Our Store
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Our store offers many unique HSP gifts that are sure to delight your loved ones this holiday season. (Don't forget to treat yourself too!)
Holiday gift orders should be submitted before 12:00 PM (EST) on 12/21. All items and books will be mailed 1st class or priority mail.
Go Shopping
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HSP Stress
Teleconference
TOPIC: Stress from an HSP Point of View
WHEN: Thursday,
December 17, 2009
8:00 - 9:30 PM EST
WHERE: On the phone
COST: Free
Discuss your thoughts on how stress impacts HSPs and strategies for better managing it.
This call will be recorded for the benefit of those who cannot attend. All "yes" RSVPs will receive a link to the audio download shortly after the call.
Learn more and RSVP for this event.
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"Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better person."
~ Benjamin Franklin
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Yes, Virgina...  This time of year, it seems everyone is in search of the "Christmas Spirit".
This brings to mind the story of Virginia O'Hanlon, who wrote a letter to the The New York Sun in 1897 asking whether or not Santa Claus was real.
While the child's inquiry may not be remarkable, the response from the newspaper certainly was. It seemed to capture the "essence" of the Christmas Spirit and created an immediate sensation among its readers.
If you would like to be similarly inspired, check out Virginia's Story, compliments of In Spirit Publications.
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Lavender Aromatherapy
Lavender products make great stocking stuffers!
Lavender is ideal for those who need calm and relaxation. Our product line includes lavender scented pillows, sprays, and headache remedies.
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Music CDs
Music Therapy for Healing and Wellness
The holiday season can get crazy for many people. Give a therapeutic CD that promotes calm, joy, energy, or sleep, to yourself or a loved one.
These beautiful recordings use psychoacoustic techniques to gently shift brain waves in support of well-being.
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Dear ,
 The holidays are upon us, and many of us are busy preparing for this festive time of year. Some may embrace the season with joy, hope, and thanksgiving. Others approach it with a sense of dread, anxiety, and stress. For those who fall into the latter category, this month's feature article, Holiday Stress Busters, is for you.
Since the holiday season celebrates children, the sidebar features a link to the inspirational story of 8-year-old
Virgina O'Hanlon, who wrote to the newspaper in 1897 asking if there
was a Santa Claus. I was also inspired to include an article on "Play", namely the importance of including a "Playtime" in our adult lives as well.
In keeping with the holiday spirit, I encourage you to keep our products in mind as you do your shopping for the season. If you enjoy this newsletter, we would greatly appreciate it if you could show your support by making a purchase with us. It really helps us keep things going.
Lastly, I am excited to announce that I will be doing a monthly radio segment on BlogTalkRadio, starting in January. After my first interview on the program in October, Liz Anne Bakke, the radio host, received so much positive feedback that she asked me to come back as a regular guest. For my next appearance, which will air on Jan 21st at 8 PM, I will answer questions about high sensitivity.
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Holiday Stress Busters
Tips for a more peaceful holiday season.
 Highly sensitive people often become stressed during the holiday season. Some stressors can include: finding gifts for people, dealing with crowds, spending money, attending social events, entertaining guests, and coping with difficult family members. Since it's such a busy time of year, we may also feel stressed because we don't have enough time to get everything done. Given our conscientious nature, we want to do things "right" and hate rushing around.
While there's no doubt that the holidays can be challenging, the fact is that you DO have a choice in how you respond to those challenges. One option is to allow your stress to rob you of your peace of mind. The other option is to make a conscious effort to be good to yourself and enjoy the true spirit of the season.
Below are some strategies that you can use to overcome holiday stress:
 1. Honor yourself and your HSP nature. Operate from a position of personal power, and remember that you have every right to do things that you enjoy and are comfortable with during your holiday break.
Plan ahead. Give some thought to how, where, and with whom you want to spend your time. Would you like to attend small gatherings or none at all? Gift giving? Some gifts, or not at all? Would you like to take a vacation or schedule some downtime for yourself?
Be up front about your desires, and talk things over with those involved, such as a spouse or other family members. Although you may choose to make some compromises along the way, it's important to realize that you can make your own choices without feeling guilty.
2. Check your perfectionism tendencies at the door. - Don't try to have a "perfect" holiday. Try not to worry too much about how things "should" be. Instead, keep your expectations realistic. There will always be circumstances beyond your control that can cause undesirable results. If things don't turn out the way you had hoped, just accept "what is" and choose to enjoy yourself anyway.
