Everybody has a superpower--you don't have to be a superhero to have one or to know what it is. Mary Beth Robinson, a "superpower queen," helps us find out what our special talents are, and how we can best use them to help ourselves and other people. In this episode, Mary Beth describes her own gift of intuition, and then uses her unique ability to "tune in" to evaluate Elizabeth. How accurate was she? We reveal everything during the interview; share how you can find your own superpowers; and show why your creativity, joy and motivation can increase when you're working "in flow" using your own special talents.
In this episode:
01:44--What is a superpower?
03:31--Mary Beth describes her own superpower
06:10--How Mary Beth "tunes in" to help others discover their superpowers
09:30--Her experience going through life being so intuitive about other people
11:43--You can start integrating your superpower into your life right away
21:05--Mary Beth "intuits" some things about Elizabeth
28:44--Elizabeth reads an email Mary Beth wrote to her right after they set up the interview, and responds to its accuracy
32:35--Mary Beth's advice on how Elizabeth can use her superpower moving forward
38:27--How anyone can find their superpowers
Want to know more about Mary Beth?
Want to know more about "What It's Like To..."?
Everybody has a superpower--you don't have to be a superhero to have one or to know what it is. Mary Beth Robinson, a "superpower queen," helps us find out what our special talents are, and how we can best use them to help ourselves and other people. In this episode, Mary Beth describes her own gift of intuition, and then uses her unique ability to "tune in" to evaluate Elizabeth. How accurate was she? We reveal everything during the interview; share how you can find your own superpowers; and show why your creativity, joy and motivation can increase when you're working "in flow" using your own special talents.
In this episode:
01:44--What is a superpower?
03:31--Mary Beth describes her own superpower
06:10--How Mary Beth "tunes in" to help others discover their superpowers
09:30--Her experience going through life being so intuitive about other people
11:43--You can start integrating your superpower into your life right away
21:05--Mary Beth "intuits" some things about Elizabeth
28:44--Elizabeth reads an email Mary Beth wrote to her right after they set up the interview, and responds to its accuracy
32:35--Mary Beth's advice on how Elizabeth can use her superpower moving forward
38:27--How anyone can find their superpowers
Want to know more about Mary Beth?
Want to know more about "What It's Like To..."?
When we know our superpower, our genius comes out and there is no end to our creativity and ideas and motivation, when we are really working in harmony with who we are. We're amazing
Elizabeth:Hello, and welcome to"What It's Like To..." The podcast that lets you walk in someone else's shoes and live vicariously through their unique experiences I'm your host, former journalist, Elizabeth Pearson Garr. And each episode, I'll be asking a new interviewee all the what, why, when, and wheres of how they do what they do. If they can do it, so can you.
If you were Asked the question, what superpower would you like to have? I think many people would answer strength, super speed, flight, invisibility, the ability to time travel, things like that. But there are different kinds of superpowers, ones that we all have, but may not know about. My guest today, Mary Beth Robinson specializes in finding people's superpowers. Mary Beth, welcome to the podcast. Thanks so much Elizabeth for having me. I'm really excited to have you here. And as I just mentioned, these are not superhero movie kind of superpowers. These are personal superpowers that we have. So let's start right there. Can you talk about these superpowers that most of us have? Yes, in fact, all of us have them which is great. They don't discriminate. So a superpower is something that just naturally great at. You don't really have to work at it. People, may say to some people, gosh, you're like the best teacher. Everything you say, I understand, so it's something that you're naturally good at that you love to do that you'd want to do every single day. And that makes a positive difference for yourself and others. That's what a superpower is, and most of the time it's hard to find what your superpower is because we've had it since we were born and we do it so naturally, we think it's not that big of a deal. I just do this and they come so easy to me that it's nothing right that we don't even think about it. I mean, more obvious when people who are really good at music somebody who just sits down to the piano and they're Amazing, or if somebody is great at drawing, those are more obvious things. I wouldn't necessarily call that a superpower. There's always a purpose behind a superpower, but, those are just things that people are like. Yeah, you just draw it out. It's no big deal. But to someone like me, I'm like, how? I cannot imagine knowing how to just draw things. Until somebody says, wow, you're so good at this, or you always make me feel special or. I notice how you always figure things out. We often don't see what our own superpower is. So you have this incredible ability. You're a superpower queen and you're intuitive, right? You can. sense this in people. In fact, you did this for me. We set up this interview and then you wrote me an email. You didn't do any research on me, right? No. So my superpower is that I am super intuitive, but I couldn't work with police on solving crimes and I don't know the future and whatever, but I can tune in with people and know, like, how