FIVE FAMOUS FIGURES WHO HARNESSED THEIR INNER MISFIT
IMI’S approach may seem novel, but emotionally sensitive souls have in fact been around for ever. Look back in history and you’ll find that so-called ‘drama queens’ pop up frequently and more often than not are hailed as admirable figures who demonstrate great bravery, tenacity and talent. And according to Imi, it makes perfect sense – just call it the HSP effect…
1 DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES
She is remembered as a troubled soul whose compassion and intuition endeared her to millions. But this vulnerability made her a trailblazer for the monarchy and a role model for emotionally vulnerable women. She spent much of her time in war-torn countries such as Zimbabwe and Pakistan, and opened the UK’s first purpose-built HIV/ AIDS unit at a time when the illness was misunderstood and feared. A classic example of someone with emotional sensitivity, she sought out and challenged injustice.
2 VAN GOGH
Famed as a brilliant but disturbed artist who cut off part of one of his ears and committed suicide, it’s easy to dismiss Van Gogh’s eccentricity as madness. But was he simply overwhelmed
by his own creative visions and sensitive intuition? 3 LEONARD COHEN Described
as the ‘prince of gloom’, the Canadian singer songwriter had a reputation for wallowing in pessimism. But arguably, he was just unashamedly in touch with his emotions and intuitive enough to know what made others tick. 4 VIRGINIA WOOLF The English writer was a pioneer of modern literature, but remembered as much for her mental illness which led, eventually, to her suicide. But she was, in fact, an emotionally gifted woman – a feminist and pacifist – who may have been misunderstood simply because she was so far ahead of her time. 5 BEATRIX POTTER Dynamic and multi-talented, Ms Potter was dismissed as feminine, fragile and dreamy. Yet the obsessive detail in the rich imaginary world of her children’s books, and her fascination with the natural world, shows how emotionally gifted and intense she could be.
RICH IMAGINATION:
Beatrix Potter’s creation Peter Rabbit. Left: Diana, Princess of Wales