When You’re The Girl Who Feels Too Much

It’s difficult being the girl who feels “too much” in a world where logic trumps feelings. It’s a constant battle to either quiet your feelings or scare people away. We all do it, some more than others—we hide our hearts to protect them from shattering.

We feel “I love you,” but say “that’s great.” We stay cool, stay detached.

We feel “I miss you,” but text “I’ll let you know when I’m free.” We pretend not to care.

We feel “I need you,” but answer “doin’ good.” We pretend to be strong.

We think we’re being cool by perpetrating the falsehood that deep feelings are wrong. We’re part of the problem. We’re continuing the cycle of loneliness instead of forging a new path toward connection. We play into the idea of “cool,” but all it brings us is coldness.

I admire those who are unapologetically themselves. Those who hand out their hearts with every interaction, without fear there’ll eventually be nothing left. I aspire to be like them.

If you’re the girl who feels “too much,” I want you to know that your vulnerability is a gift. It does not make you weak. Don’t let them convince you that you’re too soft. It is okay to think with your heart. Admirable, even. Loving deep and being in tune with your emotions isn’t a fault. One of the most beautiful things about love is that you make your own rules—it’s not possible to do it wrong, as long as you’re doing it honestly.

You just need to find someone who’s in awe of your strong emotional capacity instead of burdened by it. And to find them, you have to keep putting yourself out there—showing the world the hidden treasures that are raw emotions.

Founder of The Autism Cafe, writer, photographer, mother, and author of the photographic memoir, All Across The Spectrum, and Be The One, a poetry collection.

Keep up with Eileen on Instagram and theautismcafe.com