Cliff's Blog Radio Interview
![[img: Cliff]](http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs070/1102126619665/img/316.jpg?a=1103149331303)
Cliff will be interviewed by Elizabeth Ann Blake on the BlogTalkRadio Podcast.
AIR DATE: Thursday,
March 18, 2010
8:00 PM EST
TOPIC: The Challenges of Being a Highly Sensitive Person. Cliff will take calls from listeners.
CALL-IN NUMBER:
(347) 857-4311
WHERE:You can listen to the interview live or
on demand at the blogtalkradio web site. |
HSP Conflict Workshop
WHAT: How Highly Sensitive People Can Peacefully Co-Exist With Others
WHEN: Sunday,
March 21, 2010
1:00 - 3:30 PM EST
WHERE: The Arc of Middlesex County
North Brunswick NJ
COST: $25
Learn how to get your needs met, establish boundaries, and optimize your HSP traits to better manage conflict in your life. A 10-page handout is included.
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HSP Conflict
Teleconference
TOPIC: How Highly Sensitive People Can Peacefully Co-Exist With Others
WHEN: Thursday,
March 25, 2010
8:00 - 9:30 PM EST
WHERE: On the phone
COST: $29.95
Learn how to get your needs met, establish boundaries, and optimize your HSP traits to better manage conflict in your life.
A 10-page handout is included.
This is a toll free call for the US and Canada. International callers will have to pay long distance charges.
Learn more and RSVP for this event.
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"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face."
~ Eleanor Roosevelt
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Making Sense of Your High Sensitivity
Get your autographed copy today!
In my book, I reflect upon my life and provide a unique perspective on the lessons I have learned as a highly sensitive person.
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Dear ,
I'm excited to announce that I will now be offering HSP coaching services. I will provide one-on-one consulting to help you better understand and maximize your HSP traits. Contact me for a FREE 15 minute consultation or to schedule an appointment.
 Cliff's Wellness Update
I'm pleased to report that I'm staying on track with my health & fitness. I've been faithfully going to the Princeton Fitness & Wellness Center 3 days per week. Although it's not easy to fit this into my schedule, I've made it an important priority in my life.
For my routine, I spend 40 minutes on the treadmill, use the exercise equipment for my knees, back, abdominals, and shoulders, and then do stretching exercises for my hamstrings. After that, I'm in the therapy hot tub for stretching and relaxing. The whole process takes about 3 hours, from the time I leave my house to when I get home.
Although this routine is difficult and exhausting, the upside is a much greater feeling of well-being. My arthritic problems are getting better. I'm losing some weight, coping better with stress, and feeling better about myself. Best of all, I'm increasing the probability of living a healthier, longer, and more productive life!
I must admit that it's been difficult to eat "properly", but I'm determined to make improvements. I'll continue to keep you posted on my progress.
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I Need Your Support!
 Why is it difficult for HSPs to ask for what they want and need? In my case, it's because I want to be self-sufficient and don't want to burden others with my problems.
However, there comes a time when we all need help. The expense and effort that I put into The Highly Sensitive Person Publishing Company and its programs are a true labor
of love. Unfortunately though, a labor of love doesn't pay the bills. Without your
help and support, I can't continue to bear the financial burden of
these ventures much longer.
I'm faced with the real possibility of having to discontinue this newsletter and the meetup group. This is the 20th issue (for new subscribers, be sure to check out our newsletter archives), and the The Highly Sensitive Person Friendship Circle is having a 2 year anniversary on March 23rd.
If you have benefited from this newsletter, my book, Making Sense of Your High Sensitivity, my ebook, Real World Advice Specifically For Highly Sensitive People, the meetings, teleconferences, or our products, please tell as many people as possible!
 If you haven't patronized our store or joined The Highly Sensitive Person Friendship Circle, I urge you to consider these resources if they meet your need. Our meetup group has members from all over the world and is a wonderful way to stay connected to other HSPs.
This month, I'm having some moderately priced events. Please consider attending these programs, in-person or on the phone, to help me keep things afloat.
On 3/18, I will be doing a radio show on BlogTalkRadio on the challenges
of being a highly sensitive person. On 3/21 and 3/25, I will be giving the workshop: How Highly Sensitive People Can Peacefully Co-Exist With Others. See the sidebar for details on these events.
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You Can't Make a Cat Moo!  I was doing a social experiment with my cats Prissy and Charlie. I looked at them and asked them to moo. They looked at me strangely and thought I was crazy. I think they wanted to do it, but felt unsure how to do so. As much as they wanted to, they didn't have the capacity to moo.
