Do you sometimes feel like hope is nothing more than a setup for heartbreak? If you're a Highly Sensitive Person, you've probably spent your life preparing for worst-case scenarios and bracing for impact — especially when it feels like life keeps pulling the rug right out from under you.

In this episode, Danielle Grosse returns as my guest co-host as we explore how true hope meets us gently in the tension between fear and faith. You'll learn how to recognize false hope, notice God's presence in small but meaningful ways, and discover why biblical hope never rushes you, never shames you, and never disappoints you.

Links Mentioned:

• Episode #294: Healing at a Gentle Pace — Why We Need Gentle Words & Ample Time https://cherigregory.com/episode294/
• Episode #293: Come Out of Hiding — Your Invitation to Step Into Healing https://cherigregory.com/episode293
• Danielle's book The Boy, the Boxer, and the Yellow Rose: Because You're Not Lost. You're Healing.https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Boxer-Yellow-Rose-Healing/dp/1964251532/
• Take the “Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?” Self-Quiz https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/
• Learn more about the Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe https://sensitiveandstrongbook.com/sensitive-strong-community-cafe/

In a world obsessed with “quick fixes,” Highly Sensitive Persons can feel perpetually stuck — as if growing slowly means something’s gone terribly wrong. But deep healing does NOT happen by force or formula. So in this episode, we offer you a gentler invitation:

• to drop the timeline
• to honor the pace of your body and heart, and
• to trust that so-called “delayed” healing is still holy ground.

Through Danielle Grosse’s tender story of recovering while writing, we explore how gentle truths and soul-safe collaboration can help HSPs mend. Not by “powering through” but by finding refuge in the One who heals our deepest hurts.

Links Mentioned:

• Episode #293: Come Out of Hiding — Your Invitation to Step Into Healing https://cherigregory.com/episode293
• Danielle's book The Boy, the Boxer, and the Yellow Rose: Because You're Not Lost. You're Healing.https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Boxer-Yellow-Rose-Healing/dp/1964251532/
• Take the “Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?” Self-Quiz https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/
• Learn more about the "Clarity in Your Calling" Mastermind https://sensitiveandstrongbook.com/clarity-in-your-calling-mastermind/

Have you ever felt boxed in — by life, grief, expectations, or old labels you just can’t shake? Today, Danielle Grosse returns as my co-host, along with a group of our friends, as we explore what it means to step into healing … even when it feels risky or unfamiliar. You’ll hear how one powerful story is helping women tend to the hurting parts of their hearts in unexpected ways — and how realizing “you don’t live in a box now” can change everything. If your own HSP heart longs for gentle hope, safe connection, and the courage to believe healing has already begun, this episode is for you!

Links mentioned:

• Danielle's book The Boy, the Boxer, and the Yellow Rose: Because You’re Not Lost. You’re Healing.
• Take the “Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?” Self-Quiz: https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/

Episode Webpage:  https://CheriGregory.com/episode293

The decision is done — so why does your body still feel like it’s bracing for impact? It’s like your brain was on board but your body missed the memo.

If you know that feeling, you are not alone. For those of us with Sensory Processing Sensitivity, dealing with the aftermath of so much sensory strain can be intense: 

• second-guessing
• self-recrimination
• shame spirals

In this episode, we’ll explore the question, “How do you learn and grow from what just happened—especially when parts of the process were hard?” I’ll share what I’ve been learning about post-decision recovery, reflection, and documentation of your hard-won wisdom.

So if you’re craving closure that’s kind rather than self-critical, you'll gain the tools you need to find peace in the present and to Equip Your Future Self!

Links mentioned:

• The Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe: https://CheriGregory.com/Cafe/
• Take the “Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?” Self-Quiz: https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/

Episode Webpage:  https://CheriGregory.com/episode292

Does decision-making leave you feeling pushed around — by others and even by your own brain?

For so many Highly Sensitive Persons, high-stakes choices can feel like we’re navigating a minefield while wearing a blindfold!

In this episode, my analytically-minded son Jonathon reveals how external pressure can sway us during important decisions. And I’ll share strategies to calm the inner turmoil so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.

You’ll walk away with practical tools to recognize unhealthy pressure, protect your peace, and stand your ground — with others and with yourself.

