IKIGAMI
Posts
Embracing Sensitivity

Embracing Sensitivity

Unlocking Strength

Dr. Miriam von Felbert
November 17, 2024

Welcome back to Ikigami Insider—a 7-minute read designed to deepen your journey toward balance, purpose, and self-discovery.

This week, we explore how Ikigai serves as a transformative guide for highly sensitive people, turning emotional overwhelm into a wellspring of strength and clarity.

The Power of Sensitivity

For highly sensitive people, life can feel like a whirlwind of emotions and energies—absorbing everything from joy to chaos around them. Yet, this sensitivity is a gift, not a burden. It holds untapped power to challenge norms, inspire creativity, and foster deep connections.

Ikigai, the Japanese concept of purpose, provides a structure to channel this sensitivity into strength, offering clarity and alignment in a world that often demands resilience.

“Sensitivity isn’t a flaw; it’s a strength that allows us to connect deeply, create profoundly, and transform meaningfully.”

Dr. Miriam von Felbert

I - Intention: Embrace Your Sensitivity

Highly sensitive individuals often dismiss their emotions as "too much." But Ikigai encourages us to honor our unique makeup. This week, set the intention to recognize your sensitivity as a strength, not a weakness.

Reflection: Ask yourself, “How does my sensitivity enhance my ability to connect, create, and empathize?”

Call to Action: Explore the Ikigami App to uncover practical ways to align your emotions with your purpose through personalized insights.

K - Knowledge: Understanding Sensitivity

Sensitivity is more than an emotional response; it’s deeply rooted in our biology and experiences. Research shows that highly sensitive people process stimuli more deeply, which can lead to both overwhelm and exceptional insight.

Ignoring this sensitivity risks suppressing talents that make you extraordinary. Embracing it helps unlock hidden potential.

Exercise: Reflect on moments when your sensitivity has led to meaningful insights or actions. Celebrate these as strengths.

Upcoming: As part of my Master Thesis, I’m developing a sensitivity self-assessment tool within the Ikigami framework. Stay tuned to test and refine your understanding of your emotional strengths.

I - Imagination: Visualizing Your Purpose

Imagine a future where your sensitivity is your superpower. Ikigai encourages you to visualize a life where emotions guide you to create impact and meaning.

Practice: Spend five minutes each day imagining how your sensitivity enables you to solve problems, inspire others, or create beauty. Write down one way to act on this vision today.

G - Growth: Turning Overwhelm into Opportunity

Emotional waves may feel overpowering, but they are also temporary. Ikigai teaches us to ride these waves, transforming emotional intensity into purpose-driven action.

Tip: During overwhelming moments, pause and practice deep breathing for 90 seconds. Reflect on how this moment can fuel your growth.

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

A - Action: Aligning Emotion with Purpose

The final step is connecting your emotional world with your Ikigai. By aligning passions and talents with what the world needs, you create a pathway to fulfillment.

Step: Identify one activity or role that feels aligned with your purpose and sensitivity. How can you bring more of this into your daily life?

M - Mastery: Building Resilience Through Sensitivity

Mastery for highly sensitive people lies in learning to channel emotional depth into intentional action. Ikigai provides a framework to turn vulnerability into strength.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Actionable Tip: Practice journaling to identify patterns in your sensitivity. Over time, these insights will help you master your emotional landscape, making space for clarity and resilience.

I - Inspiration: Your Sensitivity Is Your Superpower

Ikigai reminds us that what makes us different is what makes us valuable. Highly sensitive people have the power to see, feel, and create in ways others cannot. By embracing Ikigai, you unlock these gifts and create a life of deeper meaning and impact.

Join the Journey

Dive deeper into the transformative power of Ikigai with Ikigami Imagine—a platform for creating Vision-Movies and actionable plans to live your purpose.

Ready to embrace your sensitivity and unlock your strength? Reach out to join the community or share this journey with someone who resonates.

Thumbnail: Photo of TERRA on Unsplash