6. Do you have a Rainforest Mind? Meet Paula Prober
Paula Prober is a psychotherapist, consultant, blogger, and author in private practice in Eugene, Oregon, USA. Over the 35+ years she has worked with the gifted, Paula has been a teacher and presenter at universities, webinars, and conferences. She consults internationally with gifted adults and parents of gifted children. Her first book, Your Rainforest Mind: A Guide to the Well-Being of Gifted Adults and Youth, is an in-depth look at giftedness including case studies, strategies for greater self-understanding and growth, and numerous resources. Her new book, Journey Into Your Rainforest Mind: A Guide For Gifted Adults And Teens, Book Lovers, Overthinkers, Geeks, Sensitives, Brainiacs, Intuitives, Procrastinators, and Perfectionists is a compilation of her most popular blog posts and includes specific strategies to guide readers back to authenticity, purpose, love, and to finally deciding what colour to paint the living room.
In this episode I talk with Paula about the Rainforest Mind, what it means to be gifted and how hard it is for people to accept that they are indeed gifted. She also answered all my questions.
TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:
Gifted people not necessarily do well in school. School does not necessarily meet the needs of the gifted children.
Even if you are smart, you might need guidance and you can be depressed and suffer from anxiety.
If you don’t fit in anywhere, are sensitive and creative you might have a Rainforest Mind
If you have a hard time believing you are gifted, you probably are.
You don’t need to have a college degree or high achievements to be a gifted person.
People are like ecosystems. The rainforest is the most complex of them all. Often misunderstood and being cut down!
If you answer many of the quiz questions on Paula’s website with yes, you have a Rainforest Mind!
You don’t need an evaluation, you don’t necessarily need therapy or coaching (unless you want to), read the books and embrace your new found explanation.
Even if you have an official evaluation, gifted adults have a difficult time accepting that they are gifted. Giftedness is a spectrum. If you need to tell yourself you are BG (barely gifted) in order to accept it, this is fine.
Some gifted people are mulitpotentials and they don’t want to focus on one thing, one field or one profession.
Gifted people love to learn but want to learn at their own speed and their interest of the moment.
Having a non linear learning and working style is gifted trait. Working simultaneously on 10 projects, reading 10 books at the same time without finishing some or all is a gifted trait, not an ADHD trait.
Gifted people don’t need to finish everything. It could look flaky from the outside but the gifted person already got everything out of it and is ready to move on.
It can be very lonely to be a gifted person. Once you accept you are gifted and understand yourself, look for other people who share the same interests and values. Don’t give up finding other people like you!
Gifted people have the urge to do good in the world. To help fight climate change or injustice. Sign up to volunteer and find likeminded people. Find your authentic voice, because the planet needs you!
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Visit Paula’s blog and website: rainforestmind.com
Quiz questions: Rainforest Mind Quiz