Quiz: Are You Too Sensitive?

Being self-aware while also conscious of other people’s emotions helps keep you grounded, kind and present. But if you’re one of those people who finds themselves constantly piqued by the little things (you know, the sort who takes every single thing that anyone says or does personally), then your tender heart may be causing you trouble!

With the Sun currently in Cancer – arguably the most sensitive sign in the zodiac – it’s the perfect time to assess your emotional sensitivity. Is your skin too thin? Take this quick quiz and find out.

1. When confronted, you…

a. Face it head on, guns blazing
b. Try to address the problem without getting too emotional
c. Retreat into your shell… hoping it’ll blow over

2. In your weekly staff meeting, your boss explains that they’d like to change the way some things are done in your department. You…

a. Jump to the defensive – you’ve been doing everything you’re told… mostly!
b. Take notes and assess how this will affect you and how you feel about it
c. Wait until the meeting is over to go in the bathroom and cry – you must’ve done something wrong

3. While watching a movie, your date says one of the stars is hot. You…

a. Freak out – they should keep that kind of thing to themselves!
b. Laugh it off – no harm in a little star crush (whether you agree or disagree is a different matter!)
c. Assume they must want everyone else… except you!

4. You’re walking through a department store minding your own business when you’re offered a free makeover. You think…

a. Who are you to tell me I need changing?
b. Awesome. Sign me up!
c. Oh no – do I look that bad?

5. Your friend initiates a discussion and reveals that they’re hurt by or upset with something you’ve done. You…

a. Throw back a litany of things they’ve done to offend you
b. Try to listen and understand before you respond
c. Tear up while trying to defend yourself or you say nothing!

6. When people disagree with your opinion, you…

a. Explain yourself again (and decide they’re morons)
b. Don’t mind – they’re entitled to their own opinions
c. Take it as a personal affront – you hate being judged!

7. If someone teases you a little (in a good-natured ribbing kind of way), you…

a. Get pissed off – and retaliate!
b. Try to laugh it off even if it stings
c. Become even more self-conscious than you already are – and maybe cry

Scoring

Mostly A’s: Tough customer
Sensitive you are not… or at least that’s what you’d like people to believe. More likely, you feel deeply, fear hurt, and tend to pounce when you feel threatened in any way. This makes you needlessly confrontational when faced with a sticky situation… a trait you may not realize is quite Cancerian. While the crab may be a softie underneath that shell, they have active claws that like to pinch! The good news is, you’ll likely “win” because people may be scared of you. The bad news: people may be scared of you!

Take some time out to experience your emotions, good and bad. You may be afraid of being hurt and it will take courage at first, but know this: a little vulnerability goes a long way. By admitting you’re wrong on occasion and learning to take constructive criticism, you may find yourself growing in ways you didn’t know were possible, starting with your empathy for others. And that’s to say nothing of your growing circle of friends!

Mostly B’s: Basically balanced
You’re confident enough to know that all bad things are not a direct reflection on you, and self-aware enough to know when you should take constructive criticism. All in all, this makes you a great problem-solver and peacemaker – someone who is easy to be around and can express passion without coming off as too emotional. The trouble comes when no amount of reason or logic sways others to your point of view.

To make it easier to deal with differences, work on developing your empathy. This way, even if you don’t agree with someone, you can see their point of view, and separate yourself from any disagreements that aren’t personal. To avoid being perceived as someone who pushes their opinions, be sure to take other people’s feelings and perspectives into consideration, and act with the common good in mind.

Mostly C’s: Always on alert!
You’re probably totally aware that you’re particularly sensitive… but do you realize how much unnecessary pain that hyper-sensitivity is causing? That’s right, other people aren’t the problem… your reaction to them is! The good news is, you can learn to stop taking little things so personally and save yourself a lot of heartache. The bad news is, being thin-skinned isn’t magically erased. You’ll have to do the work to toughen up.

The next time you feel offended, hurt, angry or scared, take a moment and check in with yourself. Ask yourself the real reason you’re feeling this way. Is it something someone said or did, or is it what that statement/action triggers in you? Odds are, it’s less about them and more about you. Do you always feel the need to be perfect, and feel that every time you come up short you’re letting someone down? Are you always the object of scrutiny, to the point where you feel like a moving target or a punching bag? Look at the patterns in your life, and where they originated. Becoming aware of why your experiences trigger hyper-sensitivity is the first step to overcoming it, so you can step out of your protective shell and thrive.