yet are too afraid to speak it into existence or talk about it because there is such a stigma around sensitivity being a bad thing.
I used to be so ashamed of being sensitive because I felt so deeply and did not want people around me to think I was “weak”. However, over the years I have recognized that sensitivity is such a gift and let me tell you why:
Sensitivity allows you to connect with so many people of different backgrounds. The reason I have been so successful in so many areas of life such as through mentorship and professionally is because I take what people say to heart. I care about those around me. I am able to put myself in others’ shoes and determine if things I say will impact others in a way I did not intend. What if someone said that to me?
Sensitivity allows you to feel allll the emotions and truly feel gratitude for the experiences in your life that have shaped you. I am a softer person because I do not feel shame for feeling deeply. The easy thing to do is go with the flow like everyone else and not show difficult emotions. It takes true strength to look at a situation and say “you know what, that hurt me and I don’t have to pretend like it is okay and that I am fine”.
Sensitivity shows you care! If I am in a new work environment and I am having a very difficult time adjusting to an already-established culture and I express that, it not only shows that I am advocating for my needs and showing strength to say that I feel less than, but it also shows that I care about social connection and feeling a sense of belonging to those around me.
Being deeply emotional and sensitive to stimuli (specifically social ones) shows humanity. I feel different from my peers 9/10 times in any social situation. But I also feel grateful that my brain allows me to process and feel so deeply because I know what greatness that will contribute to my life.
People who steer away from highly sensitive people or say that they can’t handle people who need a little extra nurturing truly shine the light on themselves. They lack emotional depth and are intimidated by the thought processes and judgements they think HSPs are projecting onto them. These people at the root are insecure and have a disconnect with their own emotions. It forces them to look in a mirror and see what they are lacking…and people hate that! It is easy to stay stagnant and ostracized someone who needs a little extra love.
So…the next time someone tells you that you are “too sensitive”, it says more about them than it does you. What they are actually saying is “I wish I could feel deeply like you do, but I am too scared of emotions and it is easier to push you away then look into the mirror and work on myself”.
STAY SENSITIVE, WARRIORS! <3
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