Yahoo Introduces New "Groups" Format

Recently, Yahoo Groups completed a major overhaul of the way their system looks and works.

This is relevant to members of the Boston & New England HSP Group since our online discussion group is hosted on Yahoo Groups.

The main impact this has for group members is the need to "learn a new system." After using the new group interface (as the group admin) for a couple of weeks, I'm not that impressed. Part of what is bothersome is that the new setup looks absolutely nothing like the old one. Aside from the fact that we got to keep our archive of messages, everything has changed. And whereas the new YahooGroups "looks more modern" it's really not very intuitive, and it's difficult to figure out where things are.

Perhaps the change will not affect new members (who will never have seen the "old" system) as much as existing members who now need to learn their way around a completely new web site.

We have considered taking the group completely OFF Yahoo and perhaps moving to Facebook instead. Lots of people already have Facebook accounts, and even though Facebook's group functionality is not that great, it's pretty easy to use. The downside is that a lot of people-- and especially HSPs-- really do not like social media sites, and especially Facebook. There are also "privacy issues," as facebook (even though the service is free) uses people's personal information for marketing.

For the moment, we're going to take a "wait and see" approach with Yahoo... see how group activity and membership is affected by the change. The HSP Boston group has never been particularly active or lively (we rarely have more than 25 messages in a month), so any effects may be minimal.

As HSPs, we generally don't like change. And even when we "like" change, we can still find it disturbing and overstimulating. So, for now, we'll just wait and see how this "change" impacts the group.

HSP Boston & New England Group Celebrates 10th Anniversary!

The Boston and New England HSP Group was initially created on September 18th, 2003... which means that today marks the group's 10th Anniversary.

In most contexts, ten years is not all that much, but in the context of a web group it is actually an extremely long time.

The group was somewhat inspired by the nation's first "regional" online group for HSPs, which was started six months earlier in the San Francisco Bay area (more of less the "birthplace" of the whole idea of highly sensitive persons), by someone who'd felt inspired after attending one of the periodic "HSP Gatherings" in that part of the country. Ten years later, the HSP Boston group remains the second oldest active "regional" HSP group in the US.

That said, we are still a pretty small group (just over 100 members), and our forum enjoys only a limited number of discussions. 100 people might sound like a lot when you're an HSP, but when compared to some of the HSP groups on sites like Facebook (with 5000+ members) it's still pretty small. But hopefully we will be able to change that, in the years ahead-- at least the "activity level" part.

The group admins have recently received announcements that YahooGroups (where we host our online discussions) is about to undergo a major "format change" and we're hopeful that it will be for the better. The only big concern is over whether Yahoo is going to start charging people to have groups, in which case we may have to either move the group to a different venue, or shut it down completely... as it is unlikely a group like ours would survive as a "paid membership" group.

Milestone: Group membership passes 100!

It may not seem like a "big deal" but today the Boston HSP Group passed the 100 member mark! Thank you to everyone who has joined the group and remained with us over the years.

In recent months, there have been a number of inquiries and requests for meetings "in person," and as our member base (hopefully!) continues to grow, this possibility should become more feasible. Part of the challenge is that group members actually live all around the New England states... and most people would like events and meetings to take place "in their neighborhood."

As HSPs, we often are put off by having to "travel" to events-- even if they are not far away-- but hopefully enough common (geographically speaking) ground can be established to where the reward for meeting others of "our own kind" outweighs the hassles and stress of "having to get there."

Excellent "baseline reference" article describing different aspects of being an HSP

In many ways, the best way to "make peace" with this thing called "being a Highly Sensitive Person" is to learn as much as we can about the trait... and how it affects us.

Although it can be tempting to lean in that direction, it is scientifically proven that being an HSP is not an illness; not some kind of disorder there is some kind cure for. Thus, the best approach to a successful and happy life for the HSP comes through knowledge. The more we know, the better off we are.

On the "big picture" level, we can read books and do research and even consult a therapist. On a smaller and more immediate level, doing some research on the web can help us get a lost of good basic information. Of course, many would say that it's "overwhelming" to sort through so much information online-- there are literally hundreds of thousands of web pages that mention the topic and the number keeps getting bigger, every day.

The best "core" web page (as of this writing) about many different aspects of being an HSP is called "The Highly Sensitive Person or HSP: What Exactly IS that?"

It's quite long, but pretty much has the basics about the trait... from a description to interacting with work, to various other things. It's fairly easily readable, however, because it's broken up with photos, interactive quizzes, useful links and book recommendations.

Because it is written with a "general" audience in mind, it's also useful as a place to send other people (potential HSPs as well as your non-HSP friends who might want to learn more about what sorts of things make you tick) to, to learn more.

Knowledge is power.

HSPs in the News: Now on Oprah

Part of the process of getting HSPs-- and awareness of the HSP trait-- to be more recognized in a "general" sense comes from discussion and mentions in the media.

In order for HSPs ever to be "taken seriously," there has to discussion and awareness outside the still relatively small circle of people who have read Elaine Aron's books and already know they are HSPs.

A recent "very public" mention of the HSP trait comes on Oprah Winfrey's web site-- a venue that reaches millions of people. Oprah's web site is one of the 500 busiest in the world, and reaches more than 400,000 people per day.

Whereas one can debate whether the title "Are You Too Sensitive" is a positive spin on the trait, this is none-the-less a case of HSPs getting time in "public view." It should be added here that the article (based around Elaine Aron's quiz for sensitivity) was put together through consultation with Elaine Aron, herself-- and it's doubtful that she would put her name on something that would cast HSPs in too much of a negatively light.

Have a read and judge for yourself:

Am I Too Sensitive-- Highly Sensitive Person Quiz on Oprah.com

Love it or hate it, it IS a nice case of High Sensitivity being talked about to a wider audience.

90 Members and Growing

We recently passed the 90-member mark for the Boston and New England HSP Online Group, making the group one of the largest local/regional discussion forums for HSPs.

In 2013, we will be marking our 10th anniversary on the web. In many ways, 10 years is not a long time, but in the context of the Internet-- where things come and go very quickly-- it's an "age."

A warm welcome to everyone who has joined us recently!

HSPs and Distance Learning

It's a new year. For many, this means recent new year's resolutions to "change" something in our lives; to improve "how things are."

One of the frequent questions we (the group's admins) get by email concerns HSPs who want to find someone in the helping professions who works "locally."

This is a natural and real concern. When we seek self-development, it is very important to work with someone who "gets it." Alas, the HSP trait is still a fairly "specialized" branch of mental health, so it's not always possible of us to recommend or refer HSPs to someone local.

With that in mind, you might consider "distance learning."

Consultations with an HSP expert-- whether by phone, or by email-- can actually be very effective for HSPs. Although some are skeptical up front, phone and email consultations actually fit the HSP temperament quite well-- allowing us to stay in a comfortable location (home!) while doing effective learning.

If we work by email, the medium allows us plenty of time to "pause and reflect," as HSPs are wont to do. Although working by phone may be "live," it not only allows us to eliminate and anxiety associated with travel or "new places," it eliminates the brightness, loudness and other assaults on our senses... and allows us to focus on the learning.

So if you're seeking help with some issue, don't let the absence of a "local" therapist or coach stand in your way!