- Don't go crazy trying to find the absolute "perfect" gift for everyone on your list. While it's always nice to get thoughtful gifts for people, there's no need to over-think every purchase. To avoid financial stress, limit your spending to a budget that's comfortable for you.
 3. Make a conscious effort to have a good time.This may sound obvious, but a positive mindset this time of year is crucial. How many times have you said to yourself, I can't wait for the holidays to be over, so I can have a little peace in my life? Hopefully not many. If you expect the holidays to be dreadful, then you will likely get just that.
Expecting bad things is like viewing the world though a fog of negativity. As you are on the lookout for things to complain about, you only notice the bad stuff, which just attracts more of it. If, on the other hand, you don't harbor any preconceived notions, you are much less likely to be disappointed.
The best strategy is to expect good things to happen and then to look for opportunities to be joyful. You may be surprised at how much you enjoy the holidays once you change your perspective.
4. Do something good for someone. This may include making a donation, helping someone, or volunteering your services. Both you and the recipient of your good deed will benefit from this act of kindness.
Be good to yourself this holiday season, and set a positive tone for the New Year. The holidays are a time of celebration, renewal, and joy, whatever your circumstances are. The choice of how you will experience the season is always yours to make. Happy Holidays Everyone!
(Note: On 12/17, I will be hosting a free teleconference on the topic of HSP stress. See the sidebar for details.)
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Do You Make the Time to Play?
 Do you take time out to have fun in your life? Do you engage in activities that re-charge your emotional and physical batteries? While we all need playtime, most of us have a little voice in our head that is chock full of excuses as to why we shouldn't indulge ourselves.
You may think things like: Play? Who has the time to play? I have more important things to do. It would be irresponsible to think of doing something that sounds so trivial.
"Playtime" can have many meanings. It can be enjoying a fun activity that provides stress relief while also promoting balance in our lives. It can also mean having a "guilty pleasure", which is something that you enjoy but feel guilty about. As we get older, many of us have been conditioned to feel guilty about taking "a time out". Perhaps subconsciously we might also feel that we don't deserve to have fun. However, these are false assumptions, and we need to shift our mindset in order to free ourselves of these silly myths.
 One way to change your thinking is to consider how children play. Children don't have any hang-ups about the concept of play. They just know it's fun, and they can't wait to get to it. Try to remember what you loved doing as a child and see if you can incorporate some of that playfulness into your current life. For example, if you loved to draw or tell stories, try indulging some of your creative aspirations. Perhaps you can think of an
interesting art project or write a short story.
You should never feel guilty or bad about wanting to have fun. Downtime is actually healthy for you. Self-care is especially crucial for highly sensitive people. If we don't take care of ourselves, we can easily become overwhelmed by life. Most importantly, it helps us recharge our batteries, which can increase productivity in the long run.
Some advantages of "Playtime" include:
 1. Increases self-esteem and emotional satisfaction. You'll get a good feeling about yourself when you're participating in an activity that you enjoy.
2. Enhances creativity and develops new or existing skills. Hobbies or activities that are enjoyable help increase your natural HSP creativity in all aspects of your life. It can also enhance your existing skills.
3. Improves the body and mind. The more you use your body and mind, the better they will work for you.
4. Encourages social interaction, which improves health. Pursuing your interests will often put you in contact with others who share your interest. Studies have shown that socializing with others leads to better health and greater happiness in life.
Although high sensitivity can go hand-in-hand with social anxiety, it is especially important for HSPs to connect with other like-minded people. Since we experience life on a such a deep level, it helps to have a strong support network. This is the primary reason I created The Highly Sensitive Person Friendship Circle. (Our group has in-person meetings, teleconferences, and on-demand audio downloads for those who can't make the meetings.)
5. Gives a much needed change of routine. Enjoyable activities that break up your normal way of doing things can be a welcome relief. You'll feel refreshed and ready to take on new challenges.
Since "Playtime" can help you get the most out of life, make it a priority in your schedule. Seek pleasure and enjoyment as often as you can. Not only will you feel better emotionally and physically, you will also feel recharged and better equipped to handle life's daily challenges.
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Please email me if you have any comments, suggestions, or topics of interest. As always, we welcome your feedback, and please tell others about us! To forward this newsletter, just click the "Forward email" link in the footer.
Warmest Regards,
Cliff Harwin
The Highly Sensitive Person Publishing Company |
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