Month: March 2022

Your Name: Cat Snell
What is your profession: Founder and Director of Bua
Where do you live: London

How did you start your day today? Do you have a morning routine? What do you have for breakfast, do you think a good diet is important?

I exercise almost every morning as it helps my mental health, but today I didn’t because I was very active this weekend (long run and open water swim)! Every morning I make myself a black coffee with my Aeropress, but other than that – no solid morning routine. It suits me to be flexible with my time and schedule.

How do you stay active? And what do you do to relax?

I’m really diligent with my exercise routine because otherwise I just don’t feel good – at the moment I am training for a half marathon, which is a challenge for me, but before I would go to the gym. I also love swimming. It’s important to me to have lots of variety in my interests and hobbies, so I don’t get bored. I think people often think I do loads of stuff, but I find it stimulating. Actually, I spend a lot of time at home too – as an introverted ambivert, I am careful to balance my time with people and without ? Most of my non-work interests and hobbies are creative or about learning something.

Do you have a favourite word or phrase?

Not really, now I come to think of it… 

Have you read anything good recently?

I read every night to wind down before I fall asleep and have picked up some great international, fiction authors recently from my favourite bookshop. I am currently reading 4 Brown Girls Who Write, which is poetry and in a beautiful binding. Highly recommend.

Which 5 Albums would you want to have with you on a desert island?

I find this so hard to answer because I’m so into Spotify I rarely listen to a full album. (Sorry artists!) Some favourites I go back to again and again:

99.9% by Kaytranada

Total Life Forever by Foals

The English Riviera by Metronomy

Metamorphosis by Philip Glass

Nectar by Joji

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received and who was it from?

It really depends on the context of a particular issue or time in my life, but I have had so many great mentors, advisors and peers that have given me fantastic advice. If you’re in need of advice, I recommend opening up to a trusted friend, colleague or manager. Most people will have experienced something similar and you never know where a word of comfort or support may come from.

I had some great advice last weekend that’s super relevant for me right now. It’s that people always overestimate what they can achieve in a year, and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade. I am keeping that in the front of my mind right now!

When you were young, what did you want to be when you were a grown-up? And what was your first Job?

My first job was tutoring A Level Biology, I honestly don’t think I was great at it, but I did enjoy it and it was funny to ‘revise’ A Level Biology without the pressure of exams. 

When I was really young, I flitted between wanting to be a ballerina, architect, the ‘boss’ and 20 other job types… I liked exploring new things and thinking of all the possibilities I suppose.

What do you do now and how did you get into it?

I founded a social enterprise called Bua in 2021, after finishing studying social innovation and entrepreneurship. Bua supports more disabled and neurodiverse people into salaried employment, and right now we are specifically working on creative employment. We offer free, accessible and inclusive creative training on this website. You can sign up anytime, build a portfolio and then be prepared for interviews. There’s a job page too, that only shows roles from Disability Confident employers. We’d love you to sign up! 

Creativity and thinking differently are often credited to neurodiversity. Would you say that is true? And if yes, could you give an example?

Absolutely and that was the whole point of Bua. I was interested in the intersect of neurodiversity and creativity for two reasons – I have experience of autism in my immediate family, and I have worked professionally in marketing. I started to research employment support programmes in the UK and noticed that they usually catered for salaried work in fields like technology or coding, or hourly paid work. While both of these pathways are really valid and needed, I did see a gap in the market for creative, salaried employment training for disabled and/or ND people.

Bua focusses on salaried, creative work. There’s loads of theory about why I focussed on this: for example, salaried work allows for more support if you fall sick, more financial stability etc. But also, neurodiverse people are so creative and sorely under-represented in creative industries and we also work with businesses to address that. Businesses need this community and they need to step up and embrace that.

When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, or have lost your focus, what do you do to get back on track? Do you have any hacks, tips or do you use any apps to keep you on track during the day?

If I can’t focus, I try to take a break and come back, but if it’s something I just can’t switch on for, but I need to do it, I will put my headphones on (instead of using my laptop speakers) and put on an electronic focus album. One I’ve gone back to again and again is The End by Shlohmo. Something about the combination of noise cancelling headphones (even in my quiet flat) with electronic music sends me into deep concentration to get work done. If I feel overwhelmed, I try to write a list of everything I need to do and then split it into chunks based on the priorities. I’m pretty bad at doing this to be honest, and not very strict with myself… My to do lists are always a mess. But if I write everything out in one go it gets it out my head, then I split it into days, I’m not being too restrictive with myself about what needs to be done, but I’m still providing myself some structure and reducing the overwhelmed feeling.