special they are and how they are special. That's what I do. And I did that at a young age, even though it took me decades to figure out what I was doing, the culmination of all that I would just tune in with people and, when I was really young, I would just search around within them and be like, am I safe? Is this a safe person? Because, like, as a kid, when your parents are leaving you with somebody, you're like, yeah, safe or should I be worried? So that's how it started. But I noticed that through the years, I always wanted to tune in with people. And so there was a long and winding road to figuring out how to use my gift. And over many years of working with people and doing readings for friends and family, I finally was like, okay, now I get it. So can you explain to us what it is you do? Because I think it sounds a little woo woo, to someone who can't do it. Like, how in the world can you tune into someone? Because I will say we have never seen each other face to face until 5 minutes ago when we started this interview. The fact that you could intuit me and figure me out just through email or through sensing me is incredible. Yeah. You know what? For me, it's not though, People would say, how do you tune in? And this is a flippant response and I don't mean it to be, but how do you not, how do you not tune in? Yeah. Okay. How do you draw a tattoo and put it on someone's arm and color it? And the people who are good at that, they're like, I just do it so that's the, that's the example of something that comes naturally to someone. I guess it's when somebody write a song I'm a writer. I can understand how someone writes lyrics, but I cannot understand how someone writes melodies. That just seems incredible to me. So those are the examples, but people can do it. I cannot do that. So this is yet another example of something you can do and I cannot do. Right. And you know what if I were to try to do your superpower, I could really work on it and I could get better and stuff, but there's no joy. There's just a lot of hard work if I want to go do something that is counter to what I'm really great at. So, my purpose is to help people find their superpowers and explain them in a way that they can use it. And to have it be practical. If it didn't make a difference for people, I wouldn't do it. Because I want to make a difference. I want the world to be a better place when I leave. I want people to appreciate what they have and who they are and their own process. That's all involved in what I do. So here's what it looks like. I knew I was going to be on your podcast. We figured out the date and the time and I'm like, okay, it's time for me to, do a write up for you. And so I would tune in and I'd be like okay, okay. Got it. And then I would write it all down. And as I went, I would get more information. So for those who are listening, you just sat for that amount of time, that 15, 20 seconds, and you just looked into space, but you're just feeling it you're getting the intuition, you're getting the feeling about the person. Exactly. And the reason that I like look and, my eyes move around, I'm just shifting how my brain works. If in the middle of a forest, you're on a really hard trail and all of a sudden the person you're with says, stop and listen, it's like your brain changes from, let's make sure that my footing is good to let me listen. That's how it is. I'm focusing Exactly. I just focus on, what is Elizabeth? Like an energetic dish, like a satellite dish and I get it tuned in and I'm all ah. There we go. Kind of like tuning in a radio and then I know. And in that short of an amount of time, it's not like a few hours or something. It's so funny because people are like, did you do research on me? I'm all, oh, that's a lot of work. Who has the time? Why would I do that? Because no amount of research I would do, Elizabeth, is going to tell me that about you, anyway. It's so deep within us I could guess and everything, but why would I, when it takes me, 5 to 10 seconds at the most to really get a sense of somebody. Why would I want to look them up and do any research? That's why I like to do my first impression with people without seeing them, without knowing anything about them, because then I am not distracted, but my own expectations are. Do you know how many people like you there are? This can't be that common of a, phenomenon. I don't know anybody that does not to say that there aren't people. I have heard of one person who was like a seer he would see people and mine is just a little bit different. I think the aura around him was like, Oh, he's so in tune. And I am a funny, kind, nice friend. And I am just more down to earth. So my flavor of that is a little bit different, but no, I haven't. never heard of anyone doing that in such a direct way. So can you go back a little bit? You said as a kid, kind of knew that you were reading people. Are they safe or not? Was there a time that this power, this ability overwhelmed you at all. Oh my whole life until I was like, in my early 30s. So I'm 53 right now. And the problem with being really intuitive, and really empathic, because I feel things as well, the problem with that is that if you're not careful, you pick everything up. And so I had no boundaries. It was like I was tuned into all stations at once. And that was horrible. It was really horrible and sometimes I couldn't tune it out I'm a regular person with a regular degree in college and, that kind of stuff, but it didn't occur to me to ask somebody, hey, by the way I'm sure picking up a lot of emotions and energy from everyone. How do I stop that from happening? and who would I ask? I guess again, because it just was