YOUR RAINFOREST MIND

SUPPORT FOR THE EXCESSIVELY CURIOUS, CREATIVE, SMART & SENSITIVE

Resources for Inspiration, Information, and Introspection for Your Curious, Compassionate, and Overwhelmed Mind and Heart

“…i suspect the future will be shaped by all that we are feeling in the present. i believe that asking each other for help is self-love, and answering honestly is self-love, and giving what we can is community love. and love is what will reshape the pattern of humanity. even through the tears, i know that…” adrienne maree brown

I am thinking of you today as 2021 is drawing to a close. It has been another hard year here on planet earth. I have been so grateful to have all of you to talk with. When life has felt lonely or mildly catastrophic, there was always you, my peeps, my bloggEEs, my friends.

So, it is a good time to share some resources I use that might help you in the coming year and beyond.

Creating a Better World

When you have a rainforest mind, you are naturally drawn to finding ways to make a positive impact in both your personal life and in the larger spheres. Right now, I am reading and following: Resmaa Menakem, Van Jones, (racism, justice) Kim Nicholas, Gen Dread, Emma Watson, adrienne maree brown (climate crisis, vision/change), the evolutionary collective: Patricia Albere, (transformation, evolution, unity)

Inner Work

You know I am a big believer in introspection. Doing your inner work is one powerful way to heal yourself and your family and to have an impact on the larger human interconnected web. There is psychotherapy. A list of practitioners in the US who understand giftedness is here. If you do not want or need therapy or can not find a good match, there are these excellent self-help books the come with journaling guides: Glennon Doyle, Untamed, Get Untamed: The Journal; Lori Gottlieb, Maybe You Should Talk To Someone, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: The Workbook.

Memoirs, Novels, Stories, Podcasts, Movies

Of course, as a therapist, I love to read memoirs. The memoirs I am reading are Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad, Smile by Sarah Ruhl, and Unbound by Tarana Burke. I don’t have suggestions right now in the other categories but hope you will fill those in when you comment below!

Music, Dance, Joy

How could we get through life without music? I used to be a corny Broadway musicals kind of person. I still am. But these days I am soothed by Josh Groban and Dougie MacLean and energized by Pink. This year, I am taking an online singing class with two Australian musician brothers who are big-hearted beautiful humans. The Brothers Koren. This song is theirs: The Joy Generation. I recommend a daily practice of this song, with free-range dancing included.

What else?

For a welcoming and productive community of multipotentialites: Join the Puttyverse.

To find other rainforest minds (until it’s safe to tango) look for a silent book club in your town or start one.

If you are a parent of a gifted child and want to connect with other parents, explore GHF Learners.

If you want to learn more about twice exceptionality, contact Julie Skolnick (kids and adults) or Debbie Steinberg-Kuntz (kids) or Summit Center.

And most of all, remember to sing, dance, and look for (and create) the joy.

“We dance and we love. We dance and we feel. We dance and we play. We dance and we heal. We open our eyes. We reach for the sun. We dance to be joy. We dance to be one. We are the joy generation.” the Brothers Koren

________________________________

To my bloggEEs: What are the books, podcasts, websites, people, music, and other resources that are helping you manage the stressful, tumultuous issues of our times and that help you find hope, inspiration, action, and direction? And, thank you, thank you, thank you.

, , , , , ,

Related Posts

Author: Paula Prober

I’m a psychotherapist and consultant in private practice based in Eugene, Oregon. I specialize in international consulting with gifted adults and parents of gifted children. I’ve been a teacher and an adjunct instructor at the University of Oregon and a frequent guest presenter at Oregon State University and Pacific University. I’ve written articles on giftedness for the Eugene Register-Guard, the Psychotherapy Networker, Advanced Development Journal and online for psychotherapy dot net, Rebelle Society, Thrive, Introvert Dear, and Highly Sensitive Refuge. My first book, Your Rainforest Mind: A Guide to the Well-Being of Gifted Adults and Youth, is a collection of case studies of gifted clients along with many strategies and resources for gifted adults and teens. My second book, Journey Into Your Rainforest Mind: A Field Guide for Gifted Adults and Teens, Book Lovers, Overthinkers, Geeks, Sensitives, Brainiacs, Intuitives, Procrastinators, and Perfectionists is a collection of my most popular blog posts along with writing exercises for self-exploration and insight.

