Starting Something New
A little introduction, a little more about what to expect on this newsletter.
My whole life I’ve considered myself a complete contradiction. What I didn’t realize is, I’m actually multiply neurodivergent.
I have a whole host of neurodivergences that make me the complicated person that I am. I’m Autistic, and I have ADHD, Dyspraxia, PTSD, OCD, Dyscalculia and as I’m learning more about it, probably Dyslexia. (so, sorry in advance for the typos)
So how does someone so multiply neurodivergent go through life without it being noticed?
I hid & masked. Appearances were so important to my family, so fear was a big motivator to hide anything that was unusual about myself. My needs were either ignored or just accepted as personal quirks. But I felt it. I felt that I was different. I noticed that things were so very difficult for me, and so simple for others.
I thought I was a burden, my life was just a big list of all the things I couldn’t do. Until I reached my breaking point.
At the time I was living in an apartment on a busy corner. All day and night traffic would stop and accelerate, and stop and accelerate. The windows would rattle with the rumbling cars, the lights would shine through onto the walls, breaks would squeak, semi trucks would shake all of our dishes in our cupboards, and loud music would blast through the apartment as cars sped by.
Every single thing that I usually struggled with became 10x more difficult, because of the constant sensory overload. I couldn’t go two days without having a meltdown. They usually ended up with me sitting on the bathroom floor sobbing, rocking back and forth to self soothe, wondering what was wrong with me.
Then one day I learned about ADHD & shortly after that, Autism. And my life started to change. Everything fell into place. I dove into research as neurodivergence had become my newest special interest. I realized I never was a failure. I was capable of accepting myself exactly as I was. And I was proud of all my contradictions.
Before I was a peer mentor I worked in museums. I was a student with a BA in Education and Art History, and a minor in history- and an MA in Public History. While I had passion & interest in each of those fields I struggled with feeling like I wasn’t making a difference or an impact. Yes I loved art, but how much good comes from scanning & cataloging works on paper. It just felt hollow. And as you get to know me, you’ll see that authenticity is so important to me.
Finding neurodivergent education & advocacy, and peer support has been so incredible. I’ve had my business as a peer mentor for a year now, working with clients from all over the world- both short term and long term. It’s been amazing to help in any way that I can. To use my experience, my compassion, my problem solving to figure out how to make things easier for other people. So they stop feeling like there is something wrong with them.
This newsletter is going to tackle topics on neurodivergence, queerness, unmasking & self acceptance. I’m going to include written interviews with other ND people. And I might include some guided art prompts to help journal & express your unconscious thoughts. My posts aren’t going to be on any schedule. I know requiring consistency is the easiest way to make me disinterested. So I will create essays as I’m inspired.
There will be a paywall. Substack format feels like it best fits my writing & advocacy style instead of a patreon or tip jar. It doesn’t feel like I have to mask who I am & fake enthusiasm or try to hype people up. I can just be me, sharing what I know.
I hope you subscribe, whether it’s for the free or paid subscription. I’m very excited to get started!