How often do you expect others to act in a way that they are not capable of? Frustration over the behavior of other people is a major source of stress for highly sensitive people.
When you take a closer look at your personal and professional relationships, you may find that you get upset when people don't act as you wish. You may be trying to change the unchangeable, and as a result, you become hostage to your own expectations.
 Fortunately, there is a way out. Awareness and acceptance are the keys to freedom. Awareness of what other people are capable of, and acceptance of their limitations, will lighten your load. Why go against the natural behavior of others? Don't we get annoyed when people tell us to not be so sensitive? They are asking us to not be ourselves. This is is unrealistic and unproductive for both sides.
Instead of focusing on the weaknesses of others, shift your attention to their strengths. Different people will meet your needs at different times. When you need support, go to a person with a track record of being supportive. If you
need someone to lift your spirits, seek out a person who is naturally enthusiastic and optimistic.
Don't try to get validation from the person who never gives it. Don't expect punctuality from the person who is chronically late. Having unrealistic expectations just depletes your energy.
 Yes, it would be nice if I could teach my cats to moo, but I know they aren't capable of doing that. This is not a "deal breaker" for me to have them in my life. I love them and accept them the way they are. As any animal lover can attest, our pets provide us with comfort, companionship, and unconditional love.
It's easy to rationalize that we can change people or that they will change to meet our needs, but this isn't going to happen. Instead, accept "what is", make adjustments when needed, and get ready to embrace a less stressful life.
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A Cup of Confidence
Guest article by Amy Barbato
 Fresh brewed tea is the ritual that starts my day, with me mindfully choosing from an eclectic collection, a cup that suits my mood. This morning, while awaiting my boiling tea water, I reached to select a cup from the cabinet, but an old friend's gift chose me instead. It brought me not what I was looking for, but unexpectedly, just what I needed.
After deciding on a floral china cup to satisfy a touch of wishful spring fever, my attention was diverted to a little mug from a customer-turned-dear-friend from my old job. I thought of Gertjan, a bitingly witty and smart Dutch man from the Netherlands, who made my job both challenging and delightful. He had given this to me upon our first meeting, on a business trip overseas.
My "cow cup" is a little green ceramic teacup, upon which a Dutch maid is happily milking a friendly-looking cow, holding a big red tulip in its mouth. A whimsical, sculpted image of this cow sits atop the handle, where my thumb rests comfortably. I changed my mind. I needed a cup of cheer today.
Normally, this token from Gertjan's homeland is simply an upbeat reminder of my friend, but today it meant much more. Coming on the day after some recent disappointments left my self-esteem requiring a boost, this souvenir from my old work life provided timely perspective and a renewed faith in my abilities.
 While I had developed good relationships with several customers, Gertjan was always my staunchest and most verbal fan. In the aviation industry, the proverbial fires need putting out daily. In this capacity, he knew he could depend on me to resolve his regular emergencies. I smiled at the memory of his constant championing of, what were to him, my indispensable qualities. This lighthearted recollection brought clarity and a lesson. As my self-respect revived, my feelings of defeat and frustration seemed to dissolve into the bottom of my teacup.
As highly sensitive people, we're prone to internalizing disappointments and setbacks. We often personalize them to the detriment of our self-image. In this way we're harder on ourselves than is necessary or realistic. This brings us down emotionally, eats away at our confidence, and at worst, keeps us from moving forward.
On the positive side, HSPs are reflective, with creative minds. We're deep-thinkers with rich inner lives. In tough times, these abilities allow us to find solace within and see life lessons in the simplest things. We can use these strengths to our advantage by reframing circumstances in order to reach a healthier perspective.
Yesterday, discouraged by setbacks, feelings of personal failure threatened to derail me indefinitely. Today, I appreciate the sensitive, insightful nature that gives me the ability to look deeper and inward to rise above external circumstances.
When times are tough, celebrate the perceptive awareness that enables you to find meaning in the mundane, just as my simple gift from a friend who believed in me, reminded me that my capabilities and value to others are still intact.
Guest writer, Amy Barbato, left the "corporate world" over 4 years ago and has been following her passions ever since. So far, she has done freelance copywriting, marketing, and real estate work. Regardless of the many challenges that come up, Amy is dedicated to following the "path of her heart" and creating a life she loves.
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I'm very interested in any comments or suggestions you may have. Feel free to email me anytime. I would love to hear from you, and please tell others about us! I would also be delighted to have you follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
Warmest Regards,
Cliff Harwin
The Highly Sensitive Person Publishing Company |
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