Today, Catherine Régnier gives us her vision of giftedness through the “gifted interview”. Thank you, Catherine! She is a Customer Manager. She lives currently in the Dieppoise Region in France.
.IF I COULD CHOOSE, WOULD I STILL BE GIFTED?
I never asked myself that question!
Now and since you’re asking, I would say yes, because I have a feeling that gifted people are more sensitive. Living intensely with a (seemingly) sharper awareness of the world is exciting. But maybe this feeling of being more “conscious” as related to giftedness is wrong?!
.WHAT (MY OWN) GIFTEDNESS MEANS TO ME
A vast subject that I develop amply on my blog (in french).
In a few words, and if we take up Dabrowski’s approach that I like, gifted people are more subject to 5 forms of overexcitabilities: motor, sensory, emotional, intellectual and imaginative. Whether it’s frequency, duration and/or intensity.
I feel concerned about all aspects, although I will more easily cite emotional overexcitability which seems to stand out even more than the rest in me.
Also a relationship to time that seems out of step with those around me, even gifted with, among other things, my way of living everything at 200km per hour!
My professional and personal entourage tell me that I only know how to run!
.IF I HAD TO CHOOSE AN IMAGE OR A KEYWORD THAT SUMS UP WHAT GIFTEDNESS MEANS
INTENSITY. It echoes the emotional over-excitability but not only to that …
It would seem that the gifted person perceives more deeply, whether it be certain senses more exacerbated, or even the intensity of concentration when in problem-solving mode.
.HOW LONG HAVE I KNOWN ABOUT IT?
Almost 10 years. I’m 40 years old and my IQ Test was done when I turned 31.
.WHAT PHASES HAVE I GONE THROUGH SINCE MY DISCOVERY?
– Shock. Even though I suspected I was gifted, I didn’t expect to have such an IQ score.
– Comprehension: my whole life has passed by with a new reading grid, and I realized the gap with other people
– Integration and acceptance
.HOW DO I EXPLAIN IT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER HEARD OF IT?
A different functioning both emotionally, the senses and the intellect – that I always cite last in my explanation because the old cliché of the nerd is unfortunately widespread.
.THE REMARK WHICH BLEW ME AWAY MOST WHEN I TALKED ABOUT IT
“I always knew you were very smart” from my mother. Despite my many explanations, she didn’t understand (it seems) and summarized giftedness as the big-brain.
But afterwards, what struck me the most was another remark of my mother (ex-professional teacher): “People only use part of their brain. In all my experience, you’re the only kid who used his whole brain.”
.HOW IT CHANGED MY LIFE (TO KNOW IT)
To better understand the gap, (also with other gifted people…because there seem to be different degrees) and thus be better integrated into society.
And be more conscious! Where before I was over-adapting.
.WHAT I HAVE ALLOWED MYSELF TO DO EVER SINCE
Being me.
Launch a group on Linkedin (October 2017), my blog 15 days ago and start talking about it…a bit more openly.
.WHAT IT CREATES TO OTHERS WHEN I TALK ABOUT IT
“Oh yes, now I understand why I thought you were a UFO…”
” Okay, that explains the emotional reactions I found very strong “. Etc., etc.
.WHAT IRRITATES ME WITH GIFTEDNESS
The ruminations of a certain number of gifted people who only focus on the difference. Every human being is unique and singular. With similarities with his peers. Why focus on what separates instead of what unites? This doesn’t prevent us from taking into account atypical characteristics and turning them into strengths.
.WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE ABOUT GIFTEDNESS
Get rid of the stereotype of the geek with glasses and pimples. Hypersensitivity is… hyper-important.
(NB from Gloria: hypersensitivity doesn’t concern all Gifted people)
.WHAT I PERSONALLY FIND TO BE THE MOST DIFFICULT
Emotional overexcitability with its roller coaster: when you’re on top it’s ecstasy but the fall can be violent! Having said that, I’ve evolved on this aspect over the years: I keep my extreme enthusiasm and learned to take a step back when I don’t feel well.
And the relationship with time for the more ‘practical’ aspect of life: this feeling that it’s flowing everywhere in my head, that it goes faster inside than outside.
This could give the impression that I’m speedy, stressed, but I think it’s something else, a different speed in me. That’s relativity would say Einstein 😉
And I had a strong need for perfection, I have advanced on this path but, for years, it was the most difficult aspect…with rejection and isolation.
.WHAT I PERSONALLY LOVE
The firework in my head!!!! With for example the thirst to learn and what is linked to intellectual overexcitability! Extreme sensations and emotions!
More importantly and in a deeper way, these slightly ecstatic states when I feel like I’m advancing in my quest for meaning, connecting with my creative potential…
.A (MIS)REPRESENTATION THAT I WANT TO CALL INTO QUESTION
The sociopathic brain.
.WHAT I WANT TO SAY TO GIFTED PEOPLE
Your existential crises are a sign of good mental health!
You have within you all the potential for fulfilment and self-actualisation!
I strongly invite you to discover Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration which will explain to you the why of the how…
.WHAT I WANT TO SAY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CONCERNED
We’re not aliens with just a big brain, we’re people who are above all very sensitive (emotions and senses).
.WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND TO SOMEONE WHO IS WONDERING
Start by reading.
Take the test if you feel too much of a fraud to call yourself gifted (my case too), or if you are happy in your life, keep going.
.MY PROFESSIONAL ADVICE FOR GIFTED
I don’t have one.
Feeling good about oneself radiates on all aspects of life, whether it’s professional or personal, the reverse being true too…
.MY PERSONAL ADVICE FOR GIFTED
We’re three gifted people with my husband and my son. With ups and downs like everyone else!
As far as education is concerned, I think that a gifted parent naturally adjusts to the particularities of his child. I note the care I take to give meaning and explain everything without taboo with words adapted to my son.
.A BOOK TO READ ON THE SUBJECT
Living with intensity from Susan Daniels
.MY OPINION ABOUT THE WAIS IQ TEST
– Incomplete and limited.
– based only on 2 types of intelligence whereas there are more (at least the 9 described by Gardner) and almost all of them are not measurable.
– With the psychometric limits of a test.
– To which we can add the fact that it is made for a non-gifted population and therefore not designed for extremes, especially in the gifted “zone”..
.IS IT A WASTE NOT TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE GIFTED?
No. The important thing is to feel good about your life.
.WHEN I MEET ANOTHER GIFTED PERSON, DO I RECOGNIZE HIM.HER? BY WHAT?
Yes, it’s gifted flair. I don’t know, I know it! It’s also true for virtual relationships.
.WHAT DO GIFTED PEOPLE HAVE IN COMMON?
The need and quest for meaning.
.THE CRUCIAL STEPS NOT TO BE MISSED IN THE JOURNEY OF A GIFTED PERSON?
His.Her bachelor degree !!;)))))))))) Ugh, I don’t know!!!!!
Anyone, gifted or not, would live better if they saw their failures as learning opportunities and avoided repeating the same mistakes (if they did, it means they didn’t understand the “lesson”!).
.THE LAST THING I LEARNED ON THE SUBJECT (THAT I’D LIKE TO SHARE)
More developed extra-sensory perceptions…But this subject is quite taboo and few share about it.
.A WISH FOR THE FUTURE
Equity for the gifted, especially for the gifted in school and the professional world. That everyone can express their particular gifted or non-gifted talent(s).
.A HUNCH ON THE SUBJECT
We are mutants 😉
.THE QUESTION THAT I WAS MISSING BUT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER?
What is the meaning of life? 😉
