From The Girl Who Takes It All To Heart | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

From The Girl Who Takes It All To Heart

It's a blessing but mostly a curse.

942
From The Girl Who Takes It All To Heart
7 Themes

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always been the girl who took things to heart.

I guess you could call it being sensitive, but I hate using that word. (Maybe it's because I'm also the girl who has a lot of pride.) It makes me sound like I'm the girl that can't handle anything, or gets offended easily.

On the contrary, I'm the girl that has always handled everything. I always take on my own burdens and add others to the weight on my shoulders.

I was always pretty shy and a little quiet. I have always been a person who is very sensitive to people's feelings. I was always really careful with what I said and observant to their emotions. I guess you could say I have a really high capacity for empathy. That's a good thing, right? I mean, most of us were taught to have compassion and empathy for others.

In all reality:

It's a blessing, but mostly a curse.

The problem is, I read into things too much. I take people's tones, body language, words, and little comments to heart. I pick up on things more than most people do. Maybe it's because I've been hurt so much that I try to recognize signs, signals, and words to protect myself. Maybe it's a defense mechanism. Okay, it's definitely a defense mechanism.

I try to be the person who understands underlying meanings, and words unsaid.

I overthink things, and hold on to things that hurt me longer than I should. I don't get offended easily by any means, and weirdly enough, I end up consoling others even when they hurt my feelings, because I don't want my reaction to in turn hurt them. How messed up is that?

Don't get me wrong...

It's not like I have a bad life. I actually love my life and love life in general. I'm not a ball of anxiety and I'm not super emotional. I'm overly ambitious and I'm excited about everything I have going for me. I have a big sense of humor and I love to joke and can take a joke. I have grown into an outgoing person and I love that about myself, but I will forever be the girl who takes emotions to heart.

A big part of it is caring too much. It's putting others first, it's worrying about how they perceive you, and how you handle yourself. It's worrying too much. It's adding unnecessary stress and anxiety to your life because you feel everything more. Words affect you more than they affect others because you are deep. You look for deeper meaning, and maybe even sometimes accidentally create it because you're so attentive to others and how they talk to you.

You're a sponge, absorbing words and emotions and carrying them in your mind and your own heart. You feel things more. You care more. You're super aware and maybe too concerned with how others perceive you and they way others present themselves to you. Stop over analyzing.

Someone once told me that they cherished me for the quietly compassionate person that I am.

That was the most special compliment I have ever received and I have carried it in my heart ever since. Cherish yourself for your capacity for compassion and empathy, but try and find a way to stop over analyzing it all. You don't need to add more weight to life's every day burdens.

Have empathy. Have a lot of it. I mean, Drake does, and look where it got him? It's not always a curse, it makes you a beautifully deep person, and that sets you a part from so many people.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Relationships

10 Facts All People In A Large Family Can Confirm During The Holiday Season

The holiday season can be the best and most stressful time of the year, especially when more people are involved.

1763
kids jumping

The holidays are full of lights, sweets, sweaters, and your favorite movies. There's nothing quite like this period from the beginning of December through January. Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years. The fun of it all.

I don't know about you but with my large Italian family something is always going on during this season. It can be the most wonderful time of the year while also being the most hectic. These are a few things you know if your family is anything like mine during this time.

Keep Reading...Show less
10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over
reference.com

To those who celebrate, you just spent an entire day cooking an elaborate meal with all of your favorite foods. You probably ate your body weight in pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. What happens now? Oh yea, Christmas. It’s time to take out all of the decorations and Christmas themed things that have been sitting in the attic since last year; it’s time to make a reappearance. So, here are 10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

4765
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

2934
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

202322
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments