I just discovered the High Sensation Seeker self-test by Dr. Elaine Aron’s, author of the Highly Sensitive Person and The Highly Sensitive Child. Wow! Taking the test, scoring high and learning what it meant to be a highly sensitive person, as well as, a high sensation seeking person explained the adventurous part of me and it’s relation to the HS me.
I now have a fuller understanding of myself and can be more compassionate towards myself when I’m putting going outside my comfort zone while seeking novelty and adventure. I love and get excited about new adventure and experiencing, but I have to also think of what brings me pleasure and makes me feel safe. It takes me time to get become familiar with my surrounds so I’m not overwhelmed and afraid of the unknowns or whatever my creative brain conjures up.
I need a mixture of adventure and pleasure. Here is an example of what I mean: We drive hundreds of miles with excitement about what we’re experiencing along the way. We turn onto a 60 mile dirt road that dead ends at the edge of the Grand Canyon in time for sunset and a lighting storm. The pleasure is the nature along the way, the stars at night, watching the fire and having a glass of wine, listening to the animals, taking photos, being with my guy (most the time), excellent and comfortable camping gear and great food and drink. The HS part of me needs my guy to be there with me to feel safe. I couldn’t do it on my own any more-nor do I want to. I need time to explore and settle in and not be on the go constantly; I need nature and grounding time in between travel time. I can be stressed while growing, mastering, and learning something new, but I don’t want unnecessary stress beyond that. There has to be a good balance of tension and pleasure. Meditation has helped me a lot with not allowing the things around me and what is happening in the world to stress me.
Through this knowledge of learning what it is like to be a high sensation seeking person (HSS) and a highly sensitive person (HSP) I now understand why I’m attracted to sensational experiences and then suddenly become concerned about my safety or overstimulated by my environment? Jeff knows whatever we do or wherever we go, he will eventually have to address my safety concerns. When I go on adventures everything is magnified, the positive and the negative, especially in a new place or in the unknowns. So I’ve realized that I need to schedule a daily routine like meditation and quiet time to chill in nature or beauty to take care of my HS self. I can’t rush through my experiences, I need time to process them. This has allowed me to support both the HSS/HSP in a healthy way.
Take the High Sensation Seeking test and see if you are a High Sensation Seeker…whether you are HSP or not. Have your partner/spouse, friends, family members take the test and then read what Dr. Elaine Aron has to say about Personality and Temperament: The Highly Sensitive Person Who Is Also A High Sensation Seeker.
I’d love to hear if you a HSS/HSP what challenges show up for you and how you take care of yourself.
Leave me a message below or email me @ coachmarilyn1@gmail.com
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