May 6, 2025 • 53 mins
Do you struggle with big emotions? In this episode, I talk with Tori Deal about what to keep in your emotional regulation toolkit and:
• Building emotional resilience through poetry, meditation, and movement
• The importance of creating safe spaces for yourself when facing challenges
• Three types of meditation and their benefits
• Balancing your needs to be creative and introspective while being in the spotlight
On the surface, you’ll see Tori competing in wild stunts on MTV’s The Challenge and showing up on social media with confidence. But beneath it all, she's a deeply sensitive soul, fully aware of how wild it is to be alive, always striving to connect with others on the deepest level possible. As the author of two books—currently working on a third—Tori embraces both my individual creative space and the spotlight in equal measure.
Keep in touch with Tori:
• Website: http://www.thesoulspill.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tori_deal
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesoulspill
Resources Mentioned:
• The Soul Spill by Tori Deal: https://shop.torideal.com/products/the-soul-spill
• The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780393353976
Thanks for listening! You can read the full show notes and sign up for my email list to get new episode announcements and other resources at:
https://www.sensitivestories.com
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This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment with a mental health or medical professional.
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Episode Transcript
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Tori Deal (00:00):
I think a lot of where my ability to want to
create and to want to put myselfout there is because I can
align my emotions and somehowchannel it into feeding what I
believe is my purpose.
That feels spiritual in a way.
April Snow (00:21):
Welcome to Sensitive Stories, the podcast for the
people who live with hearts andeyes wide open.
I'm your host, psychotherapistand author, april Snow.
I invite you to join me as Ideep dive into rich
conversations with fellow highlysensitive people that will
inspire you to live a morefulfilling life as an HSP
(00:44):
without all the overwhelm.
In this episode, I talk withTori Diehl about the experience
of having big feelings as an HSP.
What's helpful to have in yourtoolbox, such as poetry,
meditation and movement, andbalancing life in the spotlight
when you're highly sensitive.
On the surface, you'll see Toricompeting in wild stunts on
(01:05):
MTV's the Challenge and showingup on social media with
confidence, but underneath itall, she's a deeply sensitive
soul, fully aware of how wild itis to be alive, always striving
to connect with others on thedeepest level possible.
As the author of two bookscurrently working on a third, as
(01:30):
the author of two bookscurrently working on a third,
tori embraces both individualcreative space and the spotlight
in equal measure.
For more HSP resources and tosee behind-the-scenes video from
the podcast, join me onInstagram, tiktok or YouTube at
Sensitive Strengths or sign upfor my email list.
Links are in the show notes andat sensitivestoriescom.
And just a reminder that thisepisode is for educational
purposes only and is notintended as a substitute for
(01:52):
treatment with a mental healthor medical professional.
Let's dive in.
Hi Tori, welcome to the podcast.
(02:17):
I'm so excited to connect withyou today.
Tori Deal (02:26):
April.
I am beyond excited to connectwith you and I love that I found
you through your work and thespace you create on social media
.
So it's really just not just anhonor to be here but, like I
already feel super relaxed.
April Snow (02:36):
Same, absolutely.
I'm so excited to connect.
You know, I love that we canmeet folks through Instagram and
just a little shout out toDorothy and Ren yes, and Ren's
Coffee, alice and Books.
That's how we came to know eachother and, yeah, and now we're
getting to know each other alittle bit further and face to
face, which I love.
Tori Deal (02:54):
Absolutely.
April Snow (02:55):
And just excited to hear more about your internal
work, Because I know you spend alot of time in the public space
and out in the spotlight.
Tori Deal (03:03):
but I'm excited to go a little deeper today.
Yes, and I love to go there.
Anybody who's willing to go tothat depth with me.
I'm like let's go, let's do itRight, that's what we do down
there.
April Snow (03:13):
Exactly.
Let's go deep.
So, speaking of that, I'mwondering.
I always like to hear about howyou got here to knowing that
you're sensitive, so I'd love toknow a little bit more about
your HSP discovery story, how orwhen that you realized, oh, I'm
more sensitive than otherpeople.
Tori Deal (03:29):
Yes, and you know, I didn't even know that HSP was a
thing until you.
Wow, okay, I thought on it.
I knew so when I picked up theworkbook, because the name of
the workbook is Find yourStrength, which I'm sure your
whole audience already knows.
I just wanted to say it right,so I had to like, look at it
very quickly, I'm like let menot mess this up, but I saw the
(03:50):
book that Ren posted and wasimmediately drawn to it.
I picked it up and I startedgoing through it, and so I guess
that's when I figured out thata lot of the prompts in the
workbook were things I wasexperiencing.
But I never considered myself ahighly sensitive person,
because I feel like when I thinkof a highly sensitive person
(04:11):
I'd never.
I'm also very out in the publiceye.
I'm also like doing a lot ofcharisma charisma I don't even
know if that's a wordCharismatic.
April Snow (04:19):
Charismatic things.
Tori Deal (04:21):
You know, I'm out there, I'm in the streets, so
like I felt, like you know,maybe that's not me, but when I
think about it on a deeper,deeper level, I have always been
extremely sensitive.
My connection with animals haskind of been the first doorway
for that for me.
I'm a full vegan.
I have been for over threeyears now and I've always kind
(04:43):
of like teetered the line ofvegetarianism and veganism but
I've never, like I never fullycommitted to it until more
recently.
But that's kind of when Irealized, okay, I have a lot of
feelings and a lot ofconnections with just people.
Anytime anybody talks to me, Ican put myself in that person's
shoes and I can feel whatthey're feeling.
Anytime it has to take a reallynasty person for me to forget
(05:08):
that I'm supposed to try to putmyself in their shoes.
It's just automatic.
Yeah, it's just automatic.
The moment somebody meets me, Imeet them exactly where they're
at, and that has carried methrough really interesting
places in life.
Like it's been this blend ofbeing an athlete, you know, but
also like creating a lot ofcamaraderie on my team.
(05:29):
I was always picked to be acaptain and I think that had to
do with not my skill set,because I was not the best
soccer player, like, was not.
I just had an ability toconnect with a lot of my
teammates, which is what youknow being a good captain is
essentially.
And then that translated intoeventually getting on a TV show,
which my first one was thisshow, are you the One?
(05:50):
And it was a dating show.
But you also have to connectwith your castmates, and so then
again it comes down toconnection, and I always felt
like I thrived in that area,having deep conversations with
people and really getting toknow them, like, not just like
these these frizzy little frailcombos about gossip or whatever.
I can't, it's just so lowenergy to me.
(06:11):
So when I started to realize,okay, this is kind of who I am,
I'm still learning about it, Iguess, I like to say, but more
recently I've really just kindof tapped into what it is, and
so thank you for putting out allyou do, because I feel like
I've learned so much from youalready.
April Snow (06:31):
I'm so honored to be part of that process for you.
Because, it's true, If you lookat the surface of what you're
doing online and maybe in yourpersonal life too I'm not sure,
but you wouldn't tag you as asensitive person.
But when I looked at the spacebetween the lines, how you talk
about your experiences, thedepth that you share, your
(06:58):
emotionality reading your bookSoul Spill, HSP, all over the
place, it's like this is soobvious and I just want to give
folks watching this on YouTubejust like a little sneak peek
here, because if you just lookat some of the imagery and I
know you had an illustrator, butyeah, I know this is kind of
the vibe we're going for here.
Yeah, right, and I just want toread a little passage this is
one of my favorites.
Tori Deal (07:17):
If that's okay, just to pause here real quick
absolutely.
April Snow (07:20):
this one's called lost, a desolate plummet coiled
in pain, lost in and Drowned bythe Rain.
And that's just a little sneakpeek.
This book is so deep andemotional, like there's no way
you're not an HSP.
Tori Deal (07:34):
Yeah, yeah, super emotional person, yeah, super
emotional.
Balancing emotions has beensuch an interesting experience
because I was on SSRIs for twoand a half years and I just
recently came off them and Imean like that is a whole other
conversation, but like learninghow to balance emotions and like
(07:57):
feeling them is a work of alifetime, truly.
April Snow (08:03):
That's an understatement.
Yeah, yeah, it's life's work.
Yeah, lifetime, truly, that'san understatement.
Yeah, it's life's work.
Yeah, it is.
And this is one of the reasonsI was excited to talk to you,
because you are not thestereotypical HSP.
But I think we need tohighlight the folks that don't
fit in this kind of fragile mold.
We can be out here as HSPs.
(08:23):
We can show up, we can be inthe spotlight, we can, you know,
put out our creative works andinternal emotional feelings out
in the world.
We can do all that.
Yes, and so I love yeah, right,like let's do more of that, and
I love seeing you put all thosepieces together for yourself,
like, yeah, all these things canbe true.
Tori Deal (08:42):
Yeah, definitely, I totally agree.
And at some point I guess therewas this like learning of how
to take a lot of sad feelingsand turn them into a more
action-based approach.
Like there's an anger in herenow, so where are we going with
this Exactly?
So how can I use that anger andturn it into something that is
(09:03):
healing but also powerful andthen maybe can make an impact?
You know, I think a lot ofwhere my ability to want to
create and to want to put myselfout there is because I feel,
like, am I aligning with mypurpose?
Like, why am I on the planet?
What am I here to do?
I'm not saying I'm special, butlike I'm here, so why?
(09:24):
You know like.
And so if I can align myemotions and somehow channel it
into feeding what I believe ismy purpose, well then, that at
least gives me purpose to behere, you know.
So it feels like spiritual in away.
April Snow (09:39):
Yeah, it's deeper right.
I mean, there's some reasonyou're feeling the anger, the
sadness, all the emotions, andthe message is dampen those down
, keep those contained, but asyou're starting, maybe, to step
into them more, you get to see,oh wait, there's meaning here.
Tori Deal (09:58):
Yes.
April Snow (09:58):
Right, like anger is not here just because I'm not
being irrational, I'm not beingdramatic.
There's a reason.
Yes, right, so I'm curious ifyou're open to it.
You know, as you were growingup not knowing you were
sensitive, and so many of usdon't.
We just know somethingdifferent about me.
I feel more.
You know I'm not quite likesome of the other people in my
(10:19):
life.
Was there messages you gotabout being a big feeler?
Was there?
Tori Deal (10:24):
messages you got about being a big feeler, you
know?
Not really, because I would saythat I kept a lot of my
emotions to myself and I wrotepoetry.
April Snow (10:34):
Yeah.
Tori Deal (10:35):
And I like really realized how sad I was when I
was like I went back to my dad'shouse after I had moved back
home and I like was goingthrough old boxes that I had
when I lived there and I saw apoem, like a really sad poem
that I wrote, I guess, when Iwas a kid, and I was like, oh,
this is where, this is where itall went.
The outside world, like I in myfamily, in my childhood dynamic
(10:58):
I was always the funny one, theone that made the situation
easier for everyone to cope with, and I became the scapegoat for
entertainment because italleviated some type of chaos
that was happening within thefamily and that has just
completely multiplied for myadult life.
So, like I have been workingwith a life coach for, I'd say,
(11:20):
five years now, I've had atherapist in between that
experience.
So I've done so much workfiguring out now how it turned
from that to this, because atsome point I'm like wait, how
did I get here?
It stems from everything backthere.
So I think I started to realizewhen I was sensitive, when I
guess, you know, my friendsweren't writing poetry or my
(11:41):
friends, you know, they weren'tdoing these kinds of things.
So I'm like, okay, well, I'mfiguring out an outlet.
So, this means that there'ssomething that needs to come out
.
April Snow (11:50):
Exactly, and you had the intuition to know.
Poetry is a way to let that out.
Yes, right, isn't that amazing.
Tori Deal (11:58):
Yes.
April Snow (11:59):
Because how do you know that it doesn't sound like
you come from a family of poets.
Tori Deal (12:03):
No, but you know what it was.
I always had like a like therelationship with my mom was she
is a good person and she meanswell, but I think there was a
portion of time where there wasa bit of a disconnection, and so
there was one point where shegave me a compliment and I took
that compliment and I ran withthat compliment.
She was like oh, you're a goodwriter, and like that made me
(12:24):
feel like that was a point ofconnection with my mother.
And it's so funny because I'mlike really piecing that
together kind of right now, likeI feel like.
I knew that, but I never reallysaid that out loud before, so
it's interesting.
April Snow (12:36):
It's important.
Tori Deal (12:37):
Yeah, I think that like moment was very, very
powerful.
April Snow (12:48):
It makes sense because as HSPs we take any
little morsel, we soak every bitout of it.
I can relate to that a lot.
Like those comments that mighteven be just said in passing,
they mean everything to us,everything, everything.
And that was, you know, mom'slittle way of saying like, oh,
this is okay, or I support you,or whatever.
