This is the highly sensitive person podcast, a weekly podcast for people who care deeply about everything.

Join me on a journey to accept the way we intensely experience the world.

Welcome to episode five of the highly sensitive person podcast.

I'm your host, Kelly.

In this show, I talk about my personal experiences as a highly sensitive person in hopes that

others can relate and realize that you aren't alone.

Being an HSP doesn't mean you're weak.

It means you're more aware of subtleties in your environment.

You might get overwhelmed by outside stimulation, and you really feel things deeply.

It's not a sickness or a problem. It's just a trait, like being introverted or left-handed.

Today's topic is about how having plans weighs on me all day. Even if I have one thing scheduled to do

during the day, I focus on it and I can't stop thinking about it, even if it's something enjoyable.

There will be that little kernel of anxiety in my brain all day until the event happens.

For example, the other day I had a Pilates class at 6.30 p.m. I was looking forward to it.

But for some reason, everything I did for the rest of that day revolved around the class in my head

anyway. I remember thinking around 1 p.m. Oh, I have five hours until that class. Even though

five hours is a really long time and plenty of time in which to get things done,

it's almost like I felt like I couldn't get anything else done really until the class was over

and out of the way. I love the feeling of having a free, clear day with nothing to do where I can

decide to do exactly what I want. I think that's part of why I have this issue with

feeling weighed down by having plans. Highly sensitive people really value autonomy and control.

And if we have something scheduled to do during the day, it means we're tied down by something,

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