In this thought-provoking episode of Embracing Intensity, Aurora sits down with Sheldon Gay, host of the I Must Be BUG'N podcast, which amplifies the stories and voices of Black, unidentified, underrepresented, gifted, and otherwise neurodivergent people. Sheldon is deeply insightful, warm, and grounded in his advocacy to humanize the neurodivergent experience. Together, they dive into the power of mirroring—that magical moment when we see ourselves reflected in others—and how it plays a crucial role in identity, belonging, and connection.
Sheldon shares his personal journey discovering his giftedness later in life and how joining neurodivergent spaces offered a profound sense of home and validation. He speaks candidly about emotional giftedness, navigating systems that often don't recognize or affirm difference, and the importance of compassion, boundaries, and self-trust.
✨ In this episode:
-
What mirroring means and why it's vital for neurodivergent people
-
How Sheldon discovered his giftedness and launched I Must Be BUG'N
-
Why IQ tests don't tell the whole story of intelligence or giftedness
-
Emotional giftedness, self-doubt, and how we process emotions
-
Compassion and boundaries in spaces where we feel misunderstood
-
Recognizing our gifts even when others don't
-
The power of community connection and storytelling
-
Insights into upcoming collaborative projects with Sheldon, including neurodivergent-friendly apps
-
Reflections on Aurora's recent blog post on neurodivergent relationships
🔗 Resources & Links:
Whether you're just beginning your journey or deep into exploring your neurodivergent identity, this conversation is a reminder that you are not alone—and that your experiences, brilliance, and emotions are valid and worthy of being seen.
🎧 Listen now and feel seen.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com