Links mentioned:

• The Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe: https://CheriGregory.com/Cafe/
• Take the “Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?” Self-Quiz: https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/

Episode Webpage:  https://CheriGregory.com/episode291

When you feel like you’re always second-guessing yourself, it’s tempting to idealize being a "one-and-done" decision-maker!  But what if changing your mind isn't a sign of weakness but actually a sign of wisdom? In this episode, we're tackling the myth that Highly Sensitive Persons are “wishy-washy.” You’ll learn how “trying on” different options can

• free you from the guilt of sunk costs,
• help you honor your real-time needs, and
• lead to better choices in the long-run.

You’ll also gain permission to update out-dated decisions, while embracing God’s grace as you grow. Changing your mind does not make you flaky. So often, it simply means that you’re paying attention!

Links mentioned:

• The Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe: https://CheriGregory.com/Cafe/
• Take the “Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?” Self-Quiz: https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/

Episode Webpage:  https://CheriGregory.com/episode290

In a world that idealizes instant answers and snap decisions, Highly Sensitive Persons often get labeled hesitant ... indecisive ... over-thinking. But what if your HSP brain and body are not motivated by being told to “Hurry Up”? What if your soul responds to pressure by asking, “Can we please slow down?” What if you need a counter-cultural approach to decision-making?

In this episode, I share a real-life story of navigating a big decision (with a looming deadline) as an HSP who is, by definition, a reflective thinker. You’ll learn how scripture, curiosity, and community can lead to clarity and confidence. If you, too, struggle with decision-making, I hope you’ll find encouragement to honor your God-given pace and—whenever possible—to Take. Your. Time.

Links mentioned:

• The Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe: https://CheriGregory.com/Cafe/
• Take the “Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?” Self-Quiz: https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/

Episode Webpage:  https://CheriGregory.com/episode289

Why does getting what you want sometimes feel so wrong? You finally speak up, advocate for yourself, and even win—but instead of feeling victorious, you’re hit with guilt, second-guessing, or a sudden urge to backtrack. What is up with that?  Well, in this episode, I’m sharing a real-life situation that left me wondering ...

• why asking for what I want feels so uncomfortable
• why getting what I want can feel so much worse than just going with the flow, and
• how this is all tangled up with people-pleasing, perfectionism, and a deep DEEP desire for certainty.

So if you’ve ever struggled to stand your ground, let’s talk about how to move forward with confidence—minus the emotional whiplash!

Links mentioned:

• The Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe: https://CheriGregory.com/Cafe/
• Take the “Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?” Self-Quiz: https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/

Episode Webpage:  https://CheriGregory.com/episode288

Do you sometimes get caught up in the cycle of feeling ‘not enough’? If so, you’re not alone! In this episode, Amy Carroll returns as my guest co-host, and we get real about the questions of “enough-ness” that so many of us wrestle with, especially as Highly Sensitive Christian Women. In this deeply personal conversation, Amy opens her heart around the worry Am I enough? while I share my life-long struggles with wondering Am I DOING enough? Throughout this episode, you’ll discover practical ways to identify and shift the beliefs that keep you stuck in overthinking, overworking, and self-doubt. You can embrace your identity as God’s beloved … and you can learn to discern when enough is truly enough.

Links mentioned:

• The Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe: https://CheriGregory.com/Cafe/
• Take the “Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?” Self-Quiz: https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/

Episode Webpage:  https://CheriGregory.com/episode287

Are you the person everyone turns to — because you’re the peacemaker, the caregiver, the one who always says yes — but deep down you’re running on empty? In this honest and hope-filled conversation, guest co-host Danielle Grosse explores "the Heart of a Helper" and helps us understand why those of us who love to serve often struggle to receive. She shares

• why it’s so difficult to admit when we need help,
• how we can let others pour back into us, and
• what happens when we finally give ourselves permission to heal.

If helping others has ever felt like both your greatest joy and your heaviest burden, this episode is for you. Join us for a discussion full of grace, wisdom, and real-life encouragement and that offers a new perspective on what it truly means to serve well as HSPs—without sacrificing your own well-being.

Links mentioned:

• Danielle's website
  • Sign up for Danielle's newsletter ... which includes "Just Ask Dani"
  • Take Danielle's quiz "The Heart of a Helper: Uncover What You Need Right Now"
• Take the “Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?” Self-Quiz: https://CheriGregory.com/hspquiz/
• Enroll in "Overcome Procrastination & JUST WRITE: 7 Surprisingly Simple Strategies to Get Your Words Flowing" https://writebesideyou.com/join/

Episode Webpage:  https://CheriGregory.com/episode286