Twice-Exceptional, Always Misunderstood? Let's Talk About That

Hey there—if we haven’t connected in a while (or you forgot you subscribed), I’m Dr. Jess Norris. I help neurodivergent entrepreneurs build businesses that actually work for their brains.

And today, we’re talking about a particular kind of brilliance that doesn’t always feel brilliant.

Let’s talk about a weird kind of whiplash.

You’ve been told you’re gifted: insightful, capable, “ahead of your peers.” You’ve also been told you’re too quiet. Too sensitive. Not quite fitting in. Or maybe: disorganized, anxious, “not living up to your potential.”

If these sound like contradictions, they’re not.

They’re familiar stories for twice-exceptional (2e) adults—people who are both highly capable and navigating things like anxiety, attention challenges, sensory sensitivity, or social disconnect.

Most of us didn’t grow up feeling exceptional—we grew up feeling like outliers. We internalized the gifted part as pressure. And the struggle part was something we were supposed to hide or fix.

One Insight I Had This Week:

After reading through an old school report, I had this thought:

“If I’m so smart, why did life still feel like a mess sometimes?”

It wasn’t because I wasn’t trying. It was because no one around me knew how to support a mind that operated differently.

And it’s taken me a long time to realize that being 2e isn’t a flaw. It’s a call to build systems that fit your brain, so your brilliance can show up sustainably.

From the Blog:

I wrote more about this in this week’s post: 👉 A New Path for Twice-Exceptional Adults

Whether you’re officially 2e or just feel like you’ve always lived between extremes, I think you’ll see yourself in it.

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Let’s Open the Conversation:

Have you ever felt caught between giftedness and struggle? Or realized your biggest “flaw” was just a misunderstood strength?

I’d love to hear your story. Let’s keep this conversation going ↓