“You’re too sensitive.”

“Why do you get upset so easily?”

“Relax; it was just a joke!”

I have heard these words many times. Have you? People have told me I’m too sensitive, or get upset easily. My favorite though, “you feel too much.” I have heard this only once, and yet it is my favorite thing I have heard. I feel too much. I know this. I have come to know this. There is only one problem with this though, I do not see it as a bad thing. It is a good thing.

Well, let’s talk about the cons of feeling everything. People say mean and hurtful things, but for you it isn’t a simple, "that hurt my feelings;" it is more of a pain you feel, like you’re not good enough. People criticize things you do and the choices you make, because they do not understand why something as simple as someone saying no hurts you. You are seen as a “cry baby,” “an emotional mess,” among other things.

So many people have told me, “You’re never going to make it in this world if you can’t handle some criticism.” See, the thing is, I can handle constructive criticism; there is nothing wrong with that. What I can’t handle is people constantly never having anything good to say to me or about the things I do. Now, I do not know if you feel like this, but I do, and honestly, it sucks. It sucks that people are so negative and do not care how their words or actions effect others around them.

Not only is it hurtful in many ways, but don’t get me started on the “You’re too happy,” “You get way too excited over things” or “Selena, it’s just a _____, calm down.” (That blank for me mostly gets filled in with puppy and baby). When something good happens, you get over-excited and get super happy and filled with joy. Others see this as odd or weird, but to you, it's just how you react to happy news, or happy things happening to you. I do not understand why people have such an issue with this. Just let me be happy or excited over a puppy, okay??

Now, for the pros: you know true happiness. You know true sorrow. You know excitement; you know and feel so many things in your life. Basically, when you love, you love hard with every piece of you. When you hurt, every muscle and bone in your body aches with that pain. When you are happy, you are so excited and filled with joy, but when you are sad, you feel so lost and empty. When you are alone for too long, you feel unimportant and abandoned. When you are around too many people, you feel overwhelmed. When you give someone your trust, you hope they do not break it. When they do, you feel like you have lost so much. You feel every emotion so deeply, but that is what makes you, you. It is what makes you great and unique.

See, the best thing about feeling everything, is simply that. You feel EVERYTHING. Every happy moment, every sad moment, every confusing moment. You feel it all. This is a blessing. I know what it is like to feel so many things, and it is so truly amazing. So, to the person who feels everything, embrace every emotion you feel. At least you feel them.