The message was yes, and you'relike yes, please I'll take it.
Yeah.
(13:08):
How many poems will you readExactly?
I'll read a hundred, yeah,exactly, and then that leads you
to writing a book.
I mean, that's pretty amazing,right that?
That's the impact.
Tori Deal (13:21):
Oh man, like what a cool experience to and you know
I'm sure you feel the same wayabout being an author Like it's
just such a work of heart and alabor of love.
April Snow (13:30):
It is truly a labor of love.
Yeah, and there's a lot ofgrowth that happens in the
process.
Just for myself, I don't knowif that would be true for you,
given how personal it really is,definitely.
Tori Deal (13:41):
Yeah, there were some poems in there like like I had
to kind of run by my familybecause I never talked to them
about some of those momentsbefore, and so when I did,
eventually, you know, it wasjust cathartic.
It opened me right up, you know, and like it just brought us
together in a way that we wereable to heal things from many
years before.
April Snow (14:00):
So it felt like a very important part of my
healing process many yearsbefore, so it felt like a very
important part of my healingprocess.
Yeah, it's interesting becauseyou said you used to be the
scapegoat in the family, andthat's often how the emotional
ones are we just take it all onand we are the emotional
channelers for the family.
Yes, but now it sounds likeyou're more of the emotional
leader.
Tori Deal (14:22):
It does feel good in that way.
And you know, what's so cool isI'm like really stepping into
that leadership role.
And I kind of got this fromdoing the workbook because there
was a prompt about what's inyour toolkit when you're feeling
like, when you're feeling likeyou're having one of these
emotional moments and for meit's always been meditating
(14:43):
emotional moments and for meit's always been meditating and
I realized how much I loved itand I have just constantly been
writing about it.
And that moment for me was like, oh, I should dive deeper into
this.
And now I'm getting certifiedto be a meditation coach.
Oh, I love this.
Yes, so it's helping me.
It helped me kind of step intothat confidence, which is
another thing that I struggledwith.
Well, like how can you beconfident with your emotions?
(15:03):
Like it's not a career, right?
Like I guess it is when you're atherapist right?
It is yeah, I made a job out ofit.
Yeah, you can absolutely make ajob out of it.
I guess you know what You're soright.
So you're a professionalemotional wrestler.
April Snow (15:19):
I always joke.
People pay me to help them cry.
Tori Deal (15:22):
But like it's such a great and beautiful thing, you
know it really is.
April Snow (15:26):
I feel it's a privilege.
Tori Deal (15:28):
Yeah, I mean, and for you to be able to help other
people the way you do, you haveto have been able to feel that
pain.
April Snow (15:35):
Absolutely.
You have to do the work first.
Yeah, right, just like you haveto sit in meditation and
experience the discomfort andthe bliss of that, all of it
first, before you can guideothers through it.
Yes, yes.
Tori Deal (15:49):
And intuitively, I was already like opening up my
space to being like friend, letme guide you through meditation
Right, like yeah, but now thatI've really honed in on it and
like have been like learning soso much, it's been such an
awesome way to be a leader inthis emotional space, in a place
that comes straight from mytoolkit.
April Snow (16:10):
Yeah, right, and I think a lot of times we don't
even realize what's in ourtoolkit.
Tori Deal (16:14):
Yeah, that's true.
April Snow (16:15):
Because it comes naturally or organically, like
poetry did for you.
So you've mentioned poetry,you've mentioned meditation.
I'm curious are those theprimary tools or there other
tools that help you really sitwith and maybe work through your
emotions?
Tori Deal (16:30):
Yeah, so I definitely think relying on a friend has
always been a big one for me,like being able to like have
that one trusted person toconfide in and then the other
one is kind of like where Iguess it's like a power
meditation.
It's when I'm working out LikeI love.
I don't love working out, but Ilove the feeling I experience
(16:51):
when.
I'm done working out.
April Snow (16:52):
Right, and you know what I'm realizing now.
I think a lot of times we thinksensitive.
Oh, we have to be gentle withourselves.
But you're hearing a lot more,which I'm excited about that.
Working out, pushing yourself,actually builds resilience in
your nervous system.
Right, and we know the effectsof on our mood and our energy,
but also on our regulation.
Yes, so exciting to see.
So I love seeing that you'remodeling that for folks.
Tori Deal (17:17):
Thank you, yeah, and it's the integration of mind,
body, spirit.
That's what it is.
It's that body piece that, whenI'm not actively practicing
some type of movement whetherit's a slow yoga flow or it's a
dance sometimes I'm chaoticallydancing around my house like no
one watching.
Oh yeah, you have to, you haveto.
(17:38):
Honestly, I wish people werewatching because it's great.
It's really not.
It's really really not.
I bet it's freeing, though.
April Snow (17:46):
I mean I have a space that I left clear in my
living room just so I could likedance with a band in yes, yeah,
just lose it Exactly.
Tori Deal (17:55):
So, yeah, I think like, yeah, movement is so, so,
so key, and it's a form ofmeditation in a way.
Once you get to that place oflike that runner's high can kind
of bring you there, if you dolike a walking meditation, which
is something that's really cool, you get this euphoric
experience of connecting mindand body and spirit.
And so there's so many, there'sso many cool ways to
(18:16):
incorporate movement into beingin your toolkit.
April Snow (18:19):
Absolutely, and I love that you're talking about
these tools which I think weoften segregate.
Oh, meditation's over here andthen exercise is over here.
No, we can blend them together.
Yeah Right, they can all be one.
Everything could be spiritual.
Tori Deal (18:32):
Everything.
If it's an act of love, ifyou're doing it with love and
awareness, it's a spiritualactivity.
April Snow (18:37):
That's it Exactly.
It's really the mindset youbring to it.
Yes, so working out for you ismore than working out.
Tori Deal (18:45):
Definitely, and sometimes it's not.
I'll be honest, sometimes it'syou know me bullying myself Like
all right, you know you have toget ready to compete soon, sure
, kind of put on that warriorattitude.
But when it's like right nowI'm in an off season, I'm not
going to be competing forprobably a year.
If I decide to compete again ina year, I'm taking like a
really big, beautiful, longbreak for myself and in this
(19:07):
time I'm definitely not bullyingmyself in the gym, you know,
like it's just we're flowingthrough it yes, yeah, just
letting yourself be.
April Snow (19:15):
and for folks who are listening, you say compete,
can you let them?
Them know what you mean by that?
Yeah, yes.
Tori Deal (19:20):
So I originally you know I talked about I was on a
dating show called Are you theOne?
And then that really is whatcatapulted me to be on another
show called the Challenge, whichis on MTV.
And it's like I always tellpeople not to watch it because
it's like, you know, I wouldhave never in a million years
watched it had I not been on it.
And that's not because I don'tlike reality TV Actually, that's
(19:41):
exactly why I don't likereality TV but I got pulled into
it and there was thatphysicality aspect and I played
soccer my whole life.
So a lot of the people that theycast on the show never really
took athleticism seriouslyenough.
They were more gamers, likepolitical gamers, which is still
a great quality to have in thegame, sure, but when it comes to
(20:03):
the challenge, it really alsodepends on being able to compete
.
So, yeah, I've been acompetitor on the challenge from
season 30 to basically season40 and maybe took two off in
between.
So just years of doing insanestunts, throwing my body off a
(20:24):
700-foot building, like you know, running into someone full
speed it's called a hall brawlDoesn't feel good when you're
done.
No.
I bet Like lots of reallyaggressive masculine energy kind
of things.
April Snow (20:40):
Yeah, but you're really pushing yourself right in
that.
I'm curious for you it soundslike it's a physical challenge,
but is there anything that yougain in that, emotionally or
mentally, from that practice?
I'm sure it's more than justwhat we're seeing on the screen.
Tori Deal (20:59):
Definitely mentally from that practice.
I'm sure it's more than justwhat we're seeing on the screen,
Definitely.
So the whole thing, like theentire experience of filming a
season it goes for.
The longest it will go is threemonths, so we compete maybe two
times a week unless you have togo into an elimination, but
there's only four times tocompete, total within that week
and you're there for 12 weeks.
So it's a lot of competing butthere's also a lot of downtime.
(21:21):
Yeah.
And the competitions.
Sometimes they're very short,Sometimes it's just jumping off
the building, and that was likeit took two minutes for your
round, you know.
So there is a lot of downtime,and so it's interesting because
when you're in this downtime inbetween competing, you have to
go through this emotional stateof being very worried what the
competition is, nervous about it, anxiety, all of these fears
(21:44):
start to come up and then youkind of go into the high of like
oh, now I'm competing, so youremotions are really just kind of
scattered throughout thisentire process.
So years of doing this, like Ihave seen myself be completely
emotionally dysregulated while Iwas competing and I've seen how
that's shown up in my I justhave seen the difference in
(22:04):
myself over the years and beingable to manage my emotions.
So I think from the physicalcompeting portion I have gained
definitely an emotionalresilience because I believe in
myself.
There is more confidence that Ihave that I will be able to
push through something, whetherit's a physical obstacle, or if
it's a mental obstacle, I'vesurvived.
(22:26):
I'm like I'm still here.
April Snow (22:28):
Right, and this is what a teacher it's like.
When I'm doing therapy and Ican help the person hold
themselves back against pastversions, you get to do the same
thing In season five, seasoneight, season 10.
That you're doing.
You know over the 10 seasonsthat you've been involved.
You can see the progress.
Yes, so it sounds like you knowgoing forward.
(22:49):
You're regulating your emotionsmore.
Tori Deal (22:51):
Yes, absolutely.
And like the season I won, thefirst season I won was actually
the first season that I was likethis is when I had just started
to take antidepressants and Iwas like really, really shifting
away from the drama and thechaos that that type of
environment can create.
And, like I said, now I'm noton that anymore and I have
(23:12):
nothing negative or positive tosay about being on that or not
being on them.
It's totally neutral.
April Snow (23:16):
You know it's either good for you in the space or
you're done with them.
Tori Deal (23:17):
So Exactly, and sometimes you're on them, it's
totally neutral.
April Snow (23:19):
You know it's either good for you in the space or
you're done with them, soExactly, and sometimes you're on
them forever and sometimes youdo it for a period to get
yourself back on track.
There's so many options thereand it sounds like it helped you
get through a period.
Tori Deal (23:29):
It was totally a crutch for me and it was a very
necessary one, like, yeah, Imean, like I don't want to like
be dramatic, but like I can'timagine not saying it didn't
save my life, because I feellike it did.
It was such a big piece of mebeing happy and learning to love
myself again and trustingmyself, and I felt like the
universe rewarded me withfinally, after season after
season losing, finally winning aseason, like it was that season
(23:52):
that I was like finally reallyholding space for my emotions
and all of the stuff that comeswith, just like you know,
everything that life offers allof us.
April Snow (24:05):
So, right, because you're not just doing this
challenge.
Life is still going on, yeah,family and friends and
relationships, and you know allthe things, right, right.
But you know you foundsomething else to keep in your
toolbox.
Yeah, just going back to that.
You know that metaphor and itgot you to here, which I always
love those pieces that arelittle bridges.
(24:27):
Just get me to the next phaseright, yeah, and you also talked
about downtime in there.
I think that's important torecognize.
You might see the intensity onthe screen, but it's not the
whole story.
You might see the intensity onthe screen, but it's not the
whole story, and this is such agreat metaphor for life.
You may see someone out therein the spotlight, but it doesn't
mean that's the whole picture.
There are other things going on.
(24:49):
I'm curious if you're open tosharing.
What are you doing in thatdowntime?
Are you processing?
Are you writing poetry?
Are you connecting with people?
Tori Deal (24:58):
Yes, the answer is yes.
I am usually pretty when itcomes to connecting with people
in that environment.
The different tapestry ofpeople they cast it is.
So you have to connect witheverybody because it's a
political game, but like if Iwas outside in the real world,
it would be very difficult forme to connect with some of those
energies.
That's the best way for me toput it.
(25:19):
So I definitely prioritizecreating a safe space I know
that it's also mentioned in yourbook like creating a cozy
bedroom space.
We sleep in bunk beds.
I will find a potted plant inthe house.
I will find some cute rocksoutside.
I will literally yard sale myroom.
I will find stuff around and Iwill make it cozy.
(25:41):
And as people leave the gameand get eliminated, I'll take
their pillow or I'll take theircomforter, and now I'm building
it up to make it fluffy.
So I'll create a safe space andI'm tapping into meditation.
I'm sitting in nature as muchas possible and connecting with
that, because nature is justliteral, literal medicine and
(26:02):
writing a lot as much as I can.
April Snow (26:06):
Yeah, you bring up such a good point that you can
create a safe space anywhere,right?
Sometimes it's purely internal,and then other times you're
finding those little anchors.
