WHY AM I SO SENSITIVE? — WORKSHEET
The Deep-Dive Worksheet: Where You Learn to Read UNGA's Alarms
This worksheet goes with the blog. It has 8 short sections. Each one tells you exactly what to do, and shows you a filled-in example first, so you always know what your answer should look like. Take your time. There are no wrong answers here.
1. THIS WEEK IN UNGA MOMENTS
Instructions: Over the next few days, notice when you have a big reaction to something small, or a room suddenly feels like too much. As soon as it passes, come back here and fill in an entry: what happened, what your body did first, what UNGA said, and a guess at how loud the alarm ran.
EXAMPLE
What happened: My coworker went quiet in a meeting and I assumed I'd done something wrong.
What my body did first: My chest got tight and my face got hot.
What UNGA said: "Something's wrong. You need to fix this right now."
How loud the alarm ran (1 to 10): 8
ENTRY 1
What happened: __________________________________________________________
What my body did first: __________________________________________________________
What UNGA said: __________________________________________________________
How loud the alarm ran (1 to 10): __________________________________________________________
ENTRY 2
What happened: __________________________________________________________
What my body did first: __________________________________________________________
What UNGA said: __________________________________________________________
How loud the alarm ran (1 to 10): __________________________________________________________
ENTRY 3
What happened: __________________________________________________________
What my body did first: __________________________________________________________
What UNGA said: __________________________________________________________
How loud the alarm ran (1 to 10): __________________________________________________________
2. SEPARATE THE SIGNAL FROM THE STORY
Instructions: Your body sends a signal first, a tight chest, a spike of dread, tears rising fast. Then UNGA adds a story on top of it. This exercise helps you tell them apart. Pick one moment from your entries above and use it here.
EXAMPLE
The signal: Tight chest, racing heart, a sudden urge to leave the room.
The story UNGA added: "Everyone can tell something's wrong with me."
Circled: A LITTLE OF BOTH
What did your body actually feel? Just the sensation, no story attached: __________________________________________________________
What did UNGA say it meant: __________________________________________________________
Now circle the one that feels most true.
ABOUT RIGHT NOW ABOUT HOW LOUD MY ALARM RUNS IN GENERAL A LITTLE OF BOTH
3. MAP YOUR SENSORS
Instructions: Everybody's internal alarm system is calibrated differently. This section helps you get familiar with yours, so you can recognize it faster the next time it goes off.
EXAMPLE
My body usually reacts first in: my chest and my stomach.
The signal I notice most often is: a tight, sinking feeling.
It tends to show up when: someone's tone shifts, even slightly.
Growing up, paying attention this closely helped me: know when it was safe to relax.
My body usually reacts first in: __________________________________________________________
The signal I notice most often is: __________________________________________________________
It tends to show up when: __________________________________________________________
Growing up, paying attention this closely helped me: __________________________________________________________
4. THE COST OF YOUR GO-TO MOVE
Instructions: When UNGA speaks up, most people do one of two things: believe every signal completely, or shut the sensors down and push through. Circle the one you do most.
BELIEVE IT COMPLETELY SHUT IT DOWN
EXAMPLE
I shut it down.
What it's cost me: I told myself I was fine at a job that was draining me for a year, until I finally burned out completely. I wish I'd trusted the early signals.
What has this move cost you this past year? Think about a relationship, a job, your body, or your patience with yourself: __________________________________________________________
If you stopped doing this, what would you have to feel instead: __________________________________________________________
5. BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE FILE
Instructions: UNGA likes to say "something's wrong with you for feeling this much." This section is where you gather proof that your sensitivity is a skill, not a flaw. Think of three real times your sensors picked something up early, and it actually mattered.
EXAMPLE
I felt uneasy about a new friend before I could explain why. Months later I found out they'd been dishonest with several people. My gut had it right.
1: __________________________________________________________
2: __________________________________________________________
3: __________________________________________________________
Tip: keep this list somewhere you'll see it again, and add to it every time your sensors turn out to be right.
6. A LETTER FROM YOUR HIGHER SELF TO UNGA
Instructions: AKO is your higher self, the calm, wise part of you. In this section, AKO writes UNGA a short letter. Thank her for trying to protect you. Then tell her what's changed since she learned to run this loud.
EXAMPLE
Dear UNGA, thank you for trying to keep me safe by noticing everything first. I know you learned to run loud because it kept me prepared. But I'm safe now, and I don't need the alarm at full volume every time a room feels a little off. I can take it from here.
Now write your own letter, in your own words.
Dear UNGA,
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
7. THE TWO-MINUTE RESET
Instructions: Next time your sensors spike, try this before you react. Put a hand on your chest, take three slow breaths, and ask yourself if this is happening now or if it's familiar. Log what happened.
EXAMPLE
Before: chest tight, heart racing, sure something was wrong.
After: still alert, but steadier, able to actually think instead of just react.
Before the reset: __________________________________________________________
After the reset: __________________________________________________________
8. THIS WEEK'S SMALL EXPERIMENT
Instructions: Choose one small new thing to try next time UNGA sounds the alarm. Fill in the sentence below before you try it. Then come back and write down what actually happened.
EXAMPLE
If I pause for one full breath before reacting, instead of responding right away, I predict I'll feel a little steadier within a few minutes.
Result: I paused, noticed the room was just loud, not unsafe, and the tightness in my chest eased on its own.
"If I __________________ instead of __________________, I predict I'll feel __________________."
Result, after trying it: __________________________________________________________
Final Note
None of this proves you're too much. It proves your sensors are finely tuned, and now you also know how to work with them.
You got this! Nobody is coming to save you… you have to save yourself!