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Life has been changing in ways that feel loud & like a lot. It feels like everything is different--good & bad & like the rhythm of everyday life has shifted overnight. My heart feels different without Yoda. He was my everything. It hurts so much it's hard to want to go to the barn. I can only see it as the place where I lost my best friend. At the same time, I'm trying to keep going and build my business while my heart isn't fully in it right now. Experiencing both of these feelings at once has felt like a lot. I always wish that whenever change happens, I'll be ready, disciplined, inspired, & clear about what comes next. The truth is, I've never been ready & I never will. Lately, I've been feeling low on energy, uncertain, & undisciplined. I keep looking for clarity before taking action. As it turns out, life doesn't work that way. Sometimes, change happens first & your heart and feelings catch up later. No matter what, like always asks you to keep going. Nobody talks about this part--the part where you have to show up, take steps, & do the practical things even when your heart hasn't fully caught up yet. I've been learning what it looks like to do what needs to be done before I feel ready. Showing up tired. Taking small steps. Making plans when I don't feel completely certain. Trying anyway. Building slowly. Taking Imperfect action. It's not glamorous or exciting. It's quiet, steady, & messy. This is what real growth looks like. Not big bursts of inspiration or perfectly timed discipline, but choosing to move forward in small ways while your heart adjusts to the changes around you. I'm in the lifelong journey of learning that I don't have to feel ready to take the next step. I just have to take it. Cheers to the messy, magical, & everything in between. Reflection Questions:
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For those who feel like they're behind, have moments of self-doubt, & feel stuck & don't know the next step, If you find this, it's because you've been having moments of people being way ahead of you, struggling with the confidence to know you have the answers, & you're trying everything to figure out the next step. You feel behind on your goals. You feel behind on your dreams. You feel behind on where you thought you'd be by now. Maybe you've been waiting to... Feel Inspired Feel motivated Feel "ready" before you start Find the "right" time Feel better about where you want to go Feel clearer Feel confident I'm in the exact same boat. Gentle Reminder: Inspiration is a beautiful thing, but you don't always need it. Sometimes all you need is excitement & big ideas. Other times it means showing up with doubt, low energy, & with an unsure kind of hope. It's easy to look around & feel like everyone is moving faster, doing more, & becoming more. You can feel behind in a timeline that's invisible. What if you're on your own path, at your own pace? What if "enough" is honoring where you are? For me, enough is... Writing one paragraph instead of a chapter Trying even when it's messy Taking one small step when things feel heavy Showing up (even if it means quietly & imperfectly) Presence over perfection You are allowed to... Start before you're ready Move forward without everything figured out Be where you are & still growing If you need a sign... Start Small Start Messy Start Unsure START You're not behind, you're becoming. That takes time. Cheers to the messy, the magical, & everything in between Reflection Questions Where in my life do I feel “behind” right now, & why? What expectations am I holding myself to? Are they truly mine? What would it feel like to trust my own pace instead of comparing it to others? Feel free to share your questions, stories, advice, or anything related to where you are on your journey.
 My journey started in 2017. If you told me nine years ago that I would be an entrepreneur who wants to change the world, I wouldn't believe you. The thought of starting & running a business feels overwhelming for anyone. When you add NVLD to the equation, it can sometimes feel like you're navigating the world of business with a map written in a language you were never taught. You'll learn that people with NVLD CAN absolutely run successful businesses. It may not look traditional & that's ok. Many parts of entrepreneurship can trigger the skills that are difficult for people with NVLD. Challenges Executive Function & Organization
Strong Verbal Communication
Deep