
Library
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Here is a hand-picked selection of resources that have made a big difference in my life. Some are specific for HSPs, others are helpful sources of ideas, knowledge, and practical tips to inspire your journey. All are rooted in science and authored by highly regarded experts.
Come back often, I will add more regularly!
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Whether you know you are a Highly Sensitive Person or relate to some of the trait's characteristics and want to find out more, Dr. Elaine Aron's website is your first stop for all things HSPs. Here you can find research articles, books, videos, a list of HSP-knowledgeable practitioners, a blog, FAQ, and a short self-test to find out where you may fit on the Highly Sensitivity scale.
Gretchen Rubin
In this book, Gretchen (Rubin) shares her personal experiment on defining happiness. A beautiful example of vulnerability, her writing is funny and deeply personal so that yes, you feel like you are on a first name basis by the time you finish. This will happen fast (and I rarely get hooked by a book in this way) because her chronological account makes you want to know what's next, and what's after that, and you can hardly put the book down until you read the result of her research question: what is happiness? She dedicated a year to it, and broke it down into bite sizes so that you can immediately benefit from her findings, or become a scientist yourself. For me, knowing that someone as accomplished as Gretchen also delays going to bed because she doesn't like taking her contacts out was a huge source of validation. In fact, I was so moved by her story that I emailed her with this feedback... and she responded. I still carry some of her lessons with me today: "Be [insert your first name]" is one of them that serves me again and again. As HSPs, we are people-pleasers. We want to help everyone with everything and we often lose our own goals, opinions, needs, and wants in the process. We can never be reminded enough to also be ourselves from time to time. For those of us, like her, who are afraid of driving, worry about feeling legitimate, or don't like ourselves (but can't help) nagging, Gretchen gives us plenty of opportunities to be happy with who we are, how we are, and where we are right now. The bottom line: happiness may not be where you thought it was.
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PS: Motivated by the book, I bought her Happiness Project One-Sentence Journal: A Five-Year Record, a brilliant tool and fun practice that inspired me to write a few lines in a journal with my son each night before bed. How would you like to have five years of evidence that you already are happy?
More at gretchenrubin.com
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