Does being Neurodivergent affect new relationships? This can be professionally, socially or romantically.

Yes I think it does. I have a number of ND people in my life across a range of types. I think it’s more variation of the flavours of personality… I love it.

What makes you happy?

Being contented with friends and family. And the sun!

What has been your biggest achievement so far?

Hm not sure about this. Maybe achieving a life goal by moving abroad – I lived in China from 2015-2016. 

Do you have a Positive ND message to the world? Imagine you have a £5 million advertising campaign to spend on billboards all over the world, what would you say?

I would want to refine something along the lines of “just because it’s invisible, doesn’t mean it’s not there”. I think a lot of people deny neurodiversity because it’s not visible, especially when ND people have had to become so good at masking. I think it’s one of the most overlooked ‘under-represented characteristics’ because of the invisibility, but it deeply affects so many people and the way they interact, work and live. So I would want the general public to be aware of that.

The final question – where can people find out more about you? Do you have a website and social media pages? Please list them all. 

You can log onto Bua’s training website for free, anytime: 

Bua

Instagram

Facebook

I’m not personally very active on social media, but you can find my LinkedIn profile here.

Name: Nick Russill
ND Type: ADHD
Current Job: Entrepreneur / Photographer / Geoscientist
Where do you live: Cardiff, UK

Photo Credit Alex Lloyd Jenkins

How do you start you day – do you have a morning routine?

I start with a rule. Look at the sky before you look at a screen. I normally do this standing barefoot in the garden in the belief that grounding and taking in light is how we evolved to start our days. Then I drink a pint of water with apple cider vinegar on the advice of my friend Sian. This balances the pH of our bodies and among other things strengthens our immune systems. On weekends, I drive the 20 minutes to the coast to join my cold water swim group “Dawnstalkers” – a practice I’ve stuck to whenever I can for over a year now. School run during weekday with my youngest daughter is a golden time that I treasure for the chats we have and the thought that one day this will be no more.

I do have a meditation practice but often stress that I don’t have time to fit this in. Then I realise that a mindful moment or a pause is still hugely valuable.

What do you have for breakfast, and do think your diet is important?

I used to have a green smoothie but due to lack of time, I’m locked into a subscription to Athletic Greens that gives us pretty much all we need. I’m not big on eating a lot at breakfast so may have a banana and savour the ritual of making a Swiss water decaf coffee with my Aeropress. I 100% agree that a healthy gut is critical, but also recognise that it requires a lot of willpower and keeping up good habits to stick to it, especially when you’re feeling down or tired.

Do you exercise regularly, how do you stay active?

Yes. I spend most of my time on the move and as much time as possible outdoors. A year ago we got a crazy Sprocker Spaniel puppy which has been a wonderful catalyst to getting out in nature and keeping the daily step count well over 10k! I’ve trained her to run next to me on the bike which is working well, with a couple of exceptions involving birds or discarded burgers… Aside from the dog, I run, swim, ride, snowboard, surf and recently discovered closing down that last mile of a commute on an electric skateboard is great fun, saves fuel and parking fines.

What do you do to relax?

I nearly always have a camera with me and find photography (taking and editing) incredibly calming and a great way of being present. For my 50th birthday I bought a 50 year old Lotus Elan +2 and relax on sunny evenings with a cruise to the coast or into the hills. I find choosing good films or documentaries very taxing, but if I get into something I find that relaxing too.

Have you read anything good recently?

I’m afraid I struggle with books due to being on the go most of the time, falling asleep with them at the end of the day, or not being able to focus. Consequently, I always ask for an Audible subscription for Christmas. My top recent “listens” would be:

The Rise of Superman by Steven Kotler – all about extreme sports and flow states. Finding flow is the key to productivity and work satisfaction. And Away… Bob Mortimer’s autobiography – a wonderful, warm and surprisingly introspective look at the great man with lots of laugh out loud moments. A great example of how to structure a story (he uses the example of his heart bypass surgery).

Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall – with the current crisis in Ukraine, now is as important time as there has ever been to get reminded of the importance of geography on global politics. The first chapter on Russia is uncannily precognitive. The Storyteller by Dave Grohl – possibly the nicest guy in the Universe.

What music do you listen to?

