Nothing gets under my skin like a Glade plug-in. Seriously. I’m at a point in my life where I can sense those icky, parfum-heavy, fake smells from a mile away. They make me grumpy, usually give me a headache, and make my nose itch like I’m about to sneeze as soon as I realize one is nearby.

I can remember one airBnb I stayed at in Texas. I was out there for a yoga training and was happy that I’d found a cozy little space to call home for the week. I rolled up to the house, parked my rental car, and headed up the stairs to the deck. I buzzed in on the keypad and started taking a look around…

I liked the vibe immediately. The furniture and decor was great. I loved the colors, and how warm and inviting the little house was. Great kitchen, great bathroom, great bedroom, except… the place reeked!

What is that smell? I wondered, glancing around the living room.

Then I spotted it. An unassuming, small little plastic bulb filled with clear liquid sticking out of the wall. Ugh!

In a matter of just a few minutes I ran around every room again to realize they all had their own Glade plug-in. “Fresh scent” everywhere! My nose started to tickle, and I sneezed as I yanked them out of the walls, collecting them up in a pile. I went to the bathroom, opened the sink under the counter, and shoved them in the back corner. I even grabbed one of the towels and wrapped it over top. I knew it wouldn’t be enough to eliminate the smell completely but at least they were tucked away and I was on my way to being able to breathe. Suffice to say, I kept the door and windows open while I got unpacked!

Here’s another short story about a run-in with Glade plug-ins…

So I’m at this wellness center in downtown Salt Lake City, a place that offers floats and massage. I haven’t floated since I moved from California to Utah a couple years ago and I’m super excited to try this place and to get back into a floating routine.

I walk in from the parking lot and pull the door to the lobby open…

Immediately: a layer of fake fresh lavender over top a hint of cigarette smoke. Yuck! I try to pretend I’m not smelling this while I fill out the paperwork. I smile at the guy working the front desk when I hand in my form and change into the little sandals you wear when you head back for your appointment.

But it only gets worse the farther into the place I get:

Air fresheners in the bathroom.

Terrible flowery hand soap.

Towels that smell like Tide.

And even the humid air in the float tank reeks of perfume and smoking.

It’s enough to make me realize, I won’t be back here again.

This month, I’m sharing micro essays like this one about what it’s like to live as a highly sensitive person (HSP). Being incredibly sensitive to scents has led me on a journey to using only safe, non-toxic, natural products around the house. I’m super mindful of soaps, laundry detergent, candles, cleaning supplies, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, makeup, skincare, you name it. I constantly look things up on the Skin Deep database to see how dangerous they are.

I notice perfumes and deodorant smells on other people when I walk past them. I wash my hands again when I get home if I’ve used a public bathroom because the smell of the soap (gingerbread or sage or gardenia or whatever) stays with me for longer than I’d like. I struggle with hotel smells— the towels, the hand soap, the body wash, the lobby. As much as possible, I avoid the aisle in the grocery store with all the cleaning products, bleach, crazy awful soaps, etc. and you will not find me in a Yankee Candle store to save my life.

I don’t mean to complain too much, but just to say: this is what life is like as a highly sensitive person. Smells are louder, somehow. They’re heightened. Intense. Even when they are meant to be soothing, if they’re built on chemicals, I am going to know it.

I consistently avoid heavily scented products, so when I’m around them it’s pretty painful.

Every highly sensitive person and empath has a unique healing journey, and mine has been powerful. I want other HSPs like me to know— you’re not alone. There are other humans out there who get it and who want the best for you. You’re not too sensitive; you are a unique being with so much to offer the world. Now is the time to take your power back and care for yourself.

Your gifts are a strength, and you can learn how to work with them. It takes time, patience, and a willingness to honor yourself. Learning to own it, to own who you are and how you operate, isn’t easy in a world that is increasingly loud, chaotic, and oriented toward non-sensitives, but it’s doable and worth it. As you understand yourself more, and as you express what it’s like to be you in this wild, loud world, you will learn to trust yourself and honor your needs, to take pride in your sensitivity.

My hope is that these short essays help you see yourself with pride, love yourself with grace, and shift the culture away from shaming sensitivity to embracing it.

Not everyone will understand us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t own our sensitivity and be ourselves. Sensitives deserve respect and understanding. Our sensitivity is a gift, not a burden.

Stay tuned for more short stories like this about my own personal experiences, plus resources for sensitives who want to optimize their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and thrive instead of just survive.

If you’re a sensitive and have a story to share, I’d love to hear from you.

Here’s another post you might like: 10 Things that Help Me Stay Grounded as a Highly Sensitive Person

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