According to psychologist and author Elaine Aron, 15-20 percent of the population is “highly sensitive” and many of us are artists. She promises we don’t have a disorder just a need to nurture ourselves because of our tendency to be deep, overwhelmed because we perceive so much. Her book, The Highly Sensitive Person, is a life-changing read and has taught me that my sensitivity is also my gift and that I can succeed, not despite my sensitivity, but because of it. Aron, Elaine N. The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1998.