This is the final rerun episode for December before we launch into a new season of interviews, solo episodes and amazing guest speakers!
Love is the very fabric of the universe, and I get so excited when I see someone using their intensity to spread the love around. My guest this week is Alexandra Loves, and I actually approached a year ago to be on the show. I’m so glad we decided to wait until now, because my connection with Alexandra has grown and bloomed during that time, giving us plenty to talk about! Alexandra is a Love Attraction Coach, Intuitive Spiritual Guide, and Entrepreneur. She is on a mission to catalyze creative power, and use her intuitive spirituality to guide her clients into their best existence. In everything she does, Alexandra is all about harnessing the power of that abundant universal fabric from which everything is made, Love.
Today, Alexandra and I are talking about how intensity can be a force for good, for love, and for large-scale transformation. Because of her international upbringing, Alexandra feels comfortable talking to just about anyone. Added to that, she never felt the need for all the labels and stereotypes in the world today, yet the world seems inclined to want to place them on everyone. Rather than let that be the reason for toning herself down, Alexandra has fully embraced who she is and what she stands for. Now she is using her gifts to help people find love, find meaning, and find who they really are.
Alexandra is teaching us today how to use our intuition. Once we begin listening, nothing can hold us back, and we can only increase our impact on what is going on around us. Alexandra says it best, “We are changing the world right now.”
More in this episode:
Alexandra shares why she is so committed to understanding her gifts and using them for a higher purpose.
Alexandra is on a search of Absolute Truth, and she is OK with that definition evolving over time.
In love, Alexandra embraces the “Wise Beyond Her Years” label.
Much of Alexandra’s practice deals with reconciling gender expectations within men and women.
Alexandra is on a mission to help us understand the dangers instant gratification.
The cultural factors that have shaped Alexandra’s ability to embrace her intensity and her racial identity.
The segregation and racial terms that put shackles around Alexandra’s neck.
Alexandra toned herself down in terms of dating and intensity.
How Alexandra realized she couldn’t tone herself down anymore.
Everyone struggles under assumptions and stereotypes, and we need to be aware of that!
Alexandra was able to heal from a damaging relationship because of her incredible support system and her own intuition.
What habits Alexandra uses to fuel her fire.
Alexandra helps women do the hard work of diving deep within themselves.
Learn to recognize when you are being diminished.
Visit my Embracing Intensity Patreon Page for weekly reflection questions and other self-exploration tools!
Links:
This December I’m sharing reruns of some of my favorite episodes from 2018. This one is from one of my all time hero’s René Brooks of Black Girl, Lost Keys. She was super amazing when I interviewed her and since then her following has absolutely blown up! I remember being excited for her last Christmas time when she hit 10 K followers on Twitter and now she’s grown exponentially with over 36 K. She’s also lined up a book deal and has a ton of other amazing projects in the works.
She’s also created 6 amazing workbooks on topics relevant to folks with ADHD including cleaning, time perception and “Guarding Your Yes,” and added a variety of great products to her store from T-shirts to fidgets and more! She now started gift cards just in time for the holidays. You can find it all on her website at blackgirllostkeys.com
What I’m most incredibly grateful to René for is bringing awareness to the topic of Twice Exceptionality.
Did you know that you could help somebody by just being honest and transparent about who and how you are? It's such a validating experience to know that somebody really gets you. Today's interview is with René Brooks. René's been a typical ADHD personality for as long as she can remember, losing keys, books, homework, and even her glasses sometimes when they were on her face! Although she was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of eleven, she never received any treatment for it until she was twenty-five. So her experience of learning that she had something real and that it could be worked with, started at that point. Listen in to find out what René has to share today, about growing up as a gifted person with ADHD.
René created a blog, Black Girl Lost Keys, with the intention of sharing the experience of receiving a diagnosis of ADHD later in life, while being part of a demographic that is still mostly skeptical about mental illness. ADHD and giftedness are not mutually exclusive, and many people don't realize that, so it was often hard for René to be understood while growing up. Listen in today to hear her talking about the ups and downs of her life growing up with ADHD, and how she channels her intensity, her fire, and her passions.