I always struggle when I’m asked this question. BBC 6 Music is my station of choice in the car, and with the help of Shazam and then Spotify radio I go down some wonderful rabbit holes of discovering new artists. I’d say my taste is very diverse: Pink Floyd, Gerry Rafferty, The Beatles, Imagine Dragons, Foo Fighters, AC/DC, Genesis, The Naked And Famous, Public Service Broadcasting, The Chemical Brothers… really it depends on my mood and where I am. Sometimes I find I have no music in me and am content with silence. That’s not a bad thing is it?

Who is the person you value most in your life and why?

My dad. He has been an unerring source of inspiration and strength throughout my life. I don’t think we’ve ever had a really crossed word and I can’t remember hearing him complain about anything.

When you were young, what did you want to be when you were a grown-up?

A vet. Then I did some work experience with a family friend in Cardigan, West Wales. Being present with the distraught owner when a dog was put to sleep, (and the overpowering smell when it emptied its bowels) was enough to put me off.

What was your first Job?

Aged 10, I converted some outbuildings on the farm we lived at in Hampshire into a dog boarding kennel for people in the village. I still have the visitor log book with many pages containing a bold black X for troublemakers. A large percentage of my profits went on appeasing the neighbours with boxes of After Eight mints for all the barking. My first adult job was in the Australian Outback doing gold exploration for a large mine.

What do you do now and how did you get into this job?

I lost my job in Australia when the gold price crashed. That led me to return to Wales and with a friend from university set up a mapping company that used similar techniques (“geophys” for fans of Time Team) to locate buried targets for the engineering and environmental industries. We can non-invasively locate anything from mine shafts, landfills, contamination plumes through to bedrock, caves or things that should not have been buried. This company (TerraDat) has been going almost 30 years and employs over 20 wonderful geoscientists. I also co-founded a bunch of websites that help outdoor sports enthusiasts find the best snow/surf conditions. They are called Snow-Forecast.com and Surf-Forecast.com and went from a side project for our own use to serving a global audience of over 60 million users each year. It’s been a real treat to surf the wave of the internet revolution and turn it into a way that allows us to go to amazing places in the guise of work. I also spend one day a week funded by The Royal Society at Exeter University and “Entrepreneur in Residence” in the

School of Engineering. I love sharing knowledge and working with inspiring, energetic students.

Creativity and thinking differently are often credited to neurodiversity. Would you say that is true? And if yes, could you give an example please?

Totally agree. From my own experience, one example would be spotting talent in individuals and bringing them together into a team or network to produce amazing results. I used to worry that I was writing myself out of a role, but accepting that being a catalyst for change / workflows is enough means I can focus on what I’m best at. Quite often those individuals are from different background or disciplines and it’s a real joy to see how they fuse together to produce innovative results. Look at our websites – we’re geophysicists who like snow and surf. Combining map making skills with climate/ocean data led to a whole new business.

Do you have any hacks, tips or do you use any apps to keep you on track during the day?

I’ve tried many and forgotten even more. I can share a few things I do regularly(ish) that keep me on track:

– work standing and sitting

– Meetings on the move (or on a board)

– Finding beauty in short, well-crafted communications

– 20 minute breaks away from the screen (helped by the MOVE prompt on my Garmin watch)

– Get outside for a ride/walk run (and let the creativity flow)

– The “moments” part of Sam Harris’ Waking Up app

– Discriminate between time for work and time to chat to people. (Trying to juggle both at the same time just leads to grumpy moods and poor quality work).

What does living a neurodivergent life mean to you? What is your message to those who are newly diagnosed and to the rest of the world?

Sorry if this has been said before, but celebrate your superpowers. Share your diagnosis with those who matter, but realise that it’s in nobody’s interest to tell everyone. Move away from tasks you struggle with or find infuriating and embrace those that you can fly at with hyper focus and

superlative attention to detail. Accept that life can’t be all highs and sometimes the lows will be very low and there seems no way out. Find strength from little things that can make a big difference.

I have a good friend who regularly tells me to be kind to myself. That’s a good foundation for leading a good neuro (or non-neuro) divergent life.

The final question – where can people find out more about you? Do you have a website and social media pages? Please list them all.

IG: @nick.russill

Twitter: @nickruss

www.nickrussill.com

https://linktr.ee/nick.russill

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickrussill/

 

 

Name: Allie Mason
ND Type: Autistic
What do you do: Talent Coordinator, Children’s Author and Inclusive Sports Advocate
Where do you live: Cheltenham, UK

How did you start your day today? Do you have a morning routine? What do you have for breakfast, do you think a good diet is important?

