I am highly sensitive, and when I had children I found myself irritated often, but I didn’t quite understand why. What I’ve learned through being conscious of THEIR overstimulation, is that i too can get over stimulated, and this can translate into being really snippy + short with everyone around me.
Let me explain:
I can’t have a lot of noise going on at once. So with toddlers being around, they are usually, well noisy. Which means loud tv or music can become a conflict.
I can’t have a lot on my counters. When things begin to pile up, even just mail or produce, cue the irritability.
Physical touch can really send me over the edge. I joke that I’m not a “hug” person, but the truth is, it affects me at a different level. I get crowded easily + can even feel like I’m being suffocated. So when children crawl all over me all day, yes, I can become irritated.
Smells can even bother me. Too much perfume or strong aromas can make me feel ill. There’s only a few fragrances I can actually tolerate.
So the other day I felt it coming on. My breath was short, I was very edgy + I didn’t want anyone touching me. Any sort of noise, even just the fan rotating, was making my head throb. My nervous system was on complete over drive + I began feeling stuck.
What helps?
Sunshine.
Breathwork.
Decluttering.
Finding some silence.
Verbalizing what I’m feeling.
This isn’t always easy with a house full of small children. But I’m thankful for a partner who gets me. I communicate to him that I need the music off, that we need to go through the pile of stuff on the counter, or that I need a few minutes outside by myself.
This life won’t be without stimulation. But being aware of this brings me a sense of power over it. It’s not that I need to always “shut off” the world, it’s rather I’ve learned I may need to slow it down or manage what I let in my system. And my people get a better me because I know when + how to pause it all if I need to. Also, I can help my babies have permission to tap out in healthy ways when they need to too. #regulation
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