It's a rock, it's a plant, it'san extra blanket, just
something to create somecoziness or some connection to
something real.
Yeah, right, are you?
So you basically, are notallowed to bring much or
(26:28):
anything.
Not too much, no, not too much.
So you're needing to beresourceful.
Tori Deal (26:32):
Yeah, like always bring like a crystal, you know,
always like something small butand like pictures of my cat you
know, things that, like I canlike pray to.
April Snow (26:43):
Exactly Right.
Those, those reminders of home.
Tori Deal (26:46):
Yeah, but small, very , very small.
April Snow (26:49):
Yeah.
Tori Deal (26:51):
Which has been helpful with traveling too.
Like, even when I leave, I dotravel a lot and I'm always kind
of like getting thrown in themix of like do this event or do
this thing, and I have a hardtime saying no.
So I'm always kind of likegetting thrown in the mix of
like do this event or do thisthing, and I have a hard time
saying no.
So I'm kind of like sure, andthen, like, I find myself in
this position literally rightnow I have to leave this weekend
to go to Miami for this hugething and I have been having
(27:15):
anxiety all week about this andI'm like I'm just going to bring
I literally have it in my mindI'm going to bring my little
crystal.
I'm going to bring my rock thatsays dream on it.
I'm going to bring, like I amapplying those same like things
that I bring to the challenge.
I apply that now to my everyday, every you know, regular life
travel.
April Snow (27:32):
Right, it's such a teacher like oh, this actually
helps me.
Yeah, I can get through hardthings because I'm taking care
of myself.
Yeah, yeah, is that a differentmindset than a few years ago?
Tori Deal (27:46):
You know I think it is more aware.
I would say it's more aware, Ithink, a few years ago.
It's a little bit more like.
I'm just kind of hoping thatI'll find comfort there.
Or maybe if I brought this like, yes, this does bring me
comfort, but now it's like, okay, I know.
If I want to ease my tensionright now or deal with the fact
(28:08):
that, like I have to be in anairport with a bunch of people
or on a flight or in a hotelthat I've never been at before,
then I'm gonna try my best tobring my space with me.
So it's definitely helpful tolike be more intentional about
it, which I also like the ideaof a workbook and being able to
like physically write some ofthese things down.
You'd be surprised with howmuch you already do know.
(28:30):
But, like when you put pen topaper, it's like, oh yeah,
here's my map.
Right, I've been navigating offmy brain map, which is like
always interesting, like athought pops up and all of a
sudden, map gone, exactly.
April Snow (28:44):
Well, that's it.
When we get dysregulated, allthose tools kind of go out the
window.
I always think like, or I sayyou know, I've got my tools, but
I don't choose to use thembecause we forget, right, we go
completely offline and we're inthat swirl, that internal swirl,
just being in panic or anxietymode.
It's like, oh wait, let me justwrite that down and look at my
(29:05):
cheat sheet here.
Totally, what are my tools?
Yeah, or having somethingtangible.
Okay, like I'm here, I'm okay.
The world is not on fire.
Yeah, yeah, I'm okay right now.
You just need those things thatbring you back.
Tori Deal (29:20):
Even like my wallpaper on my phone.
Like sometimes, if I know Ineed like a mantra, I'm like,
okay, I know I'm going to see myphone, I'm going to put it
right there.
April Snow (29:28):
Yep Best place Boom, I'm always doing that.
You just have to have thosethings that just pop right in
front of you.
Tori Deal (29:35):
Yeah, yeah.
April Snow (29:36):
Definitely it doesn't have to be that
complicated, right, like I think.
A lot of times people thinkclients always say this to me
like oh, it's so easy, it's notgoing to work Like it will work.
Tori Deal (29:46):
Yeah.
April Snow (29:47):
Right, like meditation, I think people also
make more complicated than itneeds to be.
Tori Deal (30:00):
Yeah, and you know, what's so interesting about
meditation is there's threedifferent major types and they
apply to different types ofpeople.
So depending on the type ofperson you are so let's say
you're somebody who is like mathdriven and a numbers person
you're going to benefit moreeasily from a focus meditation,
which is literally sitting stillfor five minutes, breathing in
one, exhaling two and then justfocusing on those numbers.
For if you're just beginning,try one minute, you know, try
(30:22):
two minutes.
That's going to activate thepart of your brain that you feel
most comfortable using, whichis your prefrontal cortex.
If you are somebody who islooking for emotional regulation
, then you need to tap into anawareness meditation, which is
when you close your eyes and youbring yourself to your center
and you can kind of just bringsoft awareness to different
parts of your body.
How do my feet feel, how do myknees feel, how does my heart
(30:45):
feel, how do my hands feel?
All these places, and thisaccesses your amygdala, and that
is to help you with emotionalregulation.
April Snow (30:54):
Right, okay, this makes a lot of sense.
Yeah, and there's one more.
Tori Deal (30:59):
One more, yeah, and so then there's visualization
meditation, which is my favoritebecause I'm super creative and
so I love to kind of like livein the land of you know wherever
.
Also, if you're somebody whocan like tap into escapism too
much, then, like you know, thisone is easy to go to but, like
it's recommended to kind of keepyourself from going too far out
(31:20):
into the, because what you wantto do is make sure that you
feel good in your body.
But in visualization you'rebasically just accessing, you're
visualizing yourself doingsomething that you love, like an
athlete might visualizethemselves like kicking the ball
in the net, and thereforethey're manifesting it, but
they're more so like allowingthat experience to live in their
body and accepting it.
So, and that accesses youroccipital lobe and one other
(31:44):
part of your brain that I can'tremember off the top of my head
right now, but it's so differentfor everybody you know.
April Snow (31:50):
Yeah, and I think we do put meditation in a box,
like, oh, I've got to sitperfectly still cross-legged,
you know, but it's like no,there's so many ways in.
Tori Deal (32:00):
Yeah, there's so many ways in.
There's so many ways in.
April Snow (32:02):
And I really appreciate you breaking that
down because I hadn't heard ofthose three categories before
Focus, awareness, visualization,Visualization I personally love
it so much.
Tori Deal (32:12):
Same.
April Snow (32:13):
Because it allows me to try on something.
Yeah, I think that's reallygood.
I don't have any research toback this, but I think, as an
HSP, that's really helpful,because then I get comfortable
with it before it actuallyhappens, or it helps me kind of
clear out all the noise.
I'm currently working on a bookand I just keep visualizing the
book being finished, which ishelping me get through the hard
(32:35):
parts of writing the book.
That's amazing, just like Iimagine you're doing the same
when you're going up in achallenge or you're doing
something athletic, or whateveryou're doing, you're writing
your own works.
Tori Deal (32:43):
Yeah, like let me visualize this Absolutely and
like I know that you say thatyou maybe don't have like the
stats to back it up, but likewhy not be the first person to
kind?
Of trailblaze that and likecreate some stats around it.
Like good point.
April Snow (32:57):
Yeah, because it makes a lot of sense.
And yeah yeah, I mean, and justto have these options.
You know you can.
Tori Deal (33:06):
I think I like to probably dabble in all three,
but visualization has my heart.
Yeah Well, same literally thesame and it's funny because that
one is being introduced to usin the course.
Last, because I think a lot ofpeople resonate with that,
especially people who naturallyfind themselves meditating,
People who are more logic, like,number-based and you know they
love structure.
Those people are definitelyprobably not looking for
(33:26):
meditation as an outlet first.
So introducing them tosomething like a focus
meditation is just.
It's going to be receivedbetter because it feels more
tangible to them.
April Snow (33:38):
That makes sense right, Because it's matching how
their brain works.
Yeah Right, I think that's soimportant, Like go for the thing
that feels like it's a good fit.
Yes, exactly.
Why are we trying to pushourselves and do something that
doesn't work?
Tori Deal (33:52):
Yeah, and like what you said, try something on
Exactly.
You can push ourselves and dosomething that doesn't work.
Yeah, and like what you said,try something on like you can do
it for five minutes, likethat's an investment of your
exploration in what served you.
April Snow (34:01):
Exactly.
Oh, I love that.
Yeah, exploring what served youor what could serve you, yeah,
what could serve you yeah, howdo you know yet?
So and I know we're going offthe cuff here a little bit we
didn't plan to talk about this,but I'm just thinking about okay
, if I'm just starting outmeditating and I'm dabbling in
these, maybe these threedifferent types, so there's
going to be some initialclunkiness.
(34:22):
I might not know what it feelslike yet.
I might have a little bit ofresistance, especially if I am
in a really anxious state.
So how do we know when to leanin or switch gears and try a
different type?
Tori Deal (34:38):
Well, I think you sit with like my coach tells me,
you sit with one for you.
Don't just rush out of one, youhave to give it the opportunity
to show you what it's made of.
So allowing yourself toexperience the resistance but
still showing up is huge.
And also, I think that couldprobably build that emotional
(35:00):
resilience that you mentioned,because we're not always going
to be comfortable and that'skind of part of the process.
So the more we learn how tojust allow the discomfort to
kind of breeze by us, the easierit will be with everything.
April Snow (35:17):
Absolutely.
This is an opportunity to buildthat resilience.
Don't give up too early.
Tori Deal (35:24):
Yeah, and with the course you know, we tried focus
for about a week, then we wentto awareness for about a week,
then we combined them, we wentfrom focus into awareness and
added the time together, so nowwe were doing 10 minutes.
So we spent about a week oneach one and it was very hard
for me to not want to jump tovisualization.
(35:44):
I'm like, okay, one, twobreathing.
Okay, oh, I'm in the sky, I'min the cloud.
There's my higher self.
April Snow (35:51):
You know, I know I higher self, I know I was
thinking I would get bored withtoo much focus meditation.
If I'm getting body work done,I'm having a trip, I get so many
visuals.
It's like I'm on drugs yeah, Iget it, I so get it, so I just
go right there.
But there could be disciplinein that.
Tori Deal (36:11):
Yeah, Well, also for you.
Maybe that's a good place foryou to go.
April Snow (36:15):
Totally.
Tori Deal (36:16):
You know like this could be.
If this brings you to a stateof feeling homeostasis within
your body, then you're doing theright one.
Truly, yeah, there's no, youdon't need to.
All three don't need to serveyou.
April Snow (36:29):
Yes, what great permission.
Yeah, if it's not serving youtried it, you gave it a good
shot.
Yeah, maybe let it go Totally.
Oh, love this.
Tori Deal (36:40):
What a good teacher I mean.
I love that we're able to talkabout it, because it's such a
passion of mine, because I'velearned how to regulate myself
through this process.
And again, like I said, Ireally when I put pen to paper
when I was working through yourworkbook, it was like, yeah, I
need to like actually give thisa little bit more life, because
it's how passionate I am aboutit.
April Snow (37:01):
Well, I can tell.
I mean there's clearly you have, there's energy there and it's
worked for you.
And now this is what it waslike for me in therapy.
Now I want to share that withothers.
Yes, right, like, let me notjust keep this to myself.
I don't want to gatekeepTotally.
Yeah, bring this out.
But I love seeing I feel likethis has been a theme today as
I'm hearing your storyEverything is building Early
(37:23):
experiences are serving youlater and continuing on.
It sounds like being an athletehas potentially helped you with
your meditation.
You with your meditation, orbeing that people-oriented
person really seeing people andbeing able to connect with
anyone helps you when you'redoing challenges and maybe being
around people that you're notused to being around.
(37:43):
There's just so much that's allserving.
Tori Deal (37:47):
Yeah, well you know, it's so, so cool and I
definitely think, like you know,obviously there's hard times,
but, like I always look for thepositive, I always look for the
silver lining, you know, like ifwe're really here to just
experience and grow, well, thenthat's what I'm here to do, and
(38:07):
I'm here to continue to figureout how that growth can be
reapplied and how I can reach anew level.
It's literally my purpose hereis to grow.
That's it.
It is to grow.
I don't need to do anythingelse.
Before it used to be, oh, Ineed to be rich and, like you
know, I want to.
I want to have money.
Like back when I didn'tunderstand anything, you know,
but now I understand.
(38:28):
It's like feel safe, be happy,healthy and grow.
And what else are we here to do?
April Snow (38:34):
Exactly.
I truly believe that's ourlife's work and I think when
you're in alignment with that,whatever that purpose is, the
money, the things will come asyou need them to.
Absolutely, I feel like youdon't actually have to work so
hard at those if you're inalignment.
Tori Deal (38:50):
I think so too, and also it's like when you realize
the money coming in, when you'reusing it for your purpose,
you'll be given what you need touse for your purpose.
April Snow (39:00):
Exactly.
Tori Deal (39:01):
You know you can just keep cycling it through.
I think like one of the bestbooks that I've ever read about
money was the Soul of Money byLynn Twist, and she talks about
the spirit of money.
