Being neurodivergent myself with both ADHD, a history of severe social anxiety and a sleep disorder, and being HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) I know well the impact of a neurodivergent brain. And each of these separate diagnoses magnified the others, making a potent combination that had severe impacts on my life.
And yet I don’t focus on neurodiversity.
I remember in my preteen years decades before any of my diagnosis, reading Discover magazine. They had example questions in every issue for entry into Mensa the high IQ society. I would look at those questions and I would think, “I can do that.” But the thought of concentrating hard enough to maintain focus and arrive at an answer felt excruciating.
I would wonder, “What is it about my brain that something I know I can do would feel so agonizing.” It was not till I was in my 40’s before I learned about my ADHD and sleep disorder despite years of searching for answers to how my brain did or did not work and why I felt so different.
And yet I don’t focus on neurodiversity.
Initially I had a lot of anger, that I was not diagnosed much earlier. Especially given I was in and out of psychologists offices from the time I was in elementary school. And hospitalized a number of times for what i later realized was anxiety related causes manifesting as physical symptoms.
I was angry because if only I had known these things, I could have spent years developing tools to make things easier for me instead of habits and defenses to keep me from having to deal with what felt “too hard” in life and all the emotional baggage I developed along the way. It would have been so much easier without decades of entrenchment in patterns that did not ideally serve me.
And still I don’t focus on neurodiversity.
What gives Gregg, you may ask. With all that, why is it not a focus for me in my work?. Well, I do feel it is essential to have awareness of neurodivergence and the different ways our brains, nervous systems and emotional wiring works and I absolutely explore the ways it impacts my clients.
There are so many kinds of neurodivergence and I’m very thankful to all the amazing humans doing direct work in that field. I’m thrilled with the broader awareness it is getting and I certainly support that endeavor. I’m thrilled there are resources available now that didn’t exist before to help with ADHD, OCD, Autism, Dyslexia and so much more.
And what really calls out to me, is the common thing that runs through all of that. Namely our humanness. Our desire to have emotional self regulation and freedom from feeling alone. Seeking freedom from the oh so prevalent not enough stories or feeling bad, wrong, invisible, unworthy and unloveable.
These and more are so prevalent in the human condition whether we are neurodivergent or not. And it is healing these wounds that can create the safety and the resources to deal with whatever else we struggle with in life. To navigate our challenges and thrive despite them. This is the journey I’m called to take my clients on and it is the work I continue to do in my own system.
At our core, neurodivergent or neurotypical, we are all human and we all struggle with some version of not enough or unworthy stories. It’s safe to acknowledge that and it’s safe to get support.
Building resilience through self compassion, self awareness and self acceptance, mindfulness, boundary setting, celebrating our strengths and so much more. This is where freedom and happiness lies.
So if there is a part of you that feels you don’t belong, you are different or crazy or that you and/or your needs don’t matter, I want to hear from you. I want to help YOU explore how truly magnificent YOU are!
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CALLING UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, RESILIENCE AND SELF WORTH
“Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems.”― Gever Tulley
“It’s your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop.”― Dieter F. Uchtdorf
“Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”― Nelson Mandela
“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
― Maya Angelou
“She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.”
― Elizabeth Edwards