Paula Prober's Blog, page 8

We Need to Stop Being So Dumb About Super Smart Kids–Part Two

You may remember Saahil, the 14-year-old gifted teen I met a few weeks ago. Well, let me introduce you to Mehek, his gifted 9-year-old sister. Once again, I was speaking with a child who was articulate, extremely curious, highly sensitive, and deep thinking. Mehek loves debating philosophy and religion, wants to know how asteroids are […]

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You Are Not Alone if You Are Feeling Lonely

Apparently, loneliness is now a thing. The latest issue (March/April 2024) of the Psychotherapy Networker is all about “the loneliness epidemic.” And you thought it was just you. The editor, Livia Kent, writes, “…friendship is necessary for our growth and well-being, physically and mentally. Whether friends are helping us navigate life’s inevitable rapids by sharing […]

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We Need to Stop Being So Dumb About Super Smart Kids

We can be so dumb when it comes to gifted kids. Seriously. It would be so easy to see them, appreciate them, and help them grow into their fully effervescent, creative, intelligent, empathetic selves. How might life on Planet Earth improve if we just nourished these youngsters? This week I met with a family of […]

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Are There Platitudes for Smart People?

I am not a fan of platitudes, cliches, or one-size-fits-all thinking. I am not a fan of quick fixes, simplistic answers, or weekend workshops that promise instant enlightenment. I tend to scoff at people who go nuts over celebrities, athletes, and the latest Insta-craze. I get mighty irritable when people preach banishing all “negative” emotions […]

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Signs You Are Gifted–Workplace Edition

You may be wondering if you are actually gifted. But what are the signs? What are the clues? How do you know for sure? What are the signs you are gifted that are reflected in your jobs/careers? Here are just a few, in no particular order: ~ You are frustrated at meetings because you came […]

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You Are Never Too Old to Become Your Fearless Gifted Self and Love Your Overexcitable Hair

I just met with my too-pretty-for-her-own-good acupuncturist. I’ll call her Aphrodite. She said my hair shows I have great kidney qi (chi?). Who knew I ought to love my free-range hair because it means I won’t need a kidney transplant in my old age! We are working on getting me more comfortable with my hair […]

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Feeling Like a Failure When You Are Not the Best at Everything

I wonder if you have a particularly challenging relationship to failure. Many rainforest minds do because of the pressure they feel to be high achieving because they are “so smart.” One of my clients said this week: “I want to be the best in the world at everything. If I am not, I feel like […]

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No More “Wasted Days”–Be More of Your Creative and Authentic Self

One of the advantages of getting older is becoming more aware of time. You don’t want to waste it. You are less concerned about what others think. You make better choices because you’ve learned from all of the bad ones you’ve made over the years. Like in this song from Mellencamp and Springsteen, you can’t […]

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How and Where Do You Talk About The Challenges of Being a Gifted Adult?

Who do you talk with about your struggles as a gifted adult? What do you say when it is assumed you are so lucky to be so smart? How do you explain the pressure you feel to live up to some perceived potential and how the expectations keep you up at night? How do you […]

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My Love Letter to You on Valentine’s Day

To my dearest rainforest-minded valentinas, Do you know there is a lot to love about you? Do you know? Well, then, let me count the ways. I love your big emotions. Your capacity to feel despair. To feel sorrow. To grieve for life’s large and small losses. (even if you’ve learned to hide those emotions) […]

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