She like helped majorphilanthropists who were
donating money to, like helpingend world hunger and all of
these incredible organizations,and she had a point was like
turning down people from givingmajor donations because
(39:22):
energetically she was like thisisn't aligned and I mean I'll
let you read the book on yourown if you want.
But it really changed myperspective around money, which
is not something I thought wewere going to talk about today
either.
April Snow (39:34):
You never know, you never know, but it's so
important, right?
It's very energetic andespecially for HSPs.
I think we always feel like, oh, money isn't going to happen
for me, and this is a commonmindset.
I see it's like, well, maybenot the way you think it will,
but it could.
Yeah, and I love you know, I'ma big believer in that money is
(39:59):
energy and we need to lookdeeper than just what's on the
surface of money.
So yeah, I'm definitely.
I'll put that in the show notesfor folks.
Soul of money.
It sounds amazing.
Tori Deal (40:06):
It's amazing.
I think you'd love it.
April Snow (40:07):
Yeah, I think so too .
Yeah, put that on my to readlist.
Yeah, yeah, I mean, there's somany layers in all this.
You are someone that's reallymodeling, as I said.
You know, holding the internaland the external, finding those
balances, bringing more depth tosomething that we may see as
superficial, like working out orearning money or being in the
(40:32):
public eye, but it's more thanthat, right, and it's so
apparent, like I said, it justpops off the page.
Is there anything else that youwant to share about balancing
those parts of yourself, right?
This really deep, introspective, creative part, and then this
more athletic, resilience,external part?
Tori Deal (40:52):
Yeah, you know, I think I'm still learning first
and foremost.
So I still like I look atvideos of myself when I was,
like you know, 10 years ago andI cringed so bad, and so I can
imagine I'm probably going to becringing 10 years from now and
it's just going to be a longlife of looking back and
cringing.
But I think what is cool isthat I'm showing up and the
(41:16):
balance of it all really stemsfrom what am I feeling when I'm
super sensitive right now, andcan this emotion somehow help me
define what I feel stronglyabout in general and what I
think my purpose is?
And then how can I use all ofthese things in my toolkit,
whether it's like working out ormeditating, and then how can I
(41:41):
use this energy that I'mcreating in my body Because it's
energy and how can I channel itinto something that is going to
serve my purpose?
And it's a cycle of that,because sometimes I don't feel
like I can show up.
There are definitely days whereI just't feel like I can show up
.
There are definitely days whereI just had a day like this on
Monday.
I was like I'm calling out sick.
Meanwhile I work from home, butI'm like pillow or blanket over
(42:04):
the head in my pajamas all dayon my couch, did not move, so
like, I definitely think it's abalance and I just keep trying
to show up.
Yeah, and purpose is a big onetoo.
Just finding your purpose, likewhere are these emotions coming
from and how can you returnthose emotions back into what
(42:26):
drives you in the first place?
April Snow (42:29):
So well said, yeah, just that purpose, it's powerful
.
But also you need to rest alongthe way, yeah, Right.
And when your body is sayingpowerful, but also you need to
rest along the way, yeah Right.
And when your body is saying no, even if you work from home, I
think people get in this trapyou can still have a sick day.
Tori Deal (42:43):
Oh yeah.
April Snow (42:43):
Right, you still need to hibernate and just shut
the world out for a moment, andso that seems like that's what
gets you through this kind ofjust this balance.
Tori Deal (42:51):
Yeah, I'm engaging, but I'm also retreating and
taking care of myself.
Yeah, a hundred percent, andthen it's definitely been easier
for me recently to start takingcare of myself, and it's like
rest had to be viewed asprogress in a way?
April Snow (43:06):
Yes.
Tori Deal (43:07):
Yes, you know it's messed up because it's like I
can only accept rest when it'sprogress Like does that mean
that I've based my worth off ofprogress?
Why can't I just be?
April Snow (43:17):
I know it's such a tricky thing because, yes, you
can justify rest because it willmake you more productive.
But do you really want to haveto do that?
Tori Deal (43:26):
No, it's like I mean I get.
If it gives me rest, that'sawesome.
But, like more recently, I'vebecome like no, I'm just going
to chill.
And now I get it.
When I go visit my Nana at herold people home which shout out
to them because they're legendsin there, they don't care.
And I feel like I'm getting tothat place.
April Snow (43:50):
That's a dream, right the dream.
Tori Deal (43:53):
It's funny because I started taking guitar lessons
because I've always wanted toplay.
But I tell my guitar teacherI'm like my goal is to not be
good now, it's to be good whenI'm 75, 80 in that home.
Yes, and I'm going to be a rockstar.
Then I'm setting long-termgoals.
That is it right.
That's the magic.
Yeah, so you know it's allgrowing, though.
(44:16):
You know that's what I'm reallygetting at here, just allowing
myself to accept that, yeah,it's good to rest, and it's been
a beautiful part of the processto learn that.
April Snow (44:24):
Yeah, and it's all growing, it's all feeding.
The same mission yeah, andyou're going to get there.
Tori Deal (44:33):
You know holding that goal of I'll get there when I'm
80.
It's like, well, what's therush?
What's the rush, right?
Yeah, like, why can't we setgoals for when we're 80?
Well, exactly.
April Snow (44:40):
Like oh, I've got 50 , 60 years, I'll just take my
time, I can rest along the way.
Tori Deal (44:46):
I'm going to take my time and take my sweet time, not
rushing.
I decided I was going to be onearth for a long time, like
maybe a year ago.
I was like you know what, Ihave a lot of work to do here.
I don't know what, but I have alot of work to do and I'm going
to be here for a while.
April Snow (45:02):
Yeah, and just making that commitment, it's
like, okay, yeah, I don't haveto get there tomorrow.
I can pump the brakes a littlebit, takes the pressure off.
Tori Deal (45:13):
Totally.
And also to like live in themoment, like there's so much
medicine in the moment.
It's like when I look at my cat, truly I see God and I like, I
really do, like no one can tellme otherwise.
God made this.
Only God, the divine creator,like the universe, could create
(45:34):
something so magical like thisbeing who loves to be around me.
April Snow (45:38):
That's so sweet Cats are amazing.
Tori Deal (45:42):
Oh.
April Snow (45:42):
God, they're the best, Right.
What's your cat's name?
Miso?
Oh, that's right, miso.
Yeah, yeah, oh, so sweet.
Tori Deal (45:50):
So I think being in the present moment, like
allowing us to be there whichalso meditation helps too it's
really about being in thepresent moment.
It's like if we can just exist,have more of these moments in
our lives, then it creates thetension of, like you know,
feeling like overstimulated orfeeling like over emotional, or
being unable to manage emotions,able to manage emotions, and
(46:11):
then also like, when you're justout there and you're performing
, it's like, well then, what'sthat third piece of just
existing?
Because what am I here to do?
Just feel and compete, feel andcompete.
April Snow (46:19):
Right, it's rough, that's really rough.
Tori Deal (46:26):
Rough, you need some breathing room, breathing room.
April Snow (46:29):
Give me a tank, exactly.
Well, and if you're in themoments and you're taking that
pressure down when you'repulling the covers up, you can
just let yourself pull thecovers over your head.
Tori Deal (46:37):
Yeah.
April Snow (46:37):
There's no, what about tomorrow?
You know there's no.
What ifs?
Yeah, Like this is what my bodyneeds right now, Let me give it
to it Absolutely Right.
Yeah, so many good lessons today.
Yeah, yes, tori, this was anamazing conversation.
I really appreciate, I mean,all the layers that you shared
(46:59):
and it was fun putting some ofthe pieces together and seeing
the complexity of your story.
I mean, this is a true HSPexperience.
Right, we have layers and depthand all these things that we
grapple with, these biggerquestions.
I do want to see if there's anyfinal thoughts you want to
leave for listeners before we gofinal thoughts.
Tori Deal (47:16):
I'm just grateful, I think, like I'm grateful to be
here.
I'm grateful for the spaceyou're creating and the work
you're doing.
I was very excited to chat withyou because of who you are and
what you put out into the world,and I think that just kind of
like leaves me on like a note ofgratitude and how good it feels
that's's always a safe space.
You know, like if you ever feellike you need to find a safe
(47:38):
space, find gratitude, becausethat's always a safe space in
your heart.
April Snow (47:42):
It truly is, isn't it?
It's like oh, there's somethingthat I can lean into and attach
to.
Yeah and yeah, I just want tosay welcome to the HSP family.
Yeah, Seriously you know youtruly introduced me to it, so
thank you.
I'm just so grateful to.
It's always amazing to me thatI get to be a part of that
process for someone and like,cause, I remember what that was
(48:04):
like Someone gave that gift tome and then to be able to give
that gift to someone else.
It's so beautiful that that'show we do it.
We just connect and pull peoplein and like, well, you know,
this is you.
Tori Deal (48:15):
Yeah, absolutely, and like you never know when you're
going to learn something aboutyourself, and so, yeah, it's
never too late.
I was pulled to your book likea magnet.
I saw it on an Instagram postand I said I need to go in there
and get it, and I went intoRen's the next day and I got it
Like it was a magnet.
So yeah, I knew it was theuniverse pulling me.
Like read this, there'ssomething here.
April Snow (48:36):
Thank you for that and, yeah, thanks for diving in
and doing the work Absolutelyyou did that I mean, look where
it brought me.
Tori Deal (48:44):
now you know exciting new chapters where I get to
explore, you know, meditationeven more, and so, yeah, I'm so
excited for you for that.
April Snow (48:51):
I can't wait to see how that unfolds.
Tori Deal (48:54):
Yes, thank you, that I can't wait to see how that
unfolds.
Thank you, yes, thank you.
And when I start hosting likevirtual little workshops, I'm
definitely going to host like ameditation party to celebrate my
certification.
But I'm going to throw a freemeditation like virtual workshop
online for people so they canget introduced to it.
So when I do that, I'd love tobe able to you know, invite your
audience to come.
April Snow (49:19):
Oh, I would love to be there, thank you, and just to
see you step into that role andbe part of that community that
you're building, thank you, andthank you for that invitation,
because that feels reallyspecial to witness.
Thank you Like oh, you'recrossing over this threshold.
Tori Deal (49:25):
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm still a teacher, Iknow Very nervous, which is why
I'm going to be throwing a fewfree workshops to kind of get my
, you know, but also veryexcited.
So thank you.
April Snow (49:35):
Clearly it's a passion and a purpose for you.
Tori Deal (49:38):
Yeah, it feels, that way.
April Snow (49:40):
Well, tori, I will be sure to share for folks all
the resources that you have,your website, your social media.
Folks can pick up Soul Spill,please do.
I highly recommend it.
It's beautiful, the wording,the imagery.
You and Vera have really done abeautiful job with that.
Such an HSP haven, and I knowyou often do events.
So do you have any eventscoming up?
Tori Deal (50:01):
Yes, yes, I actually do.
I'm really excited to becollaborating with Little Words
Project in the King of PrussiaMall at the end of May in
Philadelphia and it's going tobe a really cool little pop-up
poetry event where we're goingto be creating bracelets
together, obviously throughlittle words project, and then
working on some poetry andhelping people to kind of step
(50:23):
into that, because everyone's apoet.
Really everybody has theability to channel creativity
and it's just a muscle that youhave to practice with and allow
to stretch, and so I love tolead people through that
experience and I'm excited to dothat.
So if you're in thePhiladelphia region end of May,
slide on through, because itwould be an honor to have any of
(50:45):
you guys there.
April Snow (50:46):
Amazing.
I mean just to get together, tocreate, to connect.
I mean your events that pop uplook just so, so enriching and
well fun, but also just reallyhealing, just to have that space
.
I'm so just grateful thatyou're doing it.
We need more of that in theworld, Thank you.
Tori Deal (51:03):
Thank you.
Yeah, it's so fun.
You know, like I feel like it'sfun to go out to like I guess
it's not actually fun to go outto a club, but, like you know,
it's fun to go out and dosomething that feels high energy
but also has depth.
So that's kind of what I liketo cultivate is like how can
there be depth but also feellike you're just going to hang
out with your girls?
April Snow (51:20):
Exactly Right.
I mean we need more of thosefaces that they just use.
Tori Deal (51:24):
We really do yes.
April Snow (51:25):
You're just, you're creating, putting them out there
for us.
Tori Deal (51:28):
Hey, we're both doing the work, we're both out here,
we're trying, yeah, we're trying.
April Snow (51:37):
Oh, I love it so much.
Well, tori, thank you again.
Tori Deal (51:38):
Oh, thank you so much , april, it's been a pleasure
absolutely.
April Snow (51:48):
thanks so much for joining me and Tori for today's
conversation.
What I hope you'll remember isthat your emotions have a
purpose, they are valid and thatyou get to be whatever version
of an HSP that suits you.
