Now, it's time to listen.
Pleased to meet you, my name is Seger Terpstra. I am proud of and grateful for my sister Fleur, who since 2010 – when I was 12 – has been advocating for the rights of children, including mine, a highly gifted child. The story I share is about giftedness, education, and self-awareness.
At the age of five, I experienced the stark friction between my giftedness, overstimulation, and abuse within the failing Dutch education system. My parents often recognized and acknowledged this pain better than I did. Looking back on that time, I remember the many days when, after conflicts with teachers, I sat crying on my bike, longing to cry it out at home. My parents fought for me while I struggled to find my place.
The problems of that time occupied me for a long time. In 2014, I became a dropout because no school could offer me what I needed, despite political promises about suitable education. This was a painful moment of insight: I could not remain dependent on a system that I could not shape myself.
Lessons for Education
My experiences with the education system have taught me that its bureaucratic, competitive nature contrasts sharply with the quick, creative thinking of gifted individuals like me. I learned that it is essential to listen to my feelings, something I had long avoided.
A holistic approach to education, considering the full experience of the student, would benefit education. An environment where students can express themselves freely without being hindered in their true potential.
Awareness of my giftedness brought a deep sense of isolation and misunderstanding from a young age, especially at school, but later at home as well. The system was simply not equipped for my specific learning needs.
The Lonely Struggle for Suitable Education
My search for education that matched my capabilities was a journey full of disappointments. I repeatedly encountered schools that could not meet my needs. This period taught me the importance of independence and self-advocacy, traits I recognize in many gifted individuals.
Only 2.5 – 4% of the world's population is gifted, while as many as 25-40% of dropouts are gifted. My path led me away from traditional education, to a life full of versatility. I have integrated this experience into my life path, after which my home became an oasis of possibilities.
I developed myself into a professional with various roles, from data privacy paralegal for my sister, to guiding the establishment of various social organizations and initiatives, and producing events where art, culture, and society meet, as well as my consultancy work in communication and media. This required a deep-rooted self-awareness, and a touch of absurdism to ignite the propulsion of this journey.
A typical week for me
My self-awareness was the key to turning challenges into opportunities. It enabled me to thrive in diverse professional environments. This has led to a broad experience and understanding of a range of disciplines in which I continue to be actively involved.
During my adolescence, I was busy analyzing the world. For example, I recently found this note where I describe my view on the nature of problems.
Problems arise when we are confronted with a discrepancy between our goals and reality, where achieving these goals is hindered by external or internal obstacles that require significant effort to overcome. P=D+O*M, where – as I type I hear Padam Padam by Kylie Minogue in my head – the Problem (P) is equal to the Obstacle (O), depending on the Effort (M) involved, and the Goal (D).
领英推荐
Transforming my Path
Despite setbacks still regularly crossing my path, I consider my story an example of transformation and success. I hope it inspires others to find and follow their unique path, regardless of the challenges they encounter. With determination and self-awareness, it is possible to rise above your circumstances.
Additionally, I regularly delve into ways to visualize your path. I explore this not only on a personal and spiritual level but also in a practical sense, to discover how you can realize your path in reality. Hereby the invitation to you to listen to yourself.
"This truth, which each individual perceives and experiences of themselves, forms not only a unique personal reality but is a direct factor in the shared human experience, where each personal truth contributes to the zeitgeist and reality."
Do you also recognize that there is no future in isolation and compartmentalizing obstacles? If you want to delve deeper, contact us, and I would be happy to tell you about our services!
Originally published on: fleurterpstra.com
Transform Yourself, Enrich Your Community
Having explored the profound interplay of light, matter, and human cognition, I invite you to continue this journey of exploration and self-discovery with a personal introspection session. Just as we challenge our perceptions to see the world in new colors, these sessions offer a unique opportunity to view your life and possibilities in a fresh light.
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Female founder! Strategic communications, social impact, scaling, DEI, & awesome. Former Director of Communications for the National LGBTQ Task Force, the USA’s oldest LGBTQ+ rights NGO.
10 个月Yes, yes, yes!