I have my morning routine saved onto my smart watch, so all I have to remember to do when I wake up is to put the watch on and then I can follow the steps that I have saved there. I try to start my day by filling up my 2L water bottle, followed by some gentle stretches and naming one thing that I am grateful for that day. Then I take my dog for a walk, eating breakfast on my return before getting showered and dressed for work. I like to aim to eat something nutritious for breakfast but I don’t always succeed! A balanced diet is very important but also a challenge to consistently achieve.

How do you stay active? And what do you do to relax?

I am a keen rollerskater and currently training for the Berlin marathon in September 2022. I also stay very active through having a young Labrador who needs lots of walking! My go-to method of relaxing is to listen to an ASMR video whilst I paint my nails. I have been learning German since I was 12 years old, so I try to listen to the videos in German when I can to keep up my language skills.

Do you have a favourite word or phrase?

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” – Lousia May Alcott

Have you read anything good recently? Is there a book that changed your life?

I was an avid reader as a child, often getting told off for reading in lessons when I should have been studying! Sadly, I’ve not felt that I’ve had the time to read much recently. The book that is changing my life as we speak is the one that I am currently writing (The Autistic Guide to Adventure). I have always wanted to be an author, so I am immensely grateful to have this opportunity to achieve one of my childhood dreams. However, my younger self was definitely wearing rose-tinted glasses when she decided on this path. To say it is hard work would be an understatement.

Which 5 albums would you want to have with you on a desert island?

I’m not much of a music connoisseur, so I’m going to cheat and take 5 books instead!

1. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
2. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
3. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (so that I might finally finish it)
4. Reekie’s Routes by David Reekie (my late great grandfather’s memoir)
5. Maybe a Famous Five book from Enid Blyton?

 

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received and who was it from?

My great grandfather once told me “never deviate from your chosen path” and that has become my mantra in life.

When you were young, what did you want to be when you were a grown-up? And what was your first Job?

As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to be an author when I grew up. As a child, I read a lot of Enid Blyton books and adored her adventure-seeking characters. If I remember rightly, I think that my first ever job was working on a grocery stall at a local market on a Saturday morning. I had to catch the bus at 6am just to get there on time.

What do you do now and how did you get into it?

I currently work as a Talent Coordinator for an environmental consultancy, which is a role I kind of fell into as it doesn’t relate to either of my university degrees. However, I really enjoy it and am also able to spend my free time writing my book.

Creativity and thinking differently are often credited to neurodiversity. Would you say that is true? And if yes, could you give an example?

I absolutely consider this to be true. An example would be the way in which I approached assignments at school, college and university. I would always take a creative approach even if this wasn’t specifically required. I remember presenting one of my university assignments as an Instagram feed and getting really positive feedback from my department for it.

When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, or have lost your focus, what do you do to get back on track? Do you have any hacks, tips or do you use any apps to keep you on track during the day?

When I start to feel this way, it is usually because my senses are overstimulated. So I tend to put on noise-cancelling headphones and sunglasses to minimise the sensory input that I am receiving, in order to increase my focus on the task at hand. Sometimes I will also step outside to take a few deep breaths in the fresh air to recentre myself before continuing with my work.

How does your Neurodiversity affect new relationships? This can be professionally, socially or romantically.

Being autistic means that I can feel very anxious about forming new relationships, as I worry about being misunderstood or accidentally offending someone. However, I have found that honesty is always the best policy and I personally choose to be very open about being autistic with new people that I meet. I’m fortunate that disclosure has only ever been a positive experience for me.

What makes you happy?

So many things – dogs, smooth coffee, starry night skies, spending time with the people I love, exploring new places, collecting pretty stones, snuggling up with a hot chocolate and a book under a weighted blanket … I could go on!

What has been your biggest achievement so far?

This is such a tough question to answer. Right now, I feel that my biggest achievement is simply that I am thriving as an autistic adult. I spent many years as a teenager afraid that life would be too much for me, that I would always be held back by what at the time I thought was poor mental health. Since receiving my autism diagnosis at 23, my life has changed for the better and I am more comfortable in my own skin than ever before.

Do you have a Positive ND message to the world? Imagine you have a £5 million advertising campaign to spend on billboards all over the world, what would you say?

I would reiterate my great grandfather’s advice: never deviate from your chosen path. If something makes you light up inside, do that thing and don’t let anyone else’s doubts lead you astray.

Final question – where can people find out more about you? Do you have a website and social media pages?

I’d love to have more people join my little corner of the internet! My website is www.alliewrote.com and I am @alliewrote on Instagram.

 

Name: Michelle Steiner – Learning Disability, Visual Perception and Hand Dexterity
What do you do? Teachers’ aide, disability writer, and advocate

How do you start your day? Do you have a morning routine?  What do you have for breakfast, do you think a good diet is important?

I typically start my day with breakfast. I usually have egg whites, yogurt, fruit, and a cup of coffee. I do think having a healthy diet is important. I try to eat a balanced diet and to make healthy food choices. I also drink lots of water and love tea. My morning routine is not complete without squeezing in a workout before I leave the house. After my workout I get ready to go to work or wherever else I need to go that day.

How do you stay active? And what do you do to relax?

In addition to my morning workout, I also go to my local YMCA to exercise. I love taking group exercise classes such as Boot camp, Zumba, Barre, and other classes. I also enjoy taking long walks and hikes with my husband.  To relax I will do Yoga or stretching. Reading also helps to relax me. You can also find me sitting on my front porch swing with a good book, when the weather is nice. I also love long hot baths.

Do you have a favourite word or phrase?

Why blend in when you were born to stand out

Have you read anything good recently? Is there a book that has changed your life?

I’m a book worm and I always have a few books that I am reading. Currently, I am reading This is How I lied by Heather Gudenkauf. I am also reading Widow Falls by Kristen Modeglin. One book that changed how I view my disability has been Normal Sucks by Jonathan Mooney. The book talks about how the term normal doesn’t exist and how it hurts rather than helps people with disabilities and others who don’t fit in that category.

What was the best advice of advice you ever received and who was it from?

Everything will work out; it just may not come in the package that you expect. My dad used to tell me this when I was younger and discouraged by all the things I struggled with. I can remember being so frustrated with having a disability thinking that nothing would ever turn out right. To my surprise many things have turned out in my favour, but it a much better way than I could have ever imagined.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you were a grown up? And what was your first job? I knew from when I was a young child that I wanted to be a writer, and work with children. I had dreams of becoming a therapist or a preschool teacher. My first job was working in a daycare centre over the summer.

What do you do now and how do you get into it?

I’m a Paraprofessional teacher’s aide for a school.  I began as a substitute Paraprofessional and enjoyed working with students until I found a job with more steady hours working with children. When that job downsized I went back to school. After graduation I worked for a few places, but struggled to find the right fit. I applied for the Paraprofessional job thinking I would only get hired on as a sub. To my surprise I was offered a permanent part time position.

In the past few years I have been getting more into the disability writing and advocacy. I have had disability articles published and started my own blog. I have also spoken at in person and virtual events on having a Learning Disability and growth mind set.

Creativity and thinking differently are often credited to neurodiversity. Would you say that it is true? And if yes, can you give an example?

Yes I think that neurodiversity does make me more creative. I often have people tell me that when I take a picture of a flower that I capture details that others miss. Not driving also gives me the chance to notice things that others miss, on my walks.  Not being good in math forces my brain to find new ways to function.

When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused or have lost your focus how do you get back on track? Do you have any hacks, tips, or do you use apps to keep you on track during the day?

When I get overwhelmed I try to focus on what I can do and break the task down if possible. The all or nothing approach often causes me to feel discouraged and give up. I attempt to focus on what I can control and to let go of what I can’t.

How does your Neurodiversity affect new relationships? This can be professionally socially or romantically.

Professionally it can be difficult to explain to employers that I have a disability and the accommodations that I need. Thankfully I have an accepting employer. Socially it can be difficult because it can be hard to remember the rules to games and I have difficulty with competitive sports. Romantically it was difficult at times to find a person who was accepting of my disability, but I am lucky to now have an understanding husband who loves me for who I am.

What makes you happy?

All things tea related. I love to relax with a cup of tea! I also collect tea pots, and tea cups. Butterflies and flowers also make me happy and I enjoy connecting with others, going on adventures with my husband or reading books and writing stories

What has been your biggest achievement so far?

One of the biggest achievements for me has been getting my Bachelor’s Degree. A Physiatrist told me I wouldn’t go beyond community college.  Getting published and creating my own blog has been a big achievement for me. I always wanted to be a writer.

Do you have a positive ND message to the world?

Know what you are good at and look for a way to do it.

Final question – where can people find out more about you? Do you have a website and social media?

My Blog

Instagram

Facebook