Keep in touch with Tori onInstagram and check out the show
notes to attend one of herupcoming live events.
If you enjoyed this episode,subscribe to the Sensitive
(52:12):
Stories podcast so you don'tmiss our upcoming conversations.
Reviews and ratings are alsohelpful and appreciated For
behind-the-scenes content andmore HSB resources.
You can sign up for my emaillist or follow Sensitive
Strengths on Instagram, tiktokand YouTube.
Check out the show notes orsensitivestoriescom for all the
(52:33):
resources from today's episode.
Thanks for listening.
I think a lot of where my ability to want to
create and to want to put myselfout there is because I can
align my emotions and somehowchannel it into feeding what I
believe is my purpose.
That feels spiritual in a way.
April Snow (00:21):
Welcome to Sensitive Stories, the podcast for the
people who live with hearts andeyes wide open.
I'm your host, psychotherapistand author, april Snow.
I invite you to join me as Ideep dive into rich
conversations with fellow highlysensitive people that will
inspire you to live a morefulfilling life as an HSP
(00:44):
without all the overwhelm.
In this episode, I talk withTori Diehl about the experience
of having big feelings as an HSP.
What's helpful to have in yourtoolbox, such as poetry,
meditation and movement, andbalancing life in the spotlight
when you're highly sensitive.
On the surface, you'll see Toricompeting in wild stunts on
(01:05):
MTV's the Challenge and showingup on social media with
confidence, but underneath itall, she's a deeply sensitive
soul, fully aware of how wild itis to be alive, always striving
to connect with others on thedeepest level possible.
As the author of two bookscurrently working on a third, as
(01:30):
the author of two bookscurrently working on a third,
tori embraces both individualcreative space and the spotlight
in equal measure.
For more HSP resources and tosee behind-the-scenes video from
the podcast, join me onInstagram, tiktok or YouTube at
Sensitive Strengths or sign upfor my email list.
Links are in the show notes andat sensitivestoriescom.
And just a reminder that thisepisode is for educational
purposes only and is notintended as a substitute for
(01:52):
treatment with a mental healthor medical professional.
Let's dive in.
Hi Tori, welcome to the podcast.
(02:17):
I'm so excited to connect withyou today.
Tori Deal (02:26):
April.
I am beyond excited to connectwith you and I love that I found
you through your work and thespace you create on social media
.
So it's really just not just anhonor to be here but, like I
already feel super relaxed.
April Snow (02:36):
Same, absolutely.
I'm so excited to connect.
You know, I love that we canmeet folks through Instagram and
just a little shout out toDorothy and Ren yes, and Ren's
Coffee, alice and Books.
That's how we came to know eachother and, yeah, and now we're
getting to know each other alittle bit further and face to
face, which I love.
Tori Deal (02:54):
Absolutely.
April Snow (02:55):
And just excited to hear more about your internal
work, Because I know you spend alot of time in the public space
and out in the spotlight.
Tori Deal (03:03):
but I'm excited to go a little deeper today.
Yes, and I love to go there.
Anybody who's willing to go tothat depth with me.
I'm like let's go, let's do itRight, that's what we do down
there.
April Snow (03:13):
Exactly.
Let's go deep.
So, speaking of that, I'mwondering.
I always like to hear about howyou got here to knowing that
you're sensitive, so I'd love toknow a little bit more about
your HSP discovery story, how orwhen that you realized, oh, I'm
more sensitive than otherpeople.
Tori Deal (03:29):
Yes, and you know, I didn't even know that HSP was a
thing until you.
Wow, okay, I thought on it.
I knew so when I picked up theworkbook, because the name of
the workbook is Find yourStrength, which I'm sure your
whole audience already knows.
I just wanted to say it right,so I had to like, look at it
very quickly, I'm like let menot mess this up, but I saw the
(03:50):
book that Ren posted and wasimmediately drawn to it.
I picked it up and I startedgoing through it, and so I guess
that's when I figured out thata lot of the prompts in the
workbook were things I wasexperiencing.
But I never considered myself ahighly sensitive person,
because I feel like when I thinkof a highly sensitive person
(04:11):
I'd never.
I'm also very out in the publiceye.
I'm also like doing a lot ofcharisma charisma I don't even
know if that's a wordCharismatic.
April Snow (04:19):
Charismatic things.
Tori Deal (04:21):
You know, I'm out there, I'm in the streets, so
like I felt, like you know,maybe that's not me, but when I
think about it on a deeper,deeper level, I have always been
extremely sensitive.
My connection with animals haskind of been the first doorway
for that for me.
I'm a full vegan.
I have been for over threeyears now and I've always kind
(04:43):
of like teetered the line ofvegetarianism and veganism but
I've never, like I never fullycommitted to it until more
recently.
But that's kind of when Irealized, okay, I have a lot of
feelings and a lot ofconnections with just people.
Anytime anybody talks to me, Ican put myself in that person's
shoes and I can feel whatthey're feeling.
Anytime it has to take a reallynasty person for me to forget
(05:08):
that I'm supposed to try to putmyself in their shoes.
It's just automatic.
Yeah, it's just automatic.
The moment somebody meets me, Imeet them exactly where they're
at, and that has carried methrough really interesting
places in life.
Like it's been this blend ofbeing an athlete, you know, but
also like creating a lot ofcamaraderie on my team.
(05:29):
I was always picked to be acaptain and I think that had to
do with not my skill set,because I was not the best
soccer player, like, was not.
I just had an ability toconnect with a lot of my
teammates, which is what youknow being a good captain is
essentially.
And then that translated intoeventually getting on a TV show,
which my first one was thisshow, are you the One?
(05:50):
And it was a dating show.
But you also have to connectwith your castmates, and so then
again it comes down toconnection, and I always felt
like I thrived in that area,having deep conversations with
people and really getting toknow them, like, not just like
these these frizzy little frailcombos about gossip or whatever.
I can't, it's just so lowenergy to me.
(06:11):
So when I started to realize,okay, this is kind of who I am,
I'm still learning about it, Iguess, I like to say, but more
recently I've really just kindof tapped into what it is, and
so thank you for putting out allyou do, because I feel like
I've learned so much from youalready.
April Snow (06:31):
I'm so honored to be part of that process for you.
Because, it's true, If you lookat the surface of what you're
doing online and maybe in yourpersonal life too I'm not sure,
but you wouldn't tag you as asensitive person.
But when I looked at the spacebetween the lines, how you talk
about your experiences, thedepth that you share, your
(06:58):
emotionality reading your bookSoul Spill, HSP, all over the
place, it's like this is soobvious and I just want to give
folks watching this on YouTubejust like a little sneak peek
here, because if you just lookat some of the imagery and I
know you had an illustrator, butyeah, I know this is kind of
the vibe we're going for here.
Yeah, right, and I just want toread a little passage this is
one of my favorites.
Tori Deal (07:17):
If that's okay, just to pause here real quick
absolutely.
April Snow (07:20):
this one's called lost, a desolate plummet coiled
in pain, lost in and Drowned bythe Rain.
And that's just a little sneakpeek.
This book is so deep andemotional, like there's no way
you're not an HSP.
Tori Deal (07:34):
Yeah, yeah, super emotional person, yeah, super
emotional.
Balancing emotions has beensuch an interesting experience
because I was on SSRIs for twoand a half years and I just
recently came off them and Imean like that is a whole other
conversation, but like learninghow to balance emotions and like
(07:57):
feeling them is a work of alifetime, truly.
April Snow (08:03):
That's an understatement.
Yeah, yeah, it's life's work.
Yeah, lifetime, truly, that'san understatement.
Yeah, it's life's work.
Yeah, it is.
And this is one of the reasonsI was excited to talk to you,
because you are not thestereotypical HSP.
But I think we need tohighlight the folks that don't
fit in this kind of fragile mold.
We can be out here as HSPs.
(08:23):
We can show up, we can be inthe spotlight, we can, you know,
put out our creative works andinternal emotional feelings out
in the world.
We can do all that.
Yes, and so I love yeah, right,like let's do more of that, and
I love seeing you put all thosepieces together for yourself,
like, yeah, all these things canbe true.
Tori Deal (08:42):
Yeah, definitely, I totally agree.
And at some point I guess therewas this like learning of how
to take a lot of sad feelingsand turn them into a more
action-based approach.
Like there's an anger in herenow, so where are we going with
this Exactly?
So how can I use that anger andturn it into something that is
(09:03):
healing but also powerful andthen maybe can make an impact?
You know, I think a lot ofwhere my ability to want to
create and to want to put myselfout there is because I feel,
like, am I aligning with mypurpose?
Like, why am I on the planet?
What am I here to do?
I'm not saying I'm special, butlike I'm here, so why?
(09:24):
You know like.
And so if I can align myemotions and somehow channel it
into feeding what I believe ismy purpose, well then, that at
least gives me purpose to behere, you know.
So it feels like spiritual in away.
April Snow (09:39):
Yeah, it's deeper right.
I mean, there's some reasonyou're feeling the anger, the
sadness, all the emotions, andthe message is dampen those down
, keep those contained, but asyou're starting, maybe, to step
into them more, you get to see,oh wait, there's meaning here.
Tori Deal (09:58):
Yes.
April Snow (09:58):
Right, like anger is not here just because I'm not
being irrational, I'm not beingdramatic.
There's a reason.
Yes, right, so I'm curious ifyou're open to it.
You know, as you were growingup not knowing you were
sensitive, and so many of usdon't.
We just know somethingdifferent about me.
I feel more.
You know I'm not quite likesome of the other people in my
(10:19):
life.
Was there messages you gotabout being a big feeler?
Was there?
Tori Deal (10:24):
messages you got about being a big feeler, you
know?
Not really, because I would saythat I kept a lot of my
emotions to myself and I wrotepoetry.
April Snow (10:34):
Yeah.
Tori Deal (10:35):
And I like really realized how sad I was when I
was like I went back to my dad'shouse after I had moved back
home and I like was goingthrough old boxes that I had
when I lived there and I saw apoem, like a really sad poem
that I wrote, I guess, when Iwas a kid, and I was like, oh,
this is where, this is where itall went.
The outside world, like I in myfamily, in my childhood dynamic
(10:58):
I was always the funny one, theone that made the situation
easier for everyone to cope with, and I became the scapegoat for
entertainment because italleviated some type of chaos
that was happening within thefamily and that has just
completely multiplied for myadult life.
So, like I have been workingwith a life coach for, I'd say,
(11:20):
five years now, I've had atherapist in between that
experience.
So I've done so much workfiguring out now how it turned
from that to this, because atsome point I'm like wait, how
did I get here?
It stems from everything backthere.
So I think I started to realizewhen I was sensitive, when I
guess, you know, my friendsweren't writing poetry or my
(11:41):
friends, you know, they weren'tdoing these kinds of things.
So I'm like, okay, well, I'mfiguring out an outlet.
So, this means that there'ssomething that needs to come out
.
April Snow (11:50):
Exactly, and you had the intuition to know.
Poetry is a way to let that out.
Yes, right, isn't that amazing.
Tori Deal (11:58):
Yes.
April Snow (11:59):
Because how do you know that it doesn't sound like
you come from a family of poets.
Tori Deal (12:03):
No, but you know what it was.
I always had like a like therelationship with my mom was she
is a good person and she meanswell, but I think there was a
portion of time where there wasa bit of a disconnection, and so
there was one point where shegave me a compliment and I took
that compliment and I ran withthat compliment.
She was like oh, you're a goodwriter, and like that made me
(12:24):
feel like that was a point ofconnection with my mother.
And it's so funny because I'mlike really piecing that
together kind of right now, likeI feel like.
I knew that, but I never reallysaid that out loud before, so
it's interesting.
April Snow (12:36):
It's important.
Tori Deal (12:37):
Yeah, I think that like moment was very, very
powerful.
April Snow (12:48):
It makes sense because as HSPs we take any
little morsel, we soak every bitout of it.
I can relate to that a lot.
Like those comments that mighteven be just said in passing,
they mean everything to us,everything, everything.
And that was, you know, mom'slittle way of saying like, oh,
this is okay, or I support you,or whatever.
The message was yes, and you'relike yes, please I'll take it.
Yeah.
(13:08):
How many poems will you readExactly?
I'll read a hundred, yeah,exactly, and then that leads you
to writing a book.
I mean, that's pretty amazing,right that?
That's the impact.
Tori Deal (13:21):
Oh man, like what a cool experience to and you know
I'm sure you feel the same wayabout being an author Like it's
just such a work of heart and alabor of love.
April Snow (13:30):
It is truly a labor of love.
Yeah, and there's a lot ofgrowth that happens in the
process.
Just for myself, I don't knowif that would be true for you,
given how personal it really is,definitely.