Show highlights:
Links and Resources:
René on all social media: Black Girl Lost Keys
Books mentioned:
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot.
Far From The Tree, by Andrew Solomon
Continuing reruns for some of my favorite episodes from season 2 for this December! This week, I'm sharing my interview with Kate Arms!
I met today’s special guest, Kate Arms, at the SENG conference recently and was so inspired by her talk entitled "Thriving with Intensity: Mining The Magic From Your Overexcitabilities” that I knew Kate would be the perfect fit for the podcast. Kate is a classic overthinker, high achiever, and multipotentialite who exudes intensity. She gets bored easily as evidenced by a career that includes being a lawyer, an arts administrator, a coach to parents of gifted and twice-exceptional kids and gifted and twice-exceptional adults, and an Agile Coach in a high tech company. She is an eager student of western secular developments from Buddhist philosophy and practices and the Theory of Positive Disintegration and the author of the Extreme Resilience Workbook, L.I.F.T.: A Coach Approach to Parenting, Unblock: Writing Prompts for Works in Progress, and award winning short stories in the literary fiction and horror genres. She hosts two podcasts: Kate’s Nuggets features short episodes with advice on living well drawn from the worlds of coaching, leadership development, and psychology; Leadership Arts Review features conversations with leadership coaches about books about good leadership and the ideas in them. But what really lights her fire is being silly with her four amazing kids.
More in this episode:
Kate’s shares details about her personal intensity.
Factors that affected Kate’s intensity while growing up
Kate describes ways her intensity could feel out of control in the past.
Channeling ways of questioning others
Using leadership thinking to question self
How theater can help intense individuals.
No one person will have all the answers for you.
Kate’s personal practices
The personal passion that fuels Kate's intensity
The magic question
Resources Mentioned in the Show:
How to donate to help keep the podcast going via Patreon
website: Thrive With Intensity
website: Parents of Twice Exceptional Kids
website: Signal Fire Coaching
Signal Fire Coaching on Facebook
Signal Fire Coaching on Twitter
Undoing Depression, by Richard O’Connor
Making It All Work, David Allen
This December, I'm continuing the tradition of sharing reruns of some of my favorite episodes, this time from Season 2. This episode is with Arianna Bradford. Since I last spoke to her, Arianna has been busy. She has dissolved the NYAM project and now writes and speaks to groups of parents for a living. Her book, Shame on You, Big Truths from a Bad Mom, was independently released July 7, and it’s been widely regarded as a fun, honest book for parents. She’s currently working on her second book, and is in the midst of relocating to Florida. You can find out more about her book, schedule her for events, and more at: theariannabradford.com
Is your personality way too big for most people to handle? And do you find yourself sometimes trying to become smaller than you really are? Today we're super excited to have Arianna Bradford join us on the show! Arianna was the founder and lead editor of the Not Your Average Mom (NYAM) Project, which is dedicated to celebrating strong women outside of the role of motherhood. Arianna really loves to talk and to express the ideas that she has going on in her head. She often found herself trying to curb the amount of talking she did when she was in high school, but it seldom worked for longer than ten minutes. Listen in today to find out what Arianna has to share about her passion and her fire.
Arianna was raised in a small town in Florida and spent the first twenty years of her life there. She thought that she would never leave. Due to unexpected circumstances, however, she moved to Texas and stayed there for about six years. During that time, she met her husband and they had two children, Miles and Charlie. Arianna, her husband, and their two young children now live in Happy Valley, Oregon. When she's not busy writing something or photographing people, Arianna enjoys reading, playing video games, or trying to sleep. Listen in today to find out more about Arianna and her brand of intensity.
Show highlights:
Links:
In his book How To Be an Adult, David Richo refers to assertiveness as “owning your own power.” This is so important because one of the best things we can do to increase our energy is to increase our sense of power and reduce our feelings of powerlessness. The most crucial way to do this is by getting clear on what we want and asking for it.
