Today, Florine shares her vision of giftedness through the Gifted Interview. Thank you, Florine! She is an art therapist and a comedian. She currently lives in Montreal, Canada.
.IF I COULD CHOOSE, WOULD I STILL BE GIFTED?
It’s true that I’ve asked myself this question several times. If I could, I would like to experience not being gifted and then make my choice! 😊
.WHAT (MY OWN) GIFTEDNESS MEANS TO ME
It’s having a particular vision of the world, an extreme lucidity, and sensitivity. It is a perpetual quest for oneself, permanent friction with the universe.
.IF I HAD TO CHOOSE AN IMAGE OR A KEYWORD THAT SUMS UP WHAT GIFTEDNESS MEANS
A prism that reflects light in many different places with many different colours.
.HOW LONG HAVE I KNOWN ABOUT IT?
Since the end of 2018, so 3 years.
.WHAT PHASES HAVE I GONE THROUGH SINCE MY DISCOVERY?
An alternation of different phases. First of all a shock, it was as if I saw my life flash before my eyes again with all the scenes of incomprehension that finally made sense. Then denial, questioning: no, it’s not possible, it’s not me, I was looking for anything that could make me doubt, anything that didn’t match the descriptions I could read. Then, an acceptance as I went along, with great relief: so I’m not crazy? I devoured a lot of books on the subject to comfort myself, to prove to myself that yes, it does concern me. When I finally understood that yes, it was real, I went through a phase of anger: why didn’t anyone see anything? Why did I have to wait all this time in pain and in a wandering diagnosis? I was very angry at the medical community for not doing its job. Then, even if the doubt regularly comes back, it finally became integrated and I can talk about it today, I’m starting to take responsibility for myself and want to share it to help other people who are suffering.
.HOW DO I EXPLAIN IT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER HEARD OF IT?
I say that it’s a different brain function from the majority of humans. That it’s not necessarily a gift and that it’s not just a question of IQ. I am trying to deconstruct the stereotypes and stigma still present around the topic of giftedness.
.THE REMARK WHICH BLEW ME AWAY MOST WHEN I TALKED ABOUT IT
“It’s the new fashionable thing, everyone is looking for a particularity to stand out anyway.” It hurt my feelings.
.HOW IT CHANGED MY LIFE (TO KNOW IT)
I FINALLY understood why I had certain reactions, I finally started to understand myself and not to blame myself for being intense.
.WHAT I HAVE ALLOWED MYSELF TO DO EVER SINCE
I allow myself to simply be. I can’t stand wearing social masks anymore, I’ve decided to live the life that suits me.
.WHAT IT CREATES TO OTHERS WHEN I TALK ABOUT IT
In general, curiosity. I choose the people I talk to about it. Sometimes it can cause a bit of fear.
.WHAT IRRITATES ME WITH GIFTEDNESS
What annoys me is that I get bored quickly and have difficulty persevering.
.WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE ABOUT GIFTEDNESS
The ability to innovate in the service of people.
.WHAT I PERSONALLY FIND TO BE THE MOST DIFFICULT
The moments of great questioning.
.WHAT I PERSONALLY LOVE
Creative impulses.
.MY WELLBEING TOOL OR PRACTICE THAT HELPS ME MOST
Cardiac coherence, yoga and artistic practice.
.A MISREPRESENTATION THAT I WANT TO CALL INTO QUESTION
That it’s easy to be gifted and that you can’t complain about it.
.WHAT I WANT TO SAY TO GIFTED PEOPLE
Believe in yourself, allow yourself to be who you are because the world needs you. Your life belongs to you and no one has the right to stop you in your aspirations.
.WHAT I WANT TO SAY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CONCERNED
Try to listen to gifted people, give them the space to express who they are.
.WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND TO SOMEONE WHO IS WONDERING
I advise you to go to Facebook groups on the subject and to read books, articles, videos, to inform yourself, and to take the time to question yourself at first. Then, if you wish, talk about it with someone in the same situation, exchange with other people, then if you wish, you can be accompanied to help you clear your head, see things more clearly.
.THE MISTAKE NOT TO MAKE FOR A GIFTED PERSON
Not listening to yourself. Forgetting to prioritise your needs.
.MY PROFESSIONAL ADVICE FOR GIFTED
Doing a job that makes sense, taking the time to ask yourself what you really want, if what you do is in line with your values.
.MY PERSONAL ADVICE FOR GIFTED
Get to know yourself and explain this to those around you to facilitate understanding and communication. Non-violent communication is a wonderful tool for this.
.MY OPINION ABOUT THE IQ WAIS TEST
This test is very limited, it does not take into account all the facets of the different bits of intelligence, it is outdated. For many gifted people, the result can come out as heterogeneous and can further confuse the quest for self-knowledge. With hindsight, I wouldn’t do it again.
.IS IT A WASTE NOT TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE GIFTED?
Yes, in a way, because you don’t have access to very valuable keys to self-knowledge and you can end up in deep despair and diagnostic wandering with many mistakes.
.WHEN I MEET ANOTHER GIFTED PERSON, DO I RECOGNIZE HIM.HER? BY WHAT?
The thing that marks me most is this capacity to go very quickly, very deeply into a subject. Time no longer exists, we surf on the exchanges and the ideas that come out. I feel welcomed in my innermost being.
.WHAT DO GIFTED PEOPLE HAVE IN COMMON?
The desire to contribute.
.THE CRUCIAL STEPS NOT TO BE MISSED IN THE JOURNEY OF A GIFTED PERSON?
I would rather talk about time. Don’t forget to leave room for it, to give yourself time to realise, live and integrate.
.THE LAST THING I LEARNED ON THE SUBJECT (THAT I’D LIKE TO SHARE)
I learnt that structuring was through definition and that going back to the definition of words was a great help.
.A GIFTED INSPIRATION FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY
Nathalie Alsteen (interview to be (re)discovered HERE).
.A WISH FOR THE FUTURE
That neurodiversity is no longer a taboo and that we allow for differences to be taken into account in education, which would allow for better integration of neurodivergent people.
