Anyone else like this?

Today, fiancé wanted to go to Ulta Beauty at the local mall. As soon as I open the door, I notice 2 things:

1. My palms started to sweat profusely; and
2. There was an overwhelming amount of fragrances.

I thought it was really strange that my palms started to sweat. I usually associate that with anxiety. So I did a little self-inventory.

Feeling anxious about anything? No. Feeling nervous? No. Feeling excited? No. Definitely not excited to be in a mall. Feeling... (fill in the blank)? No.

Numb.

And that's when I connected it. Feeling numb, for me, means that I'm overwhelmed and that I'm not really attuned with what my body / nervous system needs. And for some reason, today, walking into a retail store with 1,000 fragrances immediately overwhelmed me. I felt perfectly fine other than sweaty palms.

But for us HSPs, these little details can mean big things. It was a reminder that I need to be mindful, aware of, and compassionate towards my body. Our nerves can't help it - it's just the way they are. And if they are metaphorically screaming that they need a break, it's okay to give them a break. It's good to give them a break.