Raspberry Iced M

I have been accused by more than one person of being “too” emotional. Kind of ironic, since my opinion is that those people maintained the emotional maturity of a pencil eraser. Nevertheless, I let it bother me for a long time.

Not anymore.

I have come to realize that while other people may believe that being sensitive or emotional look like overreaction or dramatization on the outside, for those of us who have those qualities, there are valid reasons for it.

1. I react strongly to things about which (or to people about whom) I care. It’s not an overreaction. It’s an investment. To be accused of caring too much is not an insult. It only means that the person making that accusation cares very little.
2. I notice emotional shifts quickly. I sense changes in tone, mood, and energy. The Bible calls it discernment. And that awareness can feel intense – but it’s not imaginary.
3. I feel things fully, not halfway. When I am happy, it shows. When I am sad, it settles in. The range of emotions I experience is not a liability. It’s depth.
4. I need time to process experiences. I don’t (and will never) move on immediately because I don’t skim past things or people. Reflection takes time. And this is not an indulgence. It’s digestion.
5. I empathize before I evaluate. My instinct is to understand how something feels before deciding what it means. And that is not a weakness. It just means I care. And I am done apologizing for it.
6. I’m deeply affected by atmosphere. Crowds. Tension. Joy. Quiet. I absorb the room. And yes, that makes me sensitive, but sensitivity isn’t fragility. It’s responsiveness.
7. I express what’s happening inside. Naming feelings tends to appear dramatic to people who don’t do it – or to people who lack any sort of empathy (these are typically people who also play victim in every bad circumstance of their own lives). Clarity is often louder (and better) than silence. If I don’t have anyone to talk to about my feelings, I write them down. Journals are sometimes the only outlet we get.
8. I value authenticity over detachment. I would rather feel awkwardly honest than numb. I disagree with the whole premise of detachment. If anything is worth doing, it is worth doing passionately. That is a preference, not a problem.
9. I don’t compartmentalize easily. Life overlaps. Emotions do not, and are not meant to stay in neat containers. And that’s okay. How disingenuous to have a bad day at work and come home to pretend things are fine. People who compartmentalize their lives are incredibly detached from reality, and since I disagree with the premise of detachment, I couldn’t possibly agree with compartmentalization.
10. I am learning to trust my emotional volume. I am figuring out that just because something is vivid does not mean it is excessive. Some experiences deserve full color.

May this post serve as a quiet reminder to myself to feel all the things, because it makes me who I am, and there is nothing wrong with who I am, even if other people don’t agree with the way I feel things, or the way I handle things because I feel them.

May this post also serve as a public notice that feeling deeply does not mean you’re “too much.” It means you’re present, engaged, and paying attention. People who have genuine intentions will not be afraid of this part of you. They’ll actually welcome it, because honestly? The world could use more “feelers.”

I hope you have had an amazing Monday.