Tori Deal (13:41):
Yeah, there were some poems in there like like I had
to kind of run by my familybecause I never talked to them
about some of those momentsbefore, and so when I did,
eventually, you know, it wasjust cathartic.
It opened me right up, you know, and like it just brought us
together in a way that we wereable to heal things from many
years before.
April Snow (14:00):
So it felt like a very important part of my
healing process many yearsbefore, so it felt like a very
important part of my healingprocess.
Yeah, it's interesting becauseyou said you used to be the
scapegoat in the family, andthat's often how the emotional
ones are we just take it all onand we are the emotional
channelers for the family.
Yes, but now it sounds likeyou're more of the emotional
leader.
Tori Deal (14:22):
It does feel good in that way.
And you know, what's so cool isI'm like really stepping into
that leadership role.
And I kind of got this fromdoing the workbook because there
was a prompt about what's inyour toolkit when you're feeling
like, when you're feeling likeyou're having one of these
emotional moments and for meit's always been meditating
(14:43):
emotional moments and for meit's always been meditating and
I realized how much I loved itand I have just constantly been
writing about it.
And that moment for me was like, oh, I should dive deeper into
this.
And now I'm getting certifiedto be a meditation coach.
Oh, I love this.
Yes, so it's helping me.
It helped me kind of step intothat confidence, which is
another thing that I struggledwith.
Well, like how can you beconfident with your emotions?
(15:03):
Like it's not a career, right?
Like I guess it is when you're atherapist right?
It is yeah, I made a job out ofit.
Yeah, you can absolutely make ajob out of it.
I guess you know what You're soright.
So you're a professionalemotional wrestler.
April Snow (15:19):
I always joke.
People pay me to help them cry.
Tori Deal (15:22):
But like it's such a great and beautiful thing, you
know it really is.
April Snow (15:26):
I feel it's a privilege.
Tori Deal (15:28):
Yeah, I mean, and for you to be able to help other
people the way you do, you haveto have been able to feel that
pain.
April Snow (15:35):
Absolutely.
You have to do the work first.
Yeah, right, just like you haveto sit in meditation and
experience the discomfort andthe bliss of that, all of it
first, before you can guideothers through it.
Yes, yes.
Tori Deal (15:49):
And intuitively, I was already like opening up my
space to being like friend, letme guide you through meditation
Right, like yeah, but now thatI've really honed in on it and
like have been like learning soso much, it's been such an
awesome way to be a leader inthis emotional space, in a place
that comes straight from mytoolkit.
April Snow (16:10):
Yeah, right, and I think a lot of times we don't
even realize what's in ourtoolkit.
Tori Deal (16:14):
Yeah, that's true.
April Snow (16:15):
Because it comes naturally or organically, like
poetry did for you.
So you've mentioned poetry,you've mentioned meditation.
I'm curious are those theprimary tools or there other
tools that help you really sitwith and maybe work through your
emotions?
Tori Deal (16:30):
Yeah, so I definitely think relying on a friend has
always been a big one for me,like being able to like have
that one trusted person toconfide in and then the other
one is kind of like where Iguess it's like a power
meditation.
It's when I'm working out LikeI love.
I don't love working out, but Ilove the feeling I experience
(16:51):
when.
I'm done working out.
April Snow (16:52):
Right, and you know what I'm realizing now.
I think a lot of times we thinksensitive.
Oh, we have to be gentle withourselves.
But you're hearing a lot more,which I'm excited about that.
Working out, pushing yourself,actually builds resilience in
your nervous system.
Right, and we know the effectsof on our mood and our energy,
but also on our regulation.
Yes, so exciting to see.
So I love seeing that you'remodeling that for folks.
Tori Deal (17:17):
Thank you, yeah, and it's the integration of mind,
body, spirit.
That's what it is.
It's that body piece that, whenI'm not actively practicing
some type of movement whetherit's a slow yoga flow or it's a
dance sometimes I'm chaoticallydancing around my house like no
one watching.
Oh yeah, you have to, you haveto.
(17:38):
Honestly, I wish people werewatching because it's great.
It's really not.
It's really really not.
I bet it's freeing, though.
April Snow (17:46):
I mean I have a space that I left clear in my
living room just so I could likedance with a band in yes, yeah,
just lose it Exactly.
Tori Deal (17:55):
So, yeah, I think like, yeah, movement is so, so,
so key, and it's a form ofmeditation in a way.
Once you get to that place oflike that runner's high can kind
of bring you there, if you dolike a walking meditation, which
is something that's really cool, you get this euphoric
experience of connecting mindand body and spirit.
And so there's so many, there'sso many cool ways to
(18:16):
incorporate movement into beingin your toolkit.
April Snow (18:19):
Absolutely, and I love that you're talking about
these tools which I think weoften segregate.
Oh, meditation's over here andthen exercise is over here.
No, we can blend them together.
Yeah Right, they can all be one.
Everything could be spiritual.
Tori Deal (18:32):
Everything.
If it's an act of love, ifyou're doing it with love and
awareness, it's a spiritualactivity.
April Snow (18:37):
That's it Exactly.
It's really the mindset youbring to it.
Yes, so working out for you ismore than working out.
Tori Deal (18:45):
Definitely, and sometimes it's not.
I'll be honest, sometimes it'syou know me bullying myself Like
all right, you know you have toget ready to compete soon, sure
, kind of put on that warriorattitude.
But when it's like right nowI'm in an off season, I'm not
going to be competing forprobably a year.
If I decide to compete again ina year, I'm taking like a
really big, beautiful, longbreak for myself and in this
(19:07):
time I'm definitely not bullyingmyself in the gym, you know,
like it's just we're flowingthrough it yes, yeah, just
letting yourself be.
April Snow (19:15):
and for folks who are listening, you say compete,
can you let them?
Them know what you mean by that?
Yeah, yes.
Tori Deal (19:20):
So I originally you know I talked about I was on a
dating show called Are you theOne?
And then that really is whatcatapulted me to be on another
show called the Challenge, whichis on MTV.
And it's like I always tellpeople not to watch it because
it's like, you know, I wouldhave never in a million years
watched it had I not been on it.
And that's not because I don'tlike reality TV Actually, that's
(19:41):
exactly why I don't likereality TV but I got pulled into
it and there was thatphysicality aspect and I played
soccer my whole life.
So a lot of the people that theycast on the show never really
took athleticism seriouslyenough.
They were more gamers, likepolitical gamers, which is still
a great quality to have in thegame, sure, but when it comes to
(20:03):
the challenge, it really alsodepends on being able to compete
.
So, yeah, I've been acompetitor on the challenge from
season 30 to basically season40 and maybe took two off in
between.
So just years of doing insanestunts, throwing my body off a
(20:24):
700-foot building, like you know, running into someone full
speed it's called a hall brawlDoesn't feel good when you're
done.
No.
I bet Like lots of reallyaggressive masculine energy kind
of things.
April Snow (20:40):
Yeah, but you're really pushing yourself right in
that.
I'm curious for you it soundslike it's a physical challenge,
but is there anything that yougain in that, emotionally or
mentally, from that practice?
I'm sure it's more than justwhat we're seeing on the screen.
Tori Deal (20:59):
Definitely mentally from that practice.
I'm sure it's more than justwhat we're seeing on the screen,
Definitely.
So the whole thing, like theentire experience of filming a
season it goes for.
The longest it will go is threemonths, so we compete maybe two
times a week unless you have togo into an elimination, but
there's only four times tocompete, total within that week
and you're there for 12 weeks.
So it's a lot of competing butthere's also a lot of downtime.
(21:21):
Yeah.
And the competitions.
Sometimes they're very short,Sometimes it's just jumping off
the building, and that was likeit took two minutes for your
round, you know.
So there is a lot of downtime,and so it's interesting because
when you're in this downtime inbetween competing, you have to
go through this emotional stateof being very worried what the
competition is, nervous about it, anxiety, all of these fears
(21:44):
start to come up and then youkind of go into the high of like
oh, now I'm competing, so youremotions are really just kind of
scattered throughout thisentire process.
So years of doing this, like Ihave seen myself be completely
emotionally dysregulated while Iwas competing and I've seen how
that's shown up in my I justhave seen the difference in
(22:04):
myself over the years and beingable to manage my emotions.
So I think from the physicalcompeting portion I have gained
definitely an emotionalresilience because I believe in
myself.
There is more confidence that Ihave that I will be able to
push through something, whetherit's a physical obstacle, or if
it's a mental obstacle, I'vesurvived.
(22:26):
I'm like I'm still here.
April Snow (22:28):
Right, and this is what a teacher it's like.
When I'm doing therapy and Ican help the person hold
themselves back against pastversions, you get to do the same
thing In season five, seasoneight, season 10.
That you're doing.
You know over the 10 seasonsthat you've been involved.
You can see the progress.
Yes, so it sounds like you knowgoing forward.
(22:49):
You're regulating your emotionsmore.
Tori Deal (22:51):
Yes, absolutely.
And like the season I won, thefirst season I won was actually
the first season that I was likethis is when I had just started
to take antidepressants and Iwas like really, really shifting
away from the drama and thechaos that that type of
environment can create.
And, like I said, now I'm noton that anymore and I have
(23:12):
nothing negative or positive tosay about being on that or not
being on them.
It's totally neutral.
April Snow (23:16):
You know it's either good for you in the space or
you're done with them.
Tori Deal (23:17):
So Exactly, and sometimes you're on them, it's
totally neutral.
April Snow (23:19):
You know it's either good for you in the space or
you're done with them, soExactly, and sometimes you're on
them forever and sometimes youdo it for a period to get
yourself back on track.
There's so many options thereand it sounds like it helped you
get through a period.
Tori Deal (23:29):
It was totally a crutch for me and it was a very
necessary one, like, yeah, Imean, like I don't want to like
be dramatic, but like I can'timagine not saying it didn't
save my life, because I feellike it did.
It was such a big piece of mebeing happy and learning to love
myself again and trustingmyself, and I felt like the
universe rewarded me withfinally, after season after
season losing, finally winning aseason, like it was that season
(23:52):
that I was like finally reallyholding space for my emotions
and all of the stuff that comeswith, just like you know,
everything that life offers allof us.
April Snow (24:05):
So, right, because you're not just doing this
challenge.
Life is still going on, yeah,family and friends and
relationships, and you know allthe things, right, right.
But you know you foundsomething else to keep in your
toolbox.
Yeah, just going back to that.
You know that metaphor and itgot you to here, which I always
love those pieces that arelittle bridges.
(24:27):
Just get me to the next phaseright, yeah, and you also talked
about downtime in there.
I think that's important torecognize.
You might see the intensity onthe screen, but it's not the
whole story.
You might see the intensity onthe screen, but it's not the
whole story, and this is such agreat metaphor for life.
You may see someone out therein the spotlight, but it doesn't
mean that's the whole picture.
There are other things going on.
(24:49):
I'm curious if you're open tosharing.
What are you doing in thatdowntime?
Are you processing?
Are you writing poetry?
Are you connecting with people?
Tori Deal (24:58):
Yes, the answer is yes.
I am usually pretty when itcomes to connecting with people
in that environment.
The different tapestry ofpeople they cast it is.
So you have to connect witheverybody because it's a
political game, but like if Iwas outside in the real world,
it would be very difficult forme to connect with some of those
energies.
That's the best way for me toput it.
(25:19):
So I definitely prioritizecreating a safe space I know
that it's also mentioned in yourbook like creating a cozy
bedroom space.
We sleep in bunk beds.
I will find a potted plant inthe house.
I will find some cute rocksoutside.
I will literally yard sale myroom.
I will find stuff around and Iwill make it cozy.
(25:41):
And as people leave the gameand get eliminated, I'll take
their pillow or I'll take theircomforter, and now I'm building
it up to make it fluffy.
So I'll create a safe space andI'm tapping into meditation.
I'm sitting in nature as muchas possible and connecting with
that, because nature is justliteral, literal medicine and
(26:02):
writing a lot as much as I can.
April Snow (26:06):
Yeah, you bring up such a good point that you can
create a safe space anywhere,right?
Sometimes it's purely internal,and then other times you're
finding those little anchors.
It's a rock, it's a plant, it'san extra blanket, just
something to create somecoziness or some connection to
something real.
Yeah, right, are you?
So you basically, are notallowed to bring much or
(26:28):
anything.
Not too much, no, not too much.
So you're needing to beresourceful.
Tori Deal (26:32):
Yeah, like always bring like a crystal, you know,
always like something small butand like pictures of my cat you
know, things that, like I canlike pray to.
April Snow (26:43):
Exactly Right.
Those, those reminders of home.
Tori Deal (26:46):
Yeah, but small, very , very small.
April Snow (26:49):
Yeah.
Tori Deal (26:51):
Which has been helpful with traveling too.
Like, even when I leave, I dotravel a lot and I'm always kind
of like getting thrown in themix of like do this event or do
this thing, and I have a hardtime saying no.
So I'm always kind of likegetting thrown in the mix of
like do this event or do thisthing, and I have a hard time
saying no.
So I'm kind of like sure, andthen, like, I find myself in
this position literally rightnow I have to leave this weekend
to go to Miami for this hugething and I have been having
(27:15):
anxiety all week about this andI'm like I'm just going to bring
I literally have it in my mindI'm going to bring my little
crystal.
I'm going to bring my rock thatsays dream on it.
I'm going to bring, like I amapplying those same like things
that I bring to the challenge.
I apply that now to my everyday, every you know, regular life
travel.
April Snow (27:32):
Right, it's such a teacher like oh, this actually
helps me.
Yeah, I can get through hardthings because I'm taking care
of myself.
Yeah, yeah, is that a differentmindset than a few years ago?
Tori Deal (27:46):
You know I think it is more aware.
I would say it's more aware, Ithink, a few years ago.
It's a little bit more like.
I'm just kind of hoping thatI'll find comfort there.
Or maybe if I brought this like, yes, this does bring me
comfort, but now it's like, okay, I know.
If I want to ease my tensionright now or deal with the fact
(28:08):
that, like I have to be in anairport with a bunch of people
or on a flight or in a hotelthat I've never been at before,
then I'm gonna try my best tobring my space with me.
So it's definitely helpful tolike be more intentional about
it, which I also like the ideaof a workbook and being able to
like physically write some ofthese things down.
You'd be surprised with howmuch you already do know.
(28:30):
But, like when you put pen topaper, it's like, oh yeah,
here's my map.
Right, I've been navigating offmy brain map, which is like
always interesting, like athought pops up and all of a
sudden, map gone, exactly.
April Snow (28:44):
Well, that's it.
When we get dysregulated, allthose tools kind of go out the
window.
I always think like, or I sayyou know, I've got my tools, but
I don't choose to use thembecause we forget, right, we go
completely offline and we're inthat swirl, that internal swirl,
just being in panic or anxietymode.
It's like, oh wait, let me justwrite that down and look at my
(29:05):
cheat sheet here.
Totally, what are my tools?
Yeah, or having somethingtangible.
Okay, like I'm here, I'm okay.
The world is not on fire.
Yeah, yeah, I'm okay right now.
You just need those things thatbring you back.
Tori Deal (29:20):
Even like my wallpaper on my phone.
Like sometimes, if I know Ineed like a mantra, I'm like,
okay, I know I'm going to see myphone, I'm going to put it
right there.
April Snow (29:28):
Yep Best place Boom, I'm always doing that.
You just have to have thosethings that just pop right in
front of you.
Tori Deal (29:35):
Yeah, yeah.
April Snow (29:36):
Definitely it doesn't have to be that
complicated, right, like I think.
A lot of times people thinkclients always say this to me
like oh, it's so easy, it's notgoing to work Like it will work.
Tori Deal (29:46):
Yeah.
April Snow (29:47):
Right, like meditation, I think people also
make more complicated than itneeds to be.
Tori Deal (30:00):
Yeah, and you know, what's so interesting about
meditation is there's threedifferent major types and they
apply to different types ofpeople.
So depending on the type ofperson you are so let's say
you're somebody who is like mathdriven and a numbers person
you're going to benefit moreeasily from a focus meditation,
which is literally sitting stillfor five minutes, breathing in
one, exhaling two and then justfocusing on those numbers.
For if you're just beginning,try one minute, you know, try
(30:22):
two minutes.
That's going to activate thepart of your brain that you feel
most comfortable using, whichis your prefrontal cortex.
If you are somebody who islooking for emotional regulation
, then you need to tap into anawareness meditation, which is
when you close your eyes and youbring yourself to your center
and you can kind of just bringsoft awareness to different
parts of your body.
How do my feet feel, how do myknees feel, how does my heart
(30:45):
feel, how do my hands feel?
All these places, and thisaccesses your amygdala, and that
is to help you with emotionalregulation.
April Snow (30:54):
Right, okay, this makes a lot of sense.
Yeah, and there's one more.
Tori Deal (30:59):
One more, yeah, and so then there's visualization
meditation, which is my favoritebecause I'm super creative and
so I love to kind of like livein the land of you know wherever
.
Also, if you're somebody whocan like tap into escapism too
much, then, like you know, thisone is easy to go to but, like
it's recommended to kind of keepyourself from going too far out
(31:20):
into the, because what you wantto do is make sure that you
feel good in your body.
But in visualization you'rebasically just accessing, you're
visualizing yourself doingsomething that you love, like an
athlete might visualizethemselves like kicking the ball
in the net, and thereforethey're manifesting it, but
they're more so like allowingthat experience to live in their
body and accepting it.
So, and that accesses youroccipital lobe and one other
(31:44):
part of your brain that I can'tremember off the top of my head
right now, but it's so differentfor everybody you know.
April Snow (31:50):
Yeah, and I think we do put meditation in a box,
like, oh, I've got to sitperfectly still cross-legged,
you know, but it's like no,there's so many ways in.
Tori Deal (32:00):
Yeah, there's so many ways in.
There's so many ways in.
April Snow (32:02):
And I really appreciate you breaking that
down because I hadn't heard ofthose three categories before
Focus, awareness, visualization,Visualization I personally love
it so much.
Tori Deal (32:12):
Same.
April Snow (32:13):
Because it allows me to try on something.
Yeah, I think that's reallygood.
I don't have any research toback this, but I think, as an
HSP, that's really helpful,because then I get comfortable
with it before it actuallyhappens, or it helps me kind of
clear out all the noise.
I'm currently working on a bookand I just keep visualizing the
book being finished, which ishelping me get through the hard
(32:35):
parts of writing the book.
That's amazing, just like Iimagine you're doing the same
when you're going up in achallenge or you're doing
something athletic, or whateveryou're doing, you're writing
your own works.
Tori Deal (32:43):
Yeah, like let me visualize this Absolutely and
like I know that you say thatyou maybe don't have like the
stats to back it up, but likewhy not be the first person to
kind?
Of trailblaze that and likecreate some stats around it.
Like good point.
April Snow (32:57):
Yeah, because it makes a lot of sense.
And yeah yeah, I mean, and justto have these options.
You know you can.
Tori Deal (33:06):
I think I like to probably dabble in all three,
but visualization has my heart.
Yeah Well, same literally thesame and it's funny because that
one is being introduced to usin the course.
Last, because I think a lot ofpeople resonate with that,
especially people who naturallyfind themselves meditating,
People who are more logic, like,number-based and you know they
love structure.
Those people are definitelyprobably not looking for
(33:26):
meditation as an outlet first.
So introducing them tosomething like a focus
meditation is just.
It's going to be receivedbetter because it feels more
tangible to them.
April Snow (33:38):
That makes sense right, Because it's matching how
their brain works.
Yeah Right, I think that's soimportant, Like go for the thing
that feels like it's a good fit.
Yes, exactly.
Why are we trying to pushourselves and do something that
doesn't work?
Tori Deal (33:52):
Yeah, and like what you said, try something on
Exactly.
You can push ourselves and dosomething that doesn't work.
Yeah, and like what you said,try something on like you can do
it for five minutes, likethat's an investment of your
exploration in what served you.
April Snow (34:01):
Exactly.
Oh, I love that.
Yeah, exploring what served youor what could serve you, yeah,
what could serve you yeah, howdo you know yet?
So and I know we're going offthe cuff here a little bit we
didn't plan to talk about this,but I'm just thinking about okay
, if I'm just starting outmeditating and I'm dabbling in
these, maybe these threedifferent types, so there's
going to be some initialclunkiness.
(34:22):
I might not know what it feelslike yet.
I might have a little bit ofresistance, especially if I am
in a really anxious state.
So how do we know when to leanin or switch gears and try a
different type?
Tori Deal (34:38):
Well, I think you sit with like my coach tells me,
you sit with one for you.
Don't just rush out of one, youhave to give it the opportunity
to show you what it's made of.
So allowing yourself toexperience the resistance but
still showing up is huge.
And also, I think that couldprobably build that emotional
(35:00):
resilience that you mentioned,because we're not always going
to be comfortable and that'skind of part of the process.
So the more we learn how tojust allow the discomfort to
kind of breeze by us, the easierit will be with everything.
April Snow (35:17):
Absolutely.
This is an opportunity to buildthat resilience.
Don't give up too early.
Tori Deal (35:24):
Yeah, and with the course you know, we tried focus
for about a week, then we wentto awareness for about a week,
then we combined them, we wentfrom focus into awareness and
added the time together, so nowwe were doing 10 minutes.
So we spent about a week oneach one and it was very hard
for me to not want to jump tovisualization.
(35:44):
I'm like, okay, one, twobreathing.
Okay, oh, I'm in the sky, I'min the cloud.
There's my higher self.
April Snow (35:51):
You know, I know I higher self, I know I was
thinking I would get bored withtoo much focus meditation.
If I'm getting body work done,I'm having a trip, I get so many
visuals.
It's like I'm on drugs yeah, Iget it, I so get it, so I just
go right there.
But there could be disciplinein that.
Tori Deal (36:11):
Yeah, Well, also for you.
Maybe that's a good place foryou to go.
April Snow (36:15):
Totally.
Tori Deal (36:16):
You know like this could be.
If this brings you to a stateof feeling homeostasis within
your body, then you're doing theright one.
Truly, yeah, there's no, youdon't need to.
All three don't need to serveyou.
April Snow (36:29):
Yes, what great permission.
Yeah, if it's not serving youtried it, you gave it a good
shot.
Yeah, maybe let it go Totally.
Oh, love this.
Tori Deal (36:40):
What a good teacher I mean.
I love that we're able to talkabout it, because it's such a
passion of mine, because I'velearned how to regulate myself
through this process.
And again, like I said, Ireally when I put pen to paper
when I was working through yourworkbook, it was like, yeah, I
need to like actually give thisa little bit more life, because
it's how passionate I am aboutit.
April Snow (37:01):
Well, I can tell.
I mean there's clearly you have, there's energy there and it's
worked for you.
And now this is what it waslike for me in therapy.
Now I want to share that withothers.
Yes, right, like, let me notjust keep this to myself.
I don't want to gatekeepTotally.
Yeah, bring this out.
But I love seeing I feel likethis has been a theme today as
I'm hearing your storyEverything is building Early
(37:23):
experiences are serving youlater and continuing on.
It sounds like being an athletehas potentially helped you with
your meditation.
You with your meditation, orbeing that people-oriented
person really seeing people andbeing able to connect with
anyone helps you when you'redoing challenges and maybe being
around people that you're notused to being around.
(37:43):
There's just so much that's allserving.
Tori Deal (37:47):
Yeah, well you know, it's so, so cool and I
definitely think, like you know,obviously there's hard times,
but, like I always look for thepositive, I always look for the
silver lining, you know, like ifwe're really here to just
experience and grow, well, thenthat's what I'm here to do, and
(38:07):
I'm here to continue to figureout how that growth can be
reapplied and how I can reach anew level.
It's literally my purpose hereis to grow.
That's it.
It is to grow.
I don't need to do anythingelse.
Before it used to be, oh, Ineed to be rich and, like you
know, I want to.
I want to have money.
Like back when I didn'tunderstand anything, you know,
but now I understand.
(38:28):
It's like feel safe, be happy,healthy and grow.
And what else are we here to do?
April Snow (38:34):
Exactly.
I truly believe that's ourlife's work and I think when
you're in alignment with that,whatever that purpose is, the
money, the things will come asyou need them to.
Absolutely, I feel like youdon't actually have to work so
hard at those if you're inalignment.
Tori Deal (38:50):
I think so too, and also it's like when you realize
the money coming in, when you'reusing it for your purpose,
you'll be given what you need touse for your purpose.
April Snow (39:00):
Exactly.
Tori Deal (39:01):
You know you can just keep cycling it through.
I think like one of the bestbooks that I've ever read about
money was the Soul of Money byLynn Twist, and she talks about
the spirit of money.
She like helped majorphilanthropists who were
donating money to, like helpingend world hunger and all of
these incredible organizations,and she had a point was like
turning down people from givingmajor donations because
(39:22):
energetically she was like thisisn't aligned and I mean I'll
let you read the book on yourown if you want.
But it really changed myperspective around money, which
is not something I thought wewere going to talk about today
either.
April Snow (39:34):
You never know, you never know, but it's so
important, right?
It's very energetic andespecially for HSPs.
I think we always feel like, oh, money isn't going to happen
for me, and this is a commonmindset.
I see it's like, well, maybenot the way you think it will,
but it could.
Yeah, and I love you know, I'ma big believer in that money is
(39:59):
energy and we need to lookdeeper than just what's on the
surface of money.
So yeah, I'm definitely.
I'll put that in the show notesfor folks.
Soul of money.
It sounds amazing.
Tori Deal (40:06):
It's amazing.
I think you'd love it.
April Snow (40:07):
Yeah, I think so too .
Yeah, put that on my to readlist.
Yeah, yeah, I mean, there's somany layers in all this.
You are someone that's reallymodeling, as I said.
You know, holding the internaland the external, finding those
balances, bringing more depth tosomething that we may see as
superficial, like working out orearning money or being in the
(40:32):
public eye, but it's more thanthat, right, and it's so
apparent, like I said, it justpops off the page.
Is there anything else that youwant to share about balancing
those parts of yourself, right?
This really deep, introspective, creative part, and then this
more athletic, resilience,external part?
Tori Deal (40:52):
Yeah, you know, I think I'm still learning first
and foremost.
So I still like I look atvideos of myself when I was,
like you know, 10 years ago andI cringed so bad, and so I can
imagine I'm probably going to becringing 10 years from now and
it's just going to be a longlife of looking back and
cringing.
But I think what is cool isthat I'm showing up and the
(41:16):
balance of it all really stemsfrom what am I feeling when I'm
super sensitive right now, andcan this emotion somehow help me
define what I feel stronglyabout in general and what I
think my purpose is?
And then how can I use all ofthese things in my toolkit,
whether it's like working out ormeditating, and then how can I
(41:41):
use this energy that I'mcreating in my body Because it's
energy and how can I channel itinto something that is going to
serve my purpose?
And it's a cycle of that,because sometimes I don't feel
like I can show up.
There are definitely days whereI just't feel like I can show up
.
There are definitely days whereI just had a day like this on
Monday.
I was like I'm calling out sick.
Meanwhile I work from home, butI'm like pillow or blanket over
(42:04):
the head in my pajamas all dayon my couch, did not move, so
like, I definitely think it's abalance and I just keep trying
to show up.
Yeah, and purpose is a big onetoo.
Just finding your purpose, likewhere are these emotions coming
from and how can you returnthose emotions back into what
(42:26):
drives you in the first place?
April Snow (42:29):
So well said, yeah, just that purpose, it's powerful
.
But also you need to rest alongthe way, yeah, Right.
And when your body is sayingpowerful, but also you need to
rest along the way, yeah Right.
And when your body is saying no, even if you work from home, I
think people get in this trapyou can still have a sick day.
Tori Deal (42:43):
Oh yeah.
April Snow (42:43):
Right, you still need to hibernate and just shut
the world out for a moment, andso that seems like that's what
gets you through this kind ofjust this balance.
Tori Deal (42:51):
Yeah, I'm engaging, but I'm also retreating and
taking care of myself.
Yeah, a hundred percent, andthen it's definitely been easier
for me recently to start takingcare of myself, and it's like
rest had to be viewed asprogress in a way?
April Snow (43:06):
Yes.
Tori Deal (43:07):
Yes, you know it's messed up because it's like I
can only accept rest when it'sprogress Like does that mean
that I've based my worth off ofprogress?
Why can't I just be?
April Snow (43:17):
I know it's such a tricky thing because, yes, you
can justify rest because it willmake you more productive.
But do you really want to haveto do that?
Tori Deal (43:26):
No, it's like I mean I get.
If it gives me rest, that'sawesome.
But, like more recently, I'vebecome like no, I'm just going
to chill.
And now I get it.
When I go visit my Nana at herold people home which shout out
to them because they're legendsin there, they don't care.
And I feel like I'm getting tothat place.
April Snow (43:50):
That's a dream, right the dream.
Tori Deal (43:53):
It's funny because I started taking guitar lessons
because I've always wanted toplay.
But I tell my guitar teacherI'm like my goal is to not be
good now, it's to be good whenI'm 75, 80 in that home.
Yes, and I'm going to be a rockstar.
Then I'm setting long-termgoals.
That is it right.
That's the magic.
Yeah, so you know it's allgrowing, though.
(44:16):
You know that's what I'm reallygetting at here, just allowing
myself to accept that, yeah,it's good to rest, and it's been
a beautiful part of the processto learn that.
April Snow (44:24):
Yeah, and it's all growing, it's all feeding.
The same mission yeah, andyou're going to get there.
Tori Deal (44:33):
You know holding that goal of I'll get there when I'm
80.
It's like, well, what's therush?
What's the rush, right?
Yeah, like, why can't we setgoals for when we're 80?
Well, exactly.
April Snow (44:40):
Like oh, I've got 50 , 60 years, I'll just take my
time, I can rest along the way.
Tori Deal (44:46):
I'm going to take my time and take my sweet time, not
rushing.
I decided I was going to be onearth for a long time, like
maybe a year ago.
I was like you know what, Ihave a lot of work to do here.
I don't know what, but I have alot of work to do and I'm going
to be here for a while.
April Snow (45:02):
Yeah, and just making that commitment, it's
like, okay, yeah, I don't haveto get there tomorrow.
I can pump the brakes a littlebit, takes the pressure off.
Tori Deal (45:13):
Totally.
And also to like live in themoment, like there's so much
medicine in the moment.
It's like when I look at my cat, truly I see God and I like, I
really do, like no one can tellme otherwise.
God made this.
Only God, the divine creator,like the universe, could create
(45:34):
something so magical like thisbeing who loves to be around me.
April Snow (45:38):
That's so sweet Cats are amazing.
Tori Deal (45:42):
Oh.
April Snow (45:42):
God, they're the best, Right.
What's your cat's name?
Miso?
Oh, that's right, miso.
Yeah, yeah, oh, so sweet.
Tori Deal (45:50):
So I think being in the present moment, like
allowing us to be there whichalso meditation helps too it's
really about being in thepresent moment.
It's like if we can just exist,have more of these moments in
our lives, then it creates thetension of, like you know,
feeling like overstimulated orfeeling like over emotional, or
being unable to manage emotions,able to manage emotions, and
(46:11):
then also like, when you're justout there and you're performing
, it's like, well then, what'sthat third piece of just
existing?
Because what am I here to do?
Just feel and compete, feel andcompete.
April Snow (46:19):
Right, it's rough, that's really rough.
Tori Deal (46:26):
Rough, you need some breathing room, breathing room.
April Snow (46:29):
Give me a tank, exactly.
Well, and if you're in themoments and you're taking that
pressure down when you'repulling the covers up, you can
just let yourself pull thecovers over your head.
Tori Deal (46:37):
Yeah.
April Snow (46:37):
There's no, what about tomorrow?
You know there's no.
What ifs?
Yeah, Like this is what my bodyneeds right now, Let me give it
to it Absolutely Right.
Yeah, so many good lessons today.
Yeah, yes, tori, this was anamazing conversation.
I really appreciate, I mean,all the layers that you shared
(46:59):
and it was fun putting some ofthe pieces together and seeing
the complexity of your story.
I mean, this is a true HSPexperience.
Right, we have layers and depthand all these things that we
grapple with, these biggerquestions.
I do want to see if there's anyfinal thoughts you want to
leave for listeners before we gofinal thoughts.
Tori Deal (47:16):
I'm just grateful, I think, like I'm grateful to be
here.
I'm grateful for the spaceyou're creating and the work
you're doing.
I was very excited to chat withyou because of who you are and
what you put out into the world,and I think that just kind of
like leaves me on like a note ofgratitude and how good it feels
that's's always a safe space.
You know, like if you ever feellike you need to find a safe
(47:38):
space, find gratitude, becausethat's always a safe space in
your heart.
April Snow (47:42):
It truly is, isn't it?
It's like oh, there's somethingthat I can lean into and attach
to.
Yeah and yeah, I just want tosay welcome to the HSP family.
Yeah, Seriously you know youtruly introduced me to it, so
thank you.
I'm just so grateful to.
It's always amazing to me thatI get to be a part of that
process for someone and like,cause, I remember what that was
(48:04):
like Someone gave that gift tome and then to be able to give
that gift to someone else.
It's so beautiful that that'show we do it.
We just connect and pull peoplein and like, well, you know,
this is you.
Tori Deal (48:15):
Yeah, absolutely, and like you never know when you're
going to learn something aboutyourself, and so, yeah, it's
never too late.
I was pulled to your book likea magnet.
I saw it on an Instagram postand I said I need to go in there
and get it, and I went intoRen's the next day and I got it
Like it was a magnet.
So yeah, I knew it was theuniverse pulling me.
Like read this, there'ssomething here.
April Snow (48:36):
Thank you for that and, yeah, thanks for diving in
and doing the work Absolutelyyou did that I mean, look where
it brought me.
Tori Deal (48:44):
now you know exciting new chapters where I get to
explore, you know, meditationeven more, and so, yeah, I'm so
excited for you for that.
April Snow (48:51):
I can't wait to see how that unfolds.
Tori Deal (48:54):
Yes, thank you, that I can't wait to see how that
unfolds.
Thank you, yes, thank you.
And when I start hosting likevirtual little workshops, I'm
definitely going to host like ameditation party to celebrate my
certification.
But I'm going to throw a freemeditation like virtual workshop
online for people so they canget introduced to it.
So when I do that, I'd love tobe able to you know, invite your
audience to come.
April Snow (49:19):
Oh, I would love to be there, thank you, and just to
see you step into that role andbe part of that community that
you're building, thank you, andthank you for that invitation,
because that feels reallyspecial to witness.
Thank you Like oh, you'recrossing over this threshold.
Tori Deal (49:25):
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm still a teacher, Iknow Very nervous, which is why
I'm going to be throwing a fewfree workshops to kind of get my
, you know, but also veryexcited.
So thank you.
April Snow (49:35):
Clearly it's a passion and a purpose for you.
Tori Deal (49:38):
Yeah, it feels, that way.
April Snow (49:40):
Well, tori, I will be sure to share for folks all
the resources that you have,your website, your social media.
Folks can pick up Soul Spill,please do.
I highly recommend it.
It's beautiful, the wording,the imagery.
You and Vera have really done abeautiful job with that.
Such an HSP haven, and I knowyou often do events.
So do you have any eventscoming up?
Tori Deal (50:01):
Yes, yes, I actually do.
I'm really excited to becollaborating with Little Words
Project in the King of PrussiaMall at the end of May in
Philadelphia and it's going tobe a really cool little pop-up
poetry event where we're goingto be creating bracelets
together, obviously throughlittle words project, and then
working on some poetry andhelping people to kind of step
(50:23):
into that, because everyone's apoet.
Really everybody has theability to channel creativity
and it's just a muscle that youhave to practice with and allow
to stretch, and so I love tolead people through that
experience and I'm excited to dothat.
So if you're in thePhiladelphia region end of May,
slide on through, because itwould be an honor to have any of
(50:45):
you guys there.
April Snow (50:46):
Amazing.
I mean just to get together, tocreate, to connect.
I mean your events that pop uplook just so, so enriching and
well fun, but also just reallyhealing, just to have that space
.
I'm so just grateful thatyou're doing it.
We need more of that in theworld, Thank you.
Tori Deal (51:03):
Thank you.
Yeah, it's so fun.
You know, like I feel like it'sfun to go out to like I guess
it's not actually fun to go outto a club, but, like you know,
it's fun to go out and dosomething that feels high energy
but also has depth.
So that's kind of what I liketo cultivate is like how can
there be depth but also feellike you're just going to hang
out with your girls?
April Snow (51:20):
Exactly Right.
I mean we need more of thosefaces that they just use.
Tori Deal (51:24):
We really do yes.
April Snow (51:25):
You're just, you're creating, putting them out there
for us.
Tori Deal (51:28):
Hey, we're both doing the work, we're both out here,
we're trying, yeah, we're trying.
April Snow (51:37):
Oh, I love it so much.
Well, tori, thank you again.
Tori Deal (51:38):
Oh, thank you so much , april, it's been a pleasure
absolutely.
April Snow (51:48):
thanks so much for joining me and Tori for today's
conversation.
What I hope you'll remember isthat your emotions have a
purpose, they are valid and thatyou get to be whatever version
of an HSP that suits you.
Keep in touch with Tori onInstagram and check out the show
notes to attend one of herupcoming live events.
If you enjoyed this episode,subscribe to the Sensitive
(52:12):
Stories podcast so you don'tmiss our upcoming conversations.
Reviews and ratings are alsohelpful and appreciated For
behind-the-scenes content andmore HSB resources.
You can sign up for my emaillist or follow Sensitive
Strengths on Instagram, tiktokand YouTube.
Check out the show notes orsensitivestoriescom for all the
(52:33):
resources from today's episode.
Thanks for listening.
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