Harnessing Your Neurodiversity Gifts
As an executive coach with ADHD, I know how easy it can be for those with neurodiverse gifts to fall into the trap of diminishing their strengths, their abilities and ultimately their self-worth.
Like thousands of others, I’ve come to embrace my ADHD, and I believe that I benefit greatly from some of the unique traits that it gives me. Nevertheless, I can understand how people like me come to start diminishing themselves. Prevailing working cultures and work environments do not always align with how our brains work; we find ourselves apologizing regularly, we lose confidence, and we start to doubt ourselves.
Not only is diminishing your abilities unhelpful for your professional development, it can be detrimental to your overall mental health and well-being. So here are 5 ways to stop diminishing your unique strengths and have the power and self-confidence to Bloom!
1. Recognize your unique strengths
Neurodiverse individuals possess a unique set of skills and perspectives that can be incredibly valuable in the workplace and in business. It's important to recognize and celebrate these strengths, rather than focusing on perceived weaknesses. This can help build confidence and self-esteem, which can support your nervous system.
Not sure where to begin? Take a look through the recent posts on my blog, where I explore in-depth some of the traits which demonstrate how neurodiversity seeds business opportunities.
2. Practice self-compassion
Neurodiverse individuals often face a lot of self-doubt and criticism, which can exacerbate anxiety and stress. Practicing self-compassion can help to counteract these negative emotions.
This is easier to do than you might think. Start by simply speaking to yourself kindly; give yourself permission to make mistakes, and treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer to a friend.