Todd Smith on Highly Sensitive Persons, The Work of Byron Katie, and Inner Freedom

Send us a text If you’re a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)—or love one—this conversation is a deep exhale. Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom and a longtime facilitator of Byron Katie’s The Work, joins Melissa to unpack what “living with an open heart” actually looks like when life gets complicated: relationships, conflict, people-pleasing, and the comparing mind. We explore Todd’s three pillars of stress management for HSPs (understanding the trait, outer work/boundaries, and inner work), how The Work turns sticky stories into spaciousness, and why transcendental meditation has been his twice-daily reset since childhood. We also touch on HSP overlaps with ADHD and rejection sensitivity dysphoria, leadership strengths like empathy and systems-level thinking, and the myth that sensitivity equals fragility. If you’re ready to move from overthinking to inner freedom—this one’s for you. What you’ll learnThe HSP basics (15–20% of people): depth of processing, empathy, sensory sensitivity, and why overwhelm happensTodd’s 3-pillar stress framework for HSPs:Understand the trait (drop self-judgment; claim your strengths)Outer work (sleep, nourishment, boundaries that are kind and clear)Inner work (question stressful thoughts with The Work; find space inside even when nothing outside changes)A gentle walkthrough of The Work of Byron Katie (the four questions + turnarounds) and how to keep the “stuck” part of you safe while you inquireMoving from conflict-avoidant to creatively resourced (why arguing with reality doubles your stress)People-pleasing vs. integrity (how to say no without abandoning yourself)Meditation as a daily “reset” and why awareness widens when attachment loosensHSP leadership superpowers: deep listening, pattern-spotting, and bringing opposites together Resources & linksTodd’s podcast: Stress Management for Highly Sensitive People (search “HSP” in your podcast app)HSP Stress Test (Todd): trueinnerfreedom.com (look for “HSP Stress Test”)The Work by Byron Katie: the four questions + worksheets (official site)Dr. Elaine Aron’s books on Highly Sensitive People (foundational research)Quote referenced: Jack Kornfield, After the Ecstasy, the Laundry About Todd Smith Todd Smith is the founder of True Inner Freedom, a longtime facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie, and a lifelong meditator. He helps highly sensitive people move beyond fear, people-pleasing, and overthinking to confidence, clarity, and connection. Spread the word If this episode helped, share it with one HSP in your life. Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple/Spotify so more folks can find the show. Join the Fully Mindful Community: ✨ Subscribe & Review: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps others find the show! ✨ Stay Connected: Follow @the_fully_mindful on Instagram for mindfulness tips, breathwork insights, and more! ✨ Free Breathwork Sessions: Email me at info@thefully.mindful.com to get signed up for your first session for free of my monthly Unwind Your Mind session.