In this episode:
Links:
Today’s guest made quite an impression on me when I found him on TikTok. His specialty is self-regulation, and he has found inspiring ways to teach his techniques to teachers and parents. Join us to learn more.
Chazz Lewis, aka “Mr. Chazz,” is a preschool teacher who currently focuses his talents on teaching teachers to teach. He’s a mentor and motivational speaker who also hosts the podcast, Mr. Chazz’s Leadership, Parenting, and Teaching.
Show Highlights:
Resources:
Website coming soon at Mr. Chazz
Find Mr. Chazz: TikTok: mrchazzmrchazz
Instagram: Mr Chazz Mr Chazz
Facebook: mrchazzmrchazz
This week's episode is brief, with a quick update about my quarantine, exposure to Covid and awaiting our test results.
In this episode:
Today’s show brings inspiration and joy from my guest and her story. She’s doing great things in the world of gifted adults, bringing them together by highlighting their unique qualities. Join us to learn more!
Nadja Cereghetti is the host of the Unleash Monday podcast for gifted adults. Based in Switzerland, Nadja has a passion for learning new things, talking to people, science, and all things Marie Kondo. I’m thrilled to have discovered her podcast and to introduce her to you today!
Show Highlights:
Resources:
Connect with Nadja and find her podcast
Find out more about our EI community and events
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
The Book of Joy by the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
I wasn’t sure what to talk about for today’s podcast when I happened upon Paula Prober’s newest blog post, Can Gifted Kids Become Ungifted Adults? Hint: No but, read the full post for her take.
This got me thinking how I’ve observed as I’ve followed more neurodiverse folks on social media that people will often refer to their own giftedness in past tense and in quotes like “I was a ‘gifted’ kid,” as if giftedness was not something that still affected them now as an adult. I got to speak with Nadja Cereghetti, host of a new podcast for gifted adults called Unleash Monday, and we talked a lot about how a lot of gifted adults either don’t know they are gifted or no longer think they are.
In this episode:
We often confuse giftedness with achievement, or executive functioning skills.
Highly gifted folks don’t always fit the standard achievement picture because their thinking is outside the typical box.
Acknowledging our giftedness allows us to connect with our strengths and values to figure out what achievement really looks like for us.
Finding ways to support us in our executive functioning and self regulation skills can help us harness our energy in a positive direction.
Links:
In today’s show, I introduce you to a good friend who has been an anchor for me in creating a community over the last ten years, both in-person and online. Join us!
Lana Quackenbush has been part of my Ignite Your Power program for several years, and she frequently joined the monthly Embracing Intensity guest calls last year. I’ve seen from the beginning of our relationship what an amazing person she is and how she’s learning to own the uniqueness of who she is. Lana and I both love helping people find connections in the common experiences of intensity, giftedness, twice-exceptionality, and creativity.
Show Highlights:
Resources:
The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield
Find Lana on Instagram: ThatLanaLady
We are celebrating our 4th anniversary, 101K downloads! At this rate, I’ll make 200K in ½ the time! Keep sharing and listening so the message of Embracing Intensity can spread to those who need it!
For this week’s special episode, I asked audience and community members to share “What does Embracing Intensity mean to me?” I left it deliberately open ended, and got a wonderful variety of answers ranging from the meaning of the phrase, to the importance of the community.
In this episode:
Links:
Tiffany's Lucy in the Sky: Therapy with a Pen
Get your free Harnessing the Power of Your Intensity Workbook!
As this show airs, we’re reaching two important milestones. We hit the 100K downloads mark, which is thrilling in itself. We also are approaching the fourth anniversary of the Embracing Intensity podcast, which means we’ve been at this for quite a while now! Reach out to me at Aurora Remember and let me know what “embracing intensity” means to you. We will feature these in our upcoming anniversary show next week! For now, enjoy another informative show with my inspiring guest who I've been a fan of for quite some time.
Seth Perler’s life’s work has been dedicated to helping kids overcome executive functioning challenges so they can have great futures despite our outdated educational systems. Seth’s mission is to help compassionate and proactive parents, educators, and others who care about kids. He wants to give honest, practical, and unconventional approaches to helping complicated, struggling students without BS or misinformation. He wants to teach the world about executive function, which is at the root of student struggles. Seth’s vision is a day when we don’t need executive functioning coaches because education is wildly successful at empowering all students with everything they need to have happy, healthy, and successful lives.
Show Highlights:
Why Seth is intensely passionate about helping struggling students and changing educators to understand these kids better
How Seth grew up as a curious, free-spirited kid who loved animals and nature but never fit into “the box” in school
How Seth was labeled as a lazy, irresponsible failure--and his “fire was squelched”
How Seth became a teacher of gifted kids but soon became frustrated with the system
How Seth’s personal brand of intensity loves nature and the environment and feels the suffering of other people, animals, and plants
Why Seth hates to see kids struggle to be understood
How Seth is intense with his sensory experiences and emotions
How kids’ feelings are invalidated by cultural factors that teach them that acknowledging their feelings is not OK
Why Seth had a hopeless and cynical attitude as a kid, knowing he was “not like the other kids”
How Seth learned to escape by going into social settings to avoid being alone
Why Seth felt trapped by his “darkness”
How Seth lived in his problem until he found the tools to step into the solution
How Seth uses his fire for good by teaching what he most needs to learn and using what he has struggled with to help others
How Seth harnesses the power of his intensity through meditation, the #1 way he understands himself
Seth’s advice to those who don’t think they can meditate
How Seth helps kids learn to shine through new mindsets, systems, and routines
Seth’s advice:
Focus on helping others with a heart and spirit of service
Meditate and have times of stillness
Learn to journal
Get in touch with your story to know what is BS and what is truth
Resources:
Connect with Seth: Seth Perler and Executive Function Summit
Find Seth on YouTube and his podcast, Learn Smarter.
As I approach the 4th anniversary of the Embracing Intensity Podcast, I find myself and the podcast approaching a bunch of milestones in a short time! The biggest one being that I'm rapidly approaching the 100K download mark!
In this episode:
Links:
Contact me to send a recording for our anniversary episode by answering "What does Embracing Intensity mean to me?"
For many people, discovering their giftedness can open many doors, but when it becomes the center of our identity it can close many as well. In this episode, I share my observations over the years in gifted communities on the journey to self-understanding.
In this episode:
Links:
It’s always great to have a good friend visit with me on the show. Join me as I introduce you to my friend, Erika. She’s a ball of energy who focuses on positivity, generosity, and finding workable solutions to everyday problems. Join us!
Erika Laws is a recovering networker, positive thinker, and sales enthusiast. She loves people, self-development, and manifesting. Her goal is to be happy no matter what the circumstances and to put her own “oxygen mask” on before helping others. She has lots of life lived and lessons learned.
Show Highlights:
Resources:
Find Erika on Facebook: Erika Laws or Impactful Sales Solutions
If you’re in the Vancouver, WA, area, go see Erika at Mattress Firm on Mill Plain Boulevard!
For many years I thought I needed more self control to help develop health habits that would help my chronic pain and fatigue, but I eventually came to realize that I was focusing on the wrong thing. Instead of self control, I needed to focus on self-regulation. Self control is about forcing yourself, while self-regulation is about helping yourself.
In this episode:
Links:
Today’s show is about swimming against the current and going against the flow. Listen to learn more about focusing on what feels good at the gut level.
Matt Zinman is a personal success trainer whose varied experiences as an entrepreneur, athlete, single parent, caretaker, consultant, and nonprofit founder drive him to be a difference-maker. His insights about self-discovery, relationships, mindfulness, and life enrichment led him to write Z-Isms: Insights to Live By and fulfill his goal to positively impact as many people as possible. In addition, Matt is CEO of The Internship Institute, which he established in 2007 to bridge the gap between education, active duty, and employment.
Show Highlights:
Resources:
Find Matt and his tools and resources: www.z-isms.com
Find Z-Isms on www.amazon.com.
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
We suffer not from lack, but from paralyzing abundance. Our vast array of interests make it difficult to choose just one thing and give it the attention to detail our idealistic standards feel it deserves. But Kazimierz Dabrowski says that dissatisfaction with oneself is actually a crucial step toward positive personality development. It is only useful though if it can be directed toward achieving your personal ideal through conscious action.
In this episode of Embracing Intensity, we’ll explore ways simplify your life so you have time to channel your energy in a positive direction.
In this episode:
Links:
"Disruption in your life is an opportunity to play and it's helping you disrupt yourself on purpose as a way to bring out that curiosity and wonder when you're in a rut."
We wrapped up our Summer Camp Scavenger Hunt in the Embracing Intensity Community with a talk from Gary Ware on Finding Your Way Back to the Playground.
In this episode:
Resources:
Executive Functioning Summit - Affiliate Link
Today’s show features a guest who approaches every day with creativity and humor. She’s a financial expert who embraces her intensity and has the answer to your money questions.
Lisa Brumm and I met a few years ago when she spoke at an event. She is an active member of my online community, so we regularly connect and meet at local networking events around the Portland area. Lisa’s company, My Financial Girlfriend, has offices in Portland and Los Angeles. Lisa offers a shame-free zone to help women with all areas of their finances and leave them with a newfound sense of hope and relief about money and life.
Show Highlights:
Resources:
Find My Financial Girlfriend on Facebook and LinkedIn
Email: lisa@myfinancialgirlfriend.com
I've been thinking a lot about play lately, but also feeling bad talking about play when there's so much going on in the world right now. In my interview last week with Jeff Harry, he reminded us that "there's nothing wrong with having multiple emotions at the same time," and that play can be used to help deal with challenging things and conversations.
In this episode:
Links:
In the global pandemic, and everything else going on in the world today, there is every reason to be unhappy. Who decided that we grownups have to act our age and put playtime behind us? There are many benefits of playing like a kid, even through hard times--maybe especially in difficult times. So, when is the last time you played like a kid?
Jeff Harry shows individuals and companies how to tap into their true selves to feel their happiest and most fulfilled--all by playing. Jeff has worked with Google, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines, Adobe, the NFL, Amazon, and Facebook, helping their staff infuse more play into the day-to-day.
Show Highlights:
Resources:
Find JeffHarryPlays on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter
The Power Manual by Cyndi Suarez
This week I had planned to talk about gifted kid burnout and how many of them may actually be twice-exceptional, but it was hot today and my brain was kind of mush so I decided to share part of my lesson on positive coping skills instead!
In this episode:
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Cosette “CoCo” Leary loves to live out loud. She’s a jubilant speaker, professional coach, author, and educator. CoCo has overcome a childhood of poverty and abuse, raised four children through hard work and painful decisions, and has gone from surviving on welfare benefits to earning her university degree in Public Administration, graduating with highest honors and serving as a staff member in both a senatorial and congressional office. Ms. Leary pulled herself out of poverty to show others how to do the same. She exists to breathe life back into improving communities, rekindling relationships across economic class lines, and empowering women.
Show Highlights:
Resources:
From Welfare to The White House
Find CoCo on Instagram: @welfare2whitehouse
From Welfare to the White House by Cosette Leary
I've seen some conversations recently about how being a Highly Sensitive Person can overlap with characteristics of specific disabilities & neurodiversities such as ADHD or Autism. There was some discussion of whether identifying as HSP might prevent or delay seeking a deeper underlying diagnosis and it got me thinking about how other traits such as multi potentiality and giftedness might also interfere with getting diagnosis and treatment.
In this episode:
Links: