Allison Crow

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Achievement and Success, Anxiety, Authentic Leadership, Compassionate Inquiry, Depression, Emotions, IFS Coaching, Internal Family Systems Coaching, Leadership, Life Coaching, Mindset and Thinking, Ordinary Courage, Recovering Overachiever, Releasing Resistance, Self Compassion, Self Leadership, Soul-Full Success, Wild Edges of Being Human

For my fellow leaders who are highly sensitive and overthink often.

November 4, 2022

Sensitivity and Overthinking. These two qualities are deep in the cells in my body and way of being. They are not only my biggest struggles. They are also my truly greatest strengths.  
 
They do not always fit nicely in a “contained & performative culture.” 
If I wanted to stop feeling or stop over-and-expansively-and-excessively thinking, I could not. No more than I could change the color of my eyes.
Life certainly would be easier and “happier” if I weren’t so sensitive. And I’m sensitive because my mind and senses see sooooo much. You have heard the saying, “Ignorance is bliss.” 
 
Seeing and caring, and feeling come with some burdens. Some days those feel heavy, and on my worst days, I admit to entertaining hopelessness.
Perhaps I don’t run around with a shit-eating grin, kind of bliss in life. But I do live in a different kind of bliss.
May be an illustration of text
I live in the bliss of welcoming (as much as I can) all parts of me. I live in the bliss of living to the wild edges of being human.
 
Less and less self-shame and self-judgment every day. Only my judgment of myself or others makes me miserable. I’m building the skills and mental muscle memory of seeing myself and the world with compassion.
Instead of trying to fix my sensitivities and the burdens I take on feeling the heaviness of the world, instead of hardening my heart and deciding not to care (I’ve considered this a lot lately), I’m choosing compassion. Again and again.
I choose compassion for my sensitive and overthinking being. I choose calm presence with these parts of me.
I am no longer trying to “be enlightened” as a means of escaping my humanness. Instead, I’m turning toward my humanness with compassion.
 
If you think and feel deeply, if you sometimes feel you ”care too much,” and if sometimes wish you didn’t give a shit because you’d “be happier and lighter,” I see you. I feel you.
 
You’ve done nothing wrong. Your concerns are valid. And you are not alone.
 
 
 

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authenticity Highly Sensitive overthinking Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria self compassion
by allisoncrow 

About allisoncrow

Advanced Personal Development Life Coach for Experienced Business Owners & Execs💛Author, Art, & Dogs

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𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝—they’re messages from different parts of you. Rather than labeling them as good or bad, approach them with curiosity. Each emotion is a part of your system trying to communicate something important about your needs. By listening with empathy to these parts, you deepen your understanding of yourself and build emotional intelligence. This practice of compassionate inquiry helps you strengthen your connection to your internal experience and empowers you to respond in a way that aligns with your true Self.
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Overthink Much? I have this mental ideal that is Overthink Much?

I have this mental ideal that is embedded in my brain that I would be able to wake up and move forward with all my intentions.  I can see the clear direction and simple steps. I can envision all the "results" and the relief I make up those results would bring. 

One of the things I'm teaching myself to do - is try to write more from a professional voice for you instead of blab in inner processing out on this little white pop-up box. 

How's that working, Alli?

Buahahahah.... all my sweet and striving little parts trying to hold my life closely to that ideal.  I sense the squirm of these parts in my body even when my "thinking" is clear.

I now know this to be a signal for me to slow down and meet those parts with calm and curiosity. First, I must get past one of my sneakiest and most powerful parts—my "awareness" part. This is not Awareness from my core self. 
In IFS - we call these self-like parts. The distinction is that the awareness part carries the burden and tone of "You're doing it wrong."

I asked my clients to notice the part of them that is "mindful and self-aware." What are the words that the voice uses? What is its tone? 

Is it SELF-calm and compassionate, deeply connected? Or is it cognitive and managerial with a motive? 

OOOOF...sending sweet love and compassion to all my thinking, overthinking, and trying-to-get-it-right-for-some-imaginaryideal-parts, and to yours. 

These parts need our somatic connection and attunement. They do not need judgment and alienation. They are scared and holding ages of fear and pain. 

Hello, inner managers, and judgers, and thinkers.  I see you.  I am here for you.  I see your skills.  You have done nothing wrong.  No matter what you feel, you deserve more love, not less.  Let's just breathe together, and then you can share your fears and concerns.  I am here for you.  I will not leave you.
This sweet girl. Only a few taco Tuesday’s left This sweet girl. Only a few taco Tuesday’s left before they move across the state.
In the IFS community, we call triggers "trailheads In the IFS community, we call triggers "trailheads" or say, "This part of me is really activated." Identifying and caring for emotionally reactive parts gives us the opportunity to respond with intention rather than impulsively. By practicing emotional regulation and internal partswork, you can create space between stimulus and response, allowing for more thoughtful and grounded decision-making.
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For me, it was the fear I would disintegrate and b For me, it was the fear I would disintegrate and be insignificant.  For many, it's attached to conditional love.  IFS coaching helped me in places typical coaching couldn't.  It helped me compassionately understand and connect with these parts - and ya know what? They began to relax, build trust, and step back, leaving space for my natural creativity, grounded confidence, and clarity to lead in my work & life.  This is available to you.  #ifscoaching
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