As I continue to grow and change into the young adult that I am, one aspect of my personality has remained consistent. I have always been a highly sensitive person, but I hadn't thought much about what that meant until now.

Being sensitive means feeling each emotion to a very strong degree. It's awesome because I love very hard, but I also feel pain in somewhat unbearable amounts at times. No one ever told me how hard it would be to cope with being sensitive.

First of all, whoever you are, sensitive or not, you need to hear this: Being sensitive is not to be frowned upon. As a highly sensitive individual, this is has been a challenge for me to accept in a world that encourages us to shut off our emotions and get over it. Our culture does not put enough value on sensitivity, and that is such a shame.

This goes without being said, but the world -- by no means -- is always rainbows and butterflies. As much as I want that so badly, reality doesn't work like that. It is hard for me to find light in darkness or rainbows when it rains. Pain hurts really really really bad, and it's unfortunately more than easy to create pain when you are sensitive. Taking minor things personally has become second nature to me. My sensitivity has a way of putting me under distress in situations that do NOT need to be stressed over. Whether it's an unanswered text, a slight change in tone, nausea from a random gut feeling, fear of rejection, or simple tension over an unexpected event, it's easy to let yourself go from neutral to negative. Often times, the people around me tend to "go easy" on me because they don't think I am capable of handling news that might upset me, or seeing things that I might not want to see. I was even told, (as a pre-med student this one HURT), I am too sensitive and emotionally involved with the world around me to be a successful doctor. Most of these things may be true. It is easy to let myself get upset over nuances, in fact, it is harder for me not to. My emotions make it hard for me to rationalize because it is damn hard to think through such strong feelings. Sorrows of the world overwhelm me. Negative situations are often replayed in my head because I tend to linger over negativity and wonder how I could've changed the situation to be a positive one. I play my heart on my sleeve because my face almost immediately reveals my emotions before I have a chance to open my mouth and explain them verbally. Constructive criticism doesn't feel constructive, sometimes it feels like a personal attack. After listing all of my struggles as a sensitive person, you must be thinking "How on Earth could being a sensitive person be a good thing?" Let me explain why I wouldn't trade being sensitive for any other personality trait.

To the girl who told me I am too sensitive to become a doctor: Here's a big F$@k you. Being sensitive has allowed me to grow into such an empathetic person, and that's the exact kind of doctor this world needs. Because I am sensitive, I can relate to others so easily. I know what it's like to be sad or mad or happy or excited. I feel those emotions so profoundly almost every single day. That being said, I know I am that person that my friends feel comfortable approaching with anything. It is easy to put myself in someone else's shoe, even if we are far from the same size! Being a loyal friend who can relate to others and help them sort out their feelings is one of my most important values. That being said, I have so many strong relationships that I am so grateful for. My relationships do not consist of small-talk conversations or strictly hanging out on the weekends to go out for drinks. My relationships are authentic and raw. When I love and care about someone, I love and care about them more than anything. Being sensitive has increased my awareness-- both in myself and the people around me. I have become observant of the emotions inside me as well as what the people around me feel. I have learned that my feelings are valid, and so are everyone else's. You are allowed to feel whatever you are feeling, and it's a damned shame for someone to tell you otherwise. I have found beauty in both sadness and joy. It sucks being sad. Like it sucks really bad. But I think great sadness has allowed me to appreciate joy so much more. There is so much resilience in finding happiness on days when you feel like it is merely impossible to even smile, and that is a beautiful thing.

There will be so many days where I curse my sensitivity and yearn to change that aspect of myself, and that is so silly to me. Next time you feel shameful for being sensitive, remember how good of a friend you are. Remember how approachable and empathetic you are. Remind yourself how strong you are for overcoming negativity. Feel lucky for being so aware of emotions. Stop feeling like you need to be cradled. Do not let anyone tell you what you can or can't do because of how emotional you are. It is such an exquisite personality trait to be able to feel. Being emotional adds depth and authenticity, and I think that's a really cool thing.