From burnout to renewal: An autistic transformation

I spoke with Shelley Kenow this week about the path that led me to my midlife diagnosis of autism.

Shelley’s show — #nolimits — explores questions around how to bring to life the highest potential in everyone, no matter their abilities. Her analogy of the butterfly fighting its way out of the cocoon is an apt one: There is power in the struggle.

For me, uncovering autism opened the door to self-forgiveness and healing. But more impactfully, it gives me permission to explore, hone and even lose myself in my special interests. This piece of my life was hugely missing before my diagnosis. I saw my hobbies as something reserved for my spare time, play that could come only after all the hard work was done.

No wonder I felt drained of energy and burnt out on life!

As I’m centering my life around my special interests, my productivity is soaring alongside my excitement to wake up in the morning and my ability to tap into inner wisdoms I’d forgotten how to hear. What a gift it is to better comprehend who I am and what I need!

If you’re on the fence about embracing your neurodivergence, I give you full permission to lean into it. Explore it. Own it. Celebrate it. The world doesn’t need a bunch of sameness, a bunch of strivers-to-fit-in. The world needs you to shine exactly as you are.

Check out the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/live/OyNYEteYo0o?feature=share.