normal to you. That was just your experience. And when we are young, we think we are just like everyone else. So, If we have something that is different about us, we think everybody is different in that way. And you don't really want to call yourself out as different. Everyone wants to be kind of part of the norm when you're young, but now you've matured and can use these powers for good in the world. Exactly. And now that I know how to use them, I was always really careful to not overstep and not to do something that was inappropriate or say something and, and I don't know private things about people. That's not my gift. But you've got to be careful. You need to ask permission and, be responsible and also not say. I have all the answers because that's certainly not true either. I've been doing this for 20 years, but I haven't been doing it full time, full out until, my kiddo went off to school last year because I was a single mom. I had things that I needed to do and an everyday job. So the thing that I want people to know is, you have amazing things within you, and you just probably don't see them. There's so much more to discover about what you can do and everyone has a great superpower and no matter what your superpower is, they're all amazing. It's how aligned you are with your superpower that makes it powerful. It's not what your superpower is. If you are using your superpower and living it, then you're in your flow state more often. And then you tend to be happier and more productive. You're actually fitting with your purpose more. Absolutely. And when I say aligned, what I'm not saying is trash your life as it is and create the new one. Most of us do not have the wherewithal to do that. Plus we're learning about our superpowers as we go. I would say it's knowing what your superpower is. And every day keeping it in front of you oh, wow. Even though I'm super intuitive and my job may be like, a cashier, am I positive with people? Do I see them? Or am I just yep. Whatever. Have a great day. Do I stop? And I'm like, I'm aware of you. I see you. So we can do that in our lives right now. There is no waiting period. People are like when I do this and when I have the perfect job, that'll happen. Nope. No, no, no. That's not how it goes. You can use your superpower because you're always wanting to do it anyway. You're always trying to do it no matter what. No matter what your job is, no matter what your situation is, it's just your makeup. It's how you are put together that you want to do your superpower. So, let's say you're a great listener and you work in a store and when people come in and you say, are you looking for something? Blah, blah, blah. You may find that they just really talk to you. And that you listen, and then all of a sudden, they're like, really, what I want is this. And then they're surprised that they say it because you're such a good listener. That what they really need really comes out. Start using your superpower, whatever it is, and it is going to feel like, I'm just a little old me, that doesn't make a difference, but it does And can it change throughout your life, or do you tend to have it? And that is your string throughout I, you I would say your purpose and your superpower stays the same, but your expression of it absolutely evolves. Let's say you're somebody who is, amazing at having people feel safe and you work at a shelter for years and years and so people are like, oh my gosh, I feel safe. That's a perfect place for you match. Yeah. Uhhuh. Exactly. But then when you're 55, you retire. And that person is going to then seek out some other way, and it could be I'm going to foster animals. Whatever it is, or I'm going to go read to kids, whatever they'll be just expressing that different, but the superpower and the purpose is still the same. It's a really great exercise, especially for teenagers, college students, people thinking about what they want to do with their lives to really get to know who they are and what their superpower is or superpowers-- I don't know if someone can have more than one, I think oftentimes people are trying to fit into what the world expects them to be. And by the world, I guess I mean their little mini culture, or their family, or their college roommates, or whatever they think they're supposed to be. I was just at a dinner the other night and sitting next to a guy and he said, his daughter is a 2nd grade teacher and she just loves it. But she started out working in tech because that's what everyone was doing. And she hated it. And finally she said, I've always wanted to be a teacher and it fits but it took a lot because she took a huge pay cut, lifestyle's different and all that. But, I just think often there's just this push of what you're supposed to do. Is there a way that people could find their superpowers, even if they don't know you? Yes, absolutely. And I have got a program that I am working on. Anyone can go to my website and on the front, there is what is my superpower and I take time to do quick write ups for people every day that are free and so they could always do that. As long as I'm able to do that, that button will be on my website because I don't think that you need to be in the upper echelon of making money in order to know what your superpower is, that doesn't make any sense. Everybody should know what that is. and also my content on Twitter, which is now X. I'm at superpower queen and I have so much material there. Yes, you do. It's like daily doses of inspiration. thank you for that. But I would love to have some programs specifically for high school and college students and people in trades, whatever, people around that age, because you're absolutely right. So many people, my kiddo is a great example, because they wanted to be an astrophysicist or they said they did. You know why? Because they're smart, and they figured I should do that. They're gonna be an English teacher. Wonderful profession, but very different from astrophysics They could do astrophysics, but they don't really want to. When they were young they used to set up all their stuffed animals and teach them. They had a little pointer, and they would teach class. And at the age of 5, I got them a teacher planner. I knew what this kid is going to do, but even that and having a mom who is an expert in superpowers they still thought I should go be an astrophysicist because that's what the world wants me to do. And the world is not served when we do something that we really don't want to do because when we know our superpower, our genius comes out and there is no end to our creativity and ideas and motivation. When we are really working in harmony with who we are. We're amazing. Each of us. Yeah. Think of just how much happier and more fulfilled people are when they're doing jobs that they want to do. Exactly. Or just work. It doesn't have to be jobs. It's just the work of life. Exactly.. Because one of the things that people think is what job does that fit in with? And whatever your superpower is. It's not your job. It is what you bring to your job. And some people find like me I want to help people find their superpower. Being an entrepreneur and doing my own thing is the way to go. I just have to create it, it's not a job, but I can make it into my business. I guess the hard thing, because that's where I am too, right? I'm a creative person so I'm doing this, but when you're then creating your own business around it, that has this other whole set of skills. That is not my skill set all the business part of it. So, sometimes when you are trying to honor maybe your superpower, your passions, the things, you're good at, you also are having to learn all of these other things or spend your time doing these things that feel the contrary to your ability. Yes. And this is like the best question is this such a good question because it's something that a lot of people, they really struggle with. Like, how is this going to work? Because, especially for you we keep teasing people, but we'll get it. I know it's here. My list is here to your superpower. And we'll talk about it with your business. Okay But, what happens is that instead of doing what we're great at. We get just enmeshed in all the business stuff, and six months later, we're like, I'm not happy. I'm not at all inspired. What even am I doing? And this isn't going to work. And that's only because we get away from our superpower. We are copying how somebody else does it. The key is and I'm just thinking about this a little bit, Elizabeth, I'm just tuning in the key is to give yourself enough time there's a critical amount of time or effort or experience you want to keep that amount in your life every day for you you really like that quiet time where you're like, The juices are flowing, all the creative juices and so you are going to need some quiet time during the day, you're going to need some rest and you are not going to do well with something that you've got to pound out all the time keeping yourself super busy. That is not going to work for you. Does that make sense? 100 percent correct. And that's not uncommon. I find with people who are super creative And really your genius happens when you're in the flow, So there may be some things that you have to do every day, keep that to a minimum, get really good at it. I know a job once that I was like, all right. There are 4 things I've got to do every day and man, I got good at doing those 4 things. And then, after that, I'm like, okay, now I can do some other things For you, I feel like those old horror shows where like the creepy things are coming, like that's your to do list. And they're multiplying as they're getting closer. And you can do all that stuff because you're capable and you're smart, but design your business much more from that aspect of, I want to say letting go rather than producing, like setting the stage for your creativity, for some people that's sitting down at the piano for other people, it is journaling, for me, it's conversations. Magic happens in conversations. With my family, friends, strangers, clients, everyone. For me to have a conversation that's where the art happens. So set the stage for your creativity and let that flow. And build the rest of your day around that, because you're torn apart internally. This is for you, this is not for everybody, you're torn apart. I've got to be responsible and I've got to do this and is there a part of you that is super concerned? I've got to look responsible. I've got to have my ducks in a row. Yeah. it's just really amazing and fun to hear this because I feel very seen right now. I feel like I've been secretly speaking to some therapist who then channeled to you. There's just my whole life that is yeah, very responsible. I have 2 teenage kids and a husband and a dog and there's just a lot of balls kept in the air all the time that I'm responsible for as well as the podcast. But then on the podcast in particular, it has been feeling torn apart at certain times. And people who listen a lot know that I used to put this podcast out on a weekly cadence and now I'm on an every other week because the weekly I was working every minute of every day when I wasn't doing family stuff. Weekends, everything, because I just felt like this responsibility. I have to do it. I have to do it. And then I thought I'm dying because it's just so much work and I'm the one setting this pace. I don't have to keep this up. And I'm losing sleep. it's just. Yeah. Too much. And I need more balance in my life. And I've talked about this on the podcast before too, I've had all this pressure that I've put on myself about growing the podcast, that it should be growing quicker and the whole business side of it that I'm not good at. I'm good at the creative stuff. And so that's also being torn apart internally that I somehow feel that I should be spending all this time on things that aren't my wheelhouse. And so I just naturally keep wanting to go back to the stuff that I love and that I do feel in flow at, which is, researching the guests, doing the interviews, doing the editing, And then this other stuff is pulling me like, Oh, you should be figuring out how to market this podcast better and grow it better. And then I always feel like a failure because it's not growing as fast as it quote unquote, should be whatever should is. And so it's competing voices then I just want to be quiet and just work on the creative stuff. Exactly. And so what I would say to you I'm just, this is what it looks like when I tune in. My eyes are going to do whatever they do. Okay, All right, we'll get to your reading in a second, but you love those times in flow you love like those magical times when stuff comes together. You love it. So there are 2 things. Give yourself more of that. But however it is that you grow your business, make it magical as well. Oh. Because you love that deep, feeling of flow and creativity and when someone says to market yourself or your podcast, you automatically, without even thinking anything differently, you're like, but that's more time away from what I really want to do. And then you're in 2 halves that are fighting each other and that's super stressful and it will tire you out faster than anything else. Your question to ask all the time is how do I work on having my podcast have more viewers in a way that is magical and wonderful for me, because then it's sustainable and you may be surprised at your answer. It may be very different than what anyone else is doing. There are all these best practices of the ways to market podcasts. And of course they don't all work for everyone. Otherwise everyone would be doing them and everyone would have, a million followers and all of that. But one of them that often comes up is get on other people's podcasts. And so I've been doing that And first I thought, oh, could this be overwhelming? It turns out, I absolutely love doing it. because I love talking to people I didn't realize, but I don't love just interviewing people. I love being interviewed or just being in conversation with people. It's one of my favorite things in life. It might be one of my superpowers is just being in conversation. I love being at a dinner and talking to me. My husband says this all the time. I want to always have you at a dinner party because you always will talk to people. Cause he's more of an introvert. So I just absolutely love being on people's podcasts. Like I wish I could do it a few times a week. Not just to market my podcast, but just because it's so fun. I was on one about a month ago, and it was in the evening and I came out and my husband's like, how was that? And I was like. That was one of the most fun things I've done all year. It was these 3 chefs and they were so entertaining and fun. So I just feel like sometimes there are these things you don't expect are going to be a really good thing, but end up being. Like, it really lights me up. I enjoy it so much. Yeah. And you know what? Here's what's great about that as a fellow conversationalist. Amazing things happen in conversation they're just organic. Just like the conversation we're having, we didn't plan this, it's just happening. So for you having conversations with people that really works. And so your marketing should somehow be like a conversational thing. I have 4 people in my life who I talk to you in a very consistent way. And we have these amazing conversations. My friend Rebecca and I went shopping the other day and it was an all day excursion and we literally talked from 6 30 a. m. to 7 30 p. m. And it was all amazing. Putting that into your day and having it be part of your marketing, like on Twitter having a conversation with somebody it could be somebody who has commented say, hey, do you want to have a quick conversation? We're going to talk for 4 minutes and I'm going to take a little snippets of it. I'm going to edit it because you're good at that. And I could even do a little graphic, but we're going to put that on TikTok. We're going to put it on YouTube and we're going to put it on Twitter. Yeah, it's a great idea. And for you, I would change things around. So that what you're doing is really an expression of your creativity. You have room to experience that. I mean, You love the magic in life, like those moments of, connection and understanding that you get in a conversation with someone. I think I called you a discoverer, you want to discover things, your Yeah, maybe we should finally get to the initial write up. Right. Since we've been teasing that all along. Right. Exactly. So you wrote this to me, as I mentioned, just shortly after we set up the interview This was just your intuition. You said: Dear Elizabeth, Here's your superpower writeup. This is just a good beginning. There's always more and more, but this is a good start. I do most of my work intuitively. I tune into your energy and I can understand your essence. I don't, however, read your mind or know things about you that are personal and private. You are a discoverer. You're fascinated by things in the world and at a deeper level, you're driven to assimilate that knowledge and experience into an understanding of how to live a life of wonder and magic. When I say magic, I don't mean witchcraft. I mean that there's a spark of life that we experience, and it's so wonderful and powerful that it gives us a sense of a magical world that we live in, but don't often perceive. You were a dreamer when you were young. You see things that other people don't. You understand the undercurrents of life and how incredible they are, and that's the world you want to live in. You've faced your fair share of people telling you to be practical and live in the real world. This insistence from others can be soul crushing. But you know you're right that the world is incredible and you can live in that world. Yes, be practical just enough to help you express the wonder you see and to gain stories and experiences of others who have truly lived. Let me know if this resonates for you. that's the end of the email. I just was, I was really touched by it because it just took me back to my youth, little girl, little Elizabeth, and it really is spot on. It's not, of course, the complete me. Like you say, there's more, but everything in there is true. Yeah. And there are other parts of you and those are all great. But I wanted to remind you of you really, you love those amazing flow moments one of those moments where it's almost like time stands still. And you're like, oh, life is amazing. I was at a friend's house and she lives up in the mountains. And it started to kind of rain, but it was still sunny out. And three of us looked up into these beautiful, huge pines, and we could see the raindrops falling because it was sunny and it was just this magical moment, we just sat there in silence and watched these drops fall. You really love that. That's who you are. That's who you've always been You're like a flower. I always knew I wanted to have kids and part of it is because I just, loved my childhood. I have amazing parents and we had a really wonderful childhood and I wanted to get to, not redo childhood, but could get to see life through a child's eyes again. And to see my kids, one of my daughters specifically, who's very much like this also how she looks at flowers and we'll go out and look at the moon and she goes out and just stands in the rain and just soaks it in and it's just really special to able to do that with your own kids to be that kid again, because I think when you grow up, often the responsibilities pile on and there's so much you have to do in life. And so it's really great to be reminded, like you say, of who you really are. But I think this is also on a professional level. This is, why I did want to become a writer and a journalist, because I have so much curiosity and you said you're a discoverer, you're fascinated by things in the world, yes, I was just always asking why and, why do things happen? But it's hard you also wrote, you faced your fair share of people telling you to be practical and live in the real world. I had a lot of freelance jobs along the way and people saying you need a job with benefits and don't do this artist kind of world. And, it's hard. I was a dreamer, a little bit of a dreamer, and it's hard to reconcile those things with a practical life. Yeah. And you know what I would say for you specifically too, is your pace of life. Now, with two kids in high school, that's a lot. That's a lot. Yeah. I can barely keep up with one. also especially with people who are super creative very much so with you that calming down, that slowing down practice is really important for you. I'm going to write down the couple of things that I have to do today, and then I'm going to give myself, you can start out at 5 minutes or 10 minutes, or if you're pretty good at it already. I'm going to take this hour and this hour, I'm going to have something that I can be creative at and I'm just going to enjoy it. And then more ideas come and more ideas come. But when you carve out time for that. It will grow into what it's supposed to be. So we're always wanting the answer, like, how is this going to work? I would say that what there is to do is not ask how and look for the answer. Not that you're doing that, but that's just a human thing that we do. Yeah, I do that. Me too. the thing is, you're so creative that you will get the answer. You'll get it when you're like, oh, of course. That's been coming to me for several days. I didn't really understand it. And boy, here it is. That makes sense. But it's more of asking the question, living in the question of, what's something just really wonderful. Allow yourself that place that you give, especially to one of your daughters, who's like, let's go look at the moon. You don't say, that's stupid. Yeah. No, just be like, I'll come out with you or, you'll just watch her and enjoy that she's doing that. And same thing with yourself There may be days you're like, I just want to sit and read. Okay, great. Do that, but say, how can I be more me? How can I give myself room create? What does that look like today? And give yourself some time, slow down a little, because with really creative people who need to have a kind of a slower pace it's easy to get on the treadmill, but the treadmill starts just speeding up and we just keep going and going. And then we're like, What am I even doing? More to do begets more to do. Stop and say, okay, what's really important today. And what's important for you is to set that stage for creative living. Whatever that is, give it time to thrive because it will grow and take up more of the space and the to do's will calm down the more we pay attention to our to do's, the bigger they get. I am convinced. I what I'm hearing from you too just to globalize it for people listening, so it's not just about me is when you find your superpower. And so I don't know if we're saying mine is just creativity or conversation or whatever it is, but to live in that and have that be the driving force that then is making your other decisions, or you're living out from that. Rather than having other things impose upon your life, I should be doing it this way. Is that right? you know, your superpower, then have that be your priority about how you're structuring your decisions and your day. Yeah, because if not, then our mad drive to make up for how inadequate we feel will take over. Like a monster, it will take over our attention, So, a powerful thing to do is just ask, how can I use my superpower today to help myself and others? Just ask the question. And don't even worry about the answer. That question alone asked several times a day, somehow changes our brain. So that that's how we start to think and it's pretty amazing. I thought it was asking the question and getting the answer, but in my experience, it's just asking the question. You're making space for the answer to come when the answer is ready to come. Exactly and then we actually start living like how can I use my superpower to help myself and others. It's like, oh, I'm going to chew on that instead of look at how much I haven't gotten done. I should have done this months ago. But instead of that, it can say, oh, how am I going to make a difference? And your day will be drastically different. Just asking those questions and for you, You are a discoverer. You're always like, I want to learn. I want to see what I can do. I have a feeling when you're creative, when you're writing, when you're speaking, when you're designing, there are many moments when you're like, I didn't see that coming, flow of genius moving through me and you really like the flow of genius. You really like it and when you don't get it, you can get cranky and angry it's okay. It's okay because you're like, all I want is the flow. Can't I have the flow? You can. You can, but you can't have the flow and the, I should have done this. I should have done this at the same time. Because your kids and your husband and your friends, all they want for you is to be happy. That's true. That's true. They want you to be happy. So not cranky. And I don't mean that as mean, it's no, I know he gets so frustrated imagine a pipe gets backed up that pressure is always trying to like, keep that flow going. And when we stop it. that's a backup of pressure and we get overwhelmed, and cranky and angry and whatever. But they just want you to be happy, which means keep that flow going, keep that flow going. So other people can find their superpowers by contacting you and by tapping into what it is that they have always felt good at doing and what kind of comes easy to them. Yes, and also, I would ask people in your life who you trust, because some people are going to say stupid things. Well, you're really cute, okay, thanks. That's super helpful. But I would ask people in your life that you trust and say, what's something that's naturally special about me that I may not know. Just ask, what do you think I'm really naturally good at? This has just been a really incredible hour for me. Thank you. Like I said I feel really seen and validated and I didn't expect this to feel so deep, but thank you. And really helpful. Good. Good. I feel like I have a path to move forward and I just so appreciate and I really admire what you've done with your superpower. Like you said, you find what it is to help yourself and to help others and you're definitely helping others. So I greatly appreciate it. Oh, Thank you. It's a pleasure, Elizabeth. You are super fun to work with.
Elizabeth:I was a little skeptical at first, but as you could probably tell, I really was moved by what Mary Beth was able to intuit about me. What she described wasn't the complete picture of me, but she definitely touched on some really valid feelings and experiences. Here are some of my takeaways from our conversation. Number one. Everyone has a superpower. It may be something that comes so easily to you that you don't even know it's super. Two. If you want to know what yours is, ask people you trust. What's something special about me that I may not know? Three. You can work hard at something that is not your superpower and you can get pretty good at it. But, there's no joy in that. There's just a lot of hard work. Four. When you're using your superpower, you're in flow. You're happier and more productive. Five. For many of us, it's important to slow down a little. Take a break from the fast pace of life and do something like look at the moon. Literally, or figuratively. And finally, number six. Keep asking yourself, how can I use my superpower today to help myself and help others? My huge thanks to Mary Beth Robinson for giving me so much to think about. If you'd like to learn more about her and her work and find out how she can help you discover your own superpower, check out the show notes for this episode. If you like listening to people who have followed their passions into interesting careers, you might want to listen to episode 51 with Laura Penn Gallerstein, who's a sound healer, and episode 48 with Julia Vitality on geo arbitrage. If you haven't already subscribed to this podcast, please do, and please tell a few friends about it too. And if you prefer watching as well as listening to podcasts, we're on YouTube now also. at WhatIt'sLikeTo 2023 on YouTube. I'm Elizabeth Pearson Garr. Thanks for being curious about what it's like.