I was thinking about this yesterday. I'd almost started a thread on this topic. I seem to be so easily affected by people/things in my environment. It's frustrating! I thought we are supposed to get "tougher" as we age! Instead, my heart is more open and, thus, is an easy target for miserable people. I've always been "sensitive." In many ways, I am even more sensitive, not less. I need to learn how to protect myself sometimes and how to not allow others to cause any inner turmoil for me.
It takes great awareness to keep an open heart and to not allow people/situations to "rock the boat" too much.
It takes awareness and time/practice to learn how to balance it all.

The "default" behavior might be to close one's heart. Yet, that just does not feel healthy to me. It's so the opposite of who I am. I am guessing it's the same for you?


WC