Stop being so sensitive

—actually, please don't!

Hello everyone! This is a short post to share a podcast episode I recorded at the end of last year. But while we’re here, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge a change of pace…

2025: the year of creating with abandon

I suspect I am the only person who pays attention to my publishing frequency. Nevertheless, I feel the need to explain why I am interrupting scheduled programming by posting on a Monday, not a Sunday. And 3 times in 3 weeks!!!

When I first started Messy Work, sticking to a strict publishing deadline (every other Sunday) helped me prioritise my writing in a doable way. And hey, I’m a recovering high achiever—we love a self-imposed deadline.

That structure was invaluable for building my commitment to a regular writing practice. But as that commitment has grown, I feel confident enough to loosen my grip.

Particularly as I grow my coaching business, I’m noticing a resistance to churning out “content” just for the sake of it (more on that here). So this year, I’m leaning in to what I call creating with abandon: cultivating the conditions I need to write, but balancing this discipline with more fluidity, spontaneity, intuition, and integrity.

All of this is to say that you can expect the usual messy work—personal essays, loose guides, pop culture moments for every occasion—just delivered at a slightly more organic pace.

Thanks for following along, and I hope you enjoy the podcast!

What if there’s no such thing as being “too sensitive”?

Have you every been told that you’re too sensitive? That you need to stop taking things so personally? That it’s not professional or permissible to be so damn emotional?

Yep, me too. And I know from personal experience that if you’re a sensitive type working in a high-pressure environment or a creative role, sometimes it can all get a bit too much. So if you’ve ever felt like your sensitivity is holding you back, this conversation is for you.

Because as I shared with Teresa Beehan on The Sensitive Professionals Podcast, the older I get, the more I’m learning to embrace my sensitivity—as something to be celebrated, rather than ashamed of.

Teresa Beehan is a brilliant Career Coach and founder of Practical Feeling, where she coaches sensitive professionals to call the shots in their careers, without losing their sanity (or humour).

Since we met on a business coaching course last summer, Teresa and I have had many a lovely chat about the realities of navigating life when you feel things a little more deeply than other people. She really opened my eyes to some of my own sensitive patterns, so it was an honour to be invited onto her podcast.

In this episode, we talk about the intersection of sensitivity, creativity and pressure, particularly in purpose-led environments (drawing from my own experience working in high-growth startups). If you’re curious about…

• How sensitivity fuels creativity and deep thinking

• The challenges of being a recovering high achiever in high-pressure workplaces

• The emotional toll of hyper-awareness and navigating volatile team dynamics

• How reframing “being different” can help you tap into your creative edge

• How sensitivity and creativity intersect to foster unique problem-solving approaches

…then I hope this episode will resonate and provide food for thought!

Have a listen here or on Spotify , and please let me know what you think (within reason—this was my first podcast in a very long time and I feel VERY VULNERABLE listening to my own voice/shuddering every time I use a filler word).

Until next time, when I’ll be returning with the usual long-form post to talk about whether you can unsubscribe from hustle culture, but still have ambition…

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About me + Messy Work

If you’re new here, I’m Lucia—a freelance writer, accredited coach, and certified sensitive type.

This newsletter is dedicated to making sense of, moving past and really celebrating the messy work of life—through personal essays, coaching psychology, and a lot of big questions.

You can learn more about my copywriting and coaching here.

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