21 responses to “Resources for Inspiration, Information, and Introspection for Your Curious, Compassionate, and Overwhelmed Mind and Heart”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. No Better Time To Share Your Complicated Colorful Self With The World | Your Rainforest Mind

    […] destiny, you may ask. How do you find your purpose? There are ideas in this post and this one. Some great resources for this are here. It is a project for sure. But what could be more important? Honey, you have a […]

    Reply
  2. cmd1122 Avatar
    cmd1122

    Well, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, we’ve long made it to the winter solstice! I hope you have been enjoying the extra sunlight, even if only a small amount.
    My biggest recommendation is yoga, preferably in a studio at least three times per week. It calms me in many ways, more than playing musical instruments, reading, journalling and spending time in nature or with animals (and luckily also makes me stronger and more flexible).
    Thank you all for sharing so much about yourselves on Paula’s wonderful blog–your thought-provoking comments have really been helpful over the years. Wishing you all a joyful, peaceful, learning-filled year and an abundance of life’s simple pleasures to enjoy in the company of loved ones.

    Reply
    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      Thank you, cmd1122. So glad you have found yoga works so well!!!

      Reply
  3. elinevanantwerpen Avatar
    elinevanantwerpen

    I don’t think he has an English website, but I recommend to my fellow Dutch-speaking RFM’s Paul Loomans. He has written fantastic books about intuitive time management and dealing with emotions. He also has a lovely weekly newsletter. https://www.destressontknoping.nl/

    Reply
    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      Thank you! I think we have many Dutchie readers!

      Reply
  4. renovatio06 Avatar
    renovatio06

    Thank you, Paula and blogEEs on here, multigifted and multiexceptional folks and all of us nonetheless also being _humans_ first, right?

    Thanks for the great prompters above, which I hope to get to in time. (got tangled up in adversity that often brought me to the brink of … folding; not at this point, but it’s gotten super rough). So… while I second and concur with all of the things you already suggested, more often than not and for simple reasons of time and energy management I focus on the most minute morsels of humanity and love being traded with whomever I interact, be it the friendly person of the telecommunications provider doing their best to help, be it the handyman coming to my flat to check plumbing, be it the lady (or man) at the cash register in the supermarket. Any sign of benevolence and care for each other has become highly treasured “currency” in my life and for now as well as going forward, I suppose.

    In the vein of sharing tipps and helpful things to nourish ourselves and in addition to what you said, I found journaling to be helpful – if for nothing else than for a “second perspective” and for context, i.e. that of numbers and dates and such (which … are said to be nonjudgemental ;-), unless collected with a bias, which again… would be human and probably serve my personal evolution in a good way ) And yes, music, always, nature, books, movies, YouTube tutorials conversations with other sensitive folks and on all the things my RFM is interested in – past lives, quantum physics, music theory, watching extreme outdoors activities from those whose bodies still support it, and more than anything: Embracing that inner child and attending to her:him as if they were sharing my abode – because “they” are 😉

    Happy mindful, moving, dancing, healthy, loving 2022! And thanks for all you’re doing for us and the world at large!

    Reply
    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      Thank you for sharing your ideas, renovatio06. And take care of yourself!

      Reply
    2. Stormy Avatar
      Stormy

      I hope your adversity resolves! I agree with many of your suggestions. Looking for those pleasant everyday interactions is helpful. And if you gain enough from them, it is also satisfying to turn it around and be that person who provides a pleasant moment for the clerk or repair person going about their business. I am also trying simple, factual journaling. I have an ambition to go back through with colored pencils at some point and color-code my activities and moods to see if I notice any patterns. For music, I find that the album Songs of Comfort and Hope by Yo-Yo Ma and Katherine Stott does invoke the promised emotions.

      Reply
      1. Paula Prober Avatar
        Paula Prober

        Thank you for sharing your ideas, Stormy. I will look for that album. 🙂

        Reply
      2. cmd1122 Avatar
        cmd1122

        Color-coding one’s activities would be a really interesting self-study.
        I love Yo-Yo Ma’s Songs of Comfort! The video with him and Katherine Stott playing ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’ is mesmerizing. He did a beautiful interpretation of ‘Here comes the sun’ with James Taylor. I also enjoy Yo-Yo Ma’s more informal videos (on YouTube under the Songs of Comfort playlist, which he continues to add to). He is so expressive and joyful, and you can just feel his sincere care for humanity.
        We have lost so many influential and awesome people in the past days and weeks, but it is good to know that we still have so many amazing people among us.

