Confessions of a Sensitive Soul by Julie Bjelland, LMFT
A collective portrait of sensitive and neurodivergent inner worlds
About this project
This project invited sensitive and neurodivergent people to share confessions, wishes, and hidden strengths from their inner worlds. Many of us carry experiences, thoughts, or feelings that we do not always say out loud. By gathering these words anonymously, we create a collective portrait that helps us feel seen, validated, and less alone.
Inner Confessions
These are the truths many of us hold quietly inside. They describe what daily life feels like from a sensitive nervous system and why ordinary moments may require extra recovery. As you read, notice what resonates and offer yourself kindness. If something does not fit your experience, that is okay. Each voice is one real person, not a rule.
Most repeated themes
Exhaustion and overwhelm are constant companions. Daily life can feel like a rollercoaster for emotions and the nervous system.
Solitude is essential yet lonely. Time alone restores energy but can deepen the ache of not belonging.
Masking is draining. Some have never shown their full selves, except with animals or in private.
Words and energy linger. Tone, facial expressions, or offhand comments can echo inside long after an interaction.
Inner worlds feel safer and richer than the external one. Imagination, reflection, and pattern-seeking bring comfort.
Representative voices
These quotes give language to experiences that can be hard to explain. You can use them as reflection prompts or as shareable sentences with people in your life.
“My need for isolation, quiet and calm makes me feel weird and alone in a world that applauds extroversion and a go go go mentality.”
“I enjoy my inner world much better than the outer world because I feel safe and less stressed.”
“Masking is exhausting.”
“What you say as much as your facial expressions echoes inside me longer than you may realize.”
What We Wish Others Understood
This section is a gentle guide for loved ones, colleagues, and providers. It explains why pacing, environment, and validation matter so much. If you are sharing this with someone, invite them to read slowly and imagine how small changes could help you thrive.
Most repeated themes
Sensitivity is not a choice. It is part of our nervous system, not a weakness or flaw to be toughened out.
Invisible but real sensory experiences. Noise, light, crowds, and fast-paced conversations can feel physically painful and draining.
Time and pacing matter. Slower conversations, pauses, and recovery space help us thrive.
Our strengths are genuine. Sensitivity brings vision, empathy, creativity, and insight, though it can also make everyday tasks more demanding.
Respect and belief are essential. Listening and validating sensitive experience is healing in itself.
Rejection sensitivity is real. Gentle clarity and repair help.
Please allow processing time. We may need a beat before responding or deciding.
Representative voices
Consider offering these lines to someone who wants to understand you better. They are simple, memorable, and practical.
“Being sensitive does not mean I cry at sad movies. It is my brain and nervous system that is highly sensitive.”
“Masking is for survival. It is not a cure.”
“We are very capable. Give us a few extra minutes to think. It is worth the wait.”
“I am not weak or flaky. No one knows how strong I have to be to function in a world that does not understand.”
Hidden Strengths and Quiet Gifts
Sensitivity carries real capacities that enrich families, teams, and communities. Many of these strengths are quiet and often overlooked because they do not always show up in loud or fast ways. Notice which ones you recognize in yourself and how they already serve the people around you.
Most repeated themes
Empathy and emotional attunement. Many can read the room quickly, notice micro-expressions, and feel others’ emotions deeply.
Pattern recognition and vision. Seeing both the big picture and fine details, anticipating outcomes, and connecting dots others miss.
Listening and presence. People often feel truly heard and safe.
Creativity and intuition. Music, art, nature, spirituality, and intuition enrich inner lives and inspire others.
Resilience and conscientiousness. Quiet determination, thoroughness, and the ability to persist despite overwhelm.
Representative voices
These snapshots illustrate how sensitivity becomes skill. They can help you name your strengths in resumes, therapy, or conversations with loved ones.
“I am extremely empathetic and hyper aware of my surroundings.”
“I spot patterns quickly and can outline likely next steps a few moves ahead.”
“I notice everything.”
“Uncanny ability to read the room and create emotional intimacy.”
Other Reflections
These themes place personal experiences in a wider context, from identity to culture to community. They also name the grief and relief that can accompany late discovery.
Most repeated themes
Longing for authentic connection. Many yearn for deep friendships and community beyond small talk.
Grief and relief in late discovery. Several shared how life would have felt different had they understood their sensitivity and neurodivergence earlier.
A call for cultural change. Sensitivity should be valued like biodiversity in nature, not dismissed or pathologized.
Gratitude for safe spaces. People expressed appreciation for places where their inner world can be honored and shared.
Representative voices
Each sentence points to a shared human need to belong. You can use them as journal prompts or conversation openers.
“I like a lot of quiet and alone time, but sometimes I get lonely and wish to connect more.”
“Sensitive and neurodivergent people need to know they are not alone.”
“Our hidden worlds are incredible and should be honored.”
“Please be gentle and kind. Many disabilities are invisible and that does not make them less hard.”
What This Collective Tells Us
Taken together, these voices suggest clear pathways for care and inclusion. You can use the points below to design kinder environments at home, at work, and in community spaces.
Sensitive systems carry more load. Daily life requires recovery time most people never see.
Authenticity is healing, masking is costly. The effort to fit in drains energy and erodes self-trust.
Sensitivity is strength. Empathy, vision, creativity, and presence are gifts that enrich communities.
Environment and pacing shape well-being. Gentle, inclusive spaces make it possible for sensitivity to shine.
Belonging is the medicine. Being witnessed by like-hearted people transforms loneliness into connection.
Try this 60-second calming practice
If reading stirred emotions or sensory activation, this quick practice can help reset your system. You can also share it with a loved one so they can support you in real time.
Soften your gaze or close your eyes.
Inhale for a count of 4, hold for 2, gently exhale slowly for a count of 7. Repeat 5 cycles.
Drop your shoulders and unclench your jaw.
Place a hand on your chest and think, “Right now I am safe. Sensitivity is welcome here.”
For allies who want to help
Start small and be consistent. The goal is not to remove every challenge, but to create conditions where sensitive strengths can flourish.
Believe us the first time.
Offer choices and time to respond.
Keep environments softer on sound, light, and scent.
Ask, “What would help right now?”
Celebrate strengths as much as you accommodate needs.
We are asking for inclusion, not special treatment. Small changes in pace, light, and noise help us contribute at our best.
An Invitation to You
These confessions remind us that being sensitive and neurodivergent is both challenging and profoundly beautiful. Each voice here shows that none of us are alone in what we carry inside.
✨ Do you see yourself in these confessions? You are not alone. Share your reflections and let us expand this collective portrait together.
✨ Together, we can create spaces where sensitivity is honored. If you long for authentic connection, come share your voice with like-hearted people.
✨ Your sensitivity is not a flaw. It is a strength. By sharing your inner world, you not only honor yourself, you help someone else feel less alone.
Stay Connected
If you would like gentle support and ongoing resources, choose what feels right for you.
→ Sign up for my free newsletter and receive a calming technique that works beautifully for sensitive nervous systems
→ Join our Sensitive Empowerment Community to connect with like-hearted souls who truly understand
→ Schedule a one-on-one session with me for personalized guidance and support, including adult autism assessments
About the Author
Julie Bjelland, LMFT, is a licensed psychotherapist, author, and the Founder and CEO of Sensitive Empowerment Inc. She is a globally respected voice on sensitivity, adult-discovered autism, and the Sensitive Autistic Neurotype. Through her courses, global Sensitive Empowerment Community, autism assessments, podcast, and consultations, Julie supports sensitive and neurodivergent individuals in reducing overwhelm, understanding their unique wiring, and thriving in a world that often misunderstands them. Her mission is to help people reclaim self-love, honor their needs, and flourish authentically.
❤️ Explore more resources at JulieBjelland.com
Discover the hidden truths, challenges, and gifts of sensitive and neurodivergent people. This collective project shares anonymous confessions, wishes, and strengths to help us feel seen, validated, and less alone.