        Reply
        1. Paula Prober Avatar
          Paula Prober

          He looks like such a beautiful soul. There are many amazing people, including all of you!! <3

          Reply
        2. Stormy Avatar
          Stormy

          I love that rendition of Here Comes the Sun, and that song generally, and George Harrison, who wrote it. I think he was very deliberate about the messages he wanted to put out in the world.

          I also realized I misspelled Kathryn Stott’s name.

          Reply
      3. renovatio06 Avatar
        renovatio06

        Journaling is indeed a good way of identifying patterns of behaviour or mood shifts following certain preceding events and such, I agree. And yes, music. Oh man… I don’t think I could have held out this long without _her_!

        Reply
  5. clignett Avatar
    clignett

    I’m in awe.. of you, your words, your masterly blogs, and now.. you gave me the best gift ever! The Joy Generation! The flow, the music, the lyrics, everything just lifts my heart!
    “We dance and we love. We dance and we feel. We dance and we play. We dance and we heal. We open our eyes. We reach for the sun. We dance to be joy. We dance to be one. We are the joy generation.” (the Brothers Koren)
    I used to be that girl, a long time ago. I danced and danced and danced.. preferably on a stage, so I could escape groping arms and contact with others. Usually with a baseball cap on my head covering my eyes – because my eyes would be lit up by the pure joy, the pure healing of my aching heart. Sometimes tears would just flow, pure of joy, of happiness, of everything I could let go.
    Unfortunately I can’t do that anymore, due to injuries to my backbone. Need to be careful now with my movements 🙈

    But the reminder of thát girl, that gives me more pleasure than anything! And thát girl came out, gave me hope, gave me comfort. Just by listening to this song (with my eyes closed and my heart wide open).

    Thank you!! ❤️❤️❤️

    In response to your actual question: what brings me relief in these times, especially with the pandemic everywhere, is your blog of course. Just read a blog from Julie Bjelland (hope I write her name correctly!) about accepting the seasonal changes in ourselves. That it’s a good thing that we are not as active in this wintertime as we want to be, and that it’s ok to accept that as a seasonal thing. Why accept a tree going into “sleep-mode”, or a bear going into hibernation, but not ourselves going slower? It was an eye opener for me.
    Another thing that has helped is me having decided to move to another town. Maybe even another province. Don’t really have it worked out precisely yet, but the decision is made, and I’m going to get advice from a mortgage expert. See what is possible (I bought my appartement about 25 years ago, with the intention to stay for 5 years.. oops.. 20 more years have passed.. blink.. 🤣)
    This is to get myself out of the business and noise of the town (city really) where I live now. Big decision, took me long enough to get there. But I have the opportunity now, so I will try to move next year.

    And strangely enough, people from my past are reconnecting now too. Which gives me great joy and fills me with confidence that I CAN do this. I’m not alone. They all say that it is a good thing for me to move out of here. That they will come and visit me, help me with everything. Even people I haven’t spoken or heard from in 20 years! Uplifting!! Lights in the darkness!

    In short (haha, this response is everything but short 😁), I am grateful. For you, all of your bloggees, for happy memories, for all the good things that are happening now. And for the Joy Generation!!
    Thank you!! ❤️❤️

    Reply
    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      Welcome to that dancing girl, clignett! Thank you for sharing your ideas. I actually have meant to mention Julie Bjelland. I don’t know her but her work looks pretty good. She even has a community for HSPs, some of whom I’m sure are rainforest minds. I’ll be curious to see if anyone here has worked with her.

      Reply
  6. meximinnesotana Avatar
    meximinnesotana

    Thank you! What a great song. I was introduced to your work by a member of the Puttyverse, and I eagerly read your book, Journey Into Your Rainforest Mind. I’ll be recommending it to my community for sure. Thanks for what you do.

    Reply
    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      Oh, thank you for sharing my book with your community, meximinnesotana!

      Reply
  7. itssue42 Avatar
    itssue42

    Oh what an incredibly upflinging song 😀 How can anyone hear that and not dance wildly and sing!!!
    Definitely definitely will play that more than once a day – really needed right now.
    Most marvelousist xmas gift ever.
    Thank you beyond words for sharing your unique and beautiful self with us.

    Reply
    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      So glad you loved it, Sue!!

      Reply
  8. Lenette Howard Avatar
    Lenette Howard

    Two lifesavers I had the genius to involve myself in before covid are Adult Children of Alcoholics and Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps – both of which I safely Zoom

    Reply
    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      Thank you, Lenette!

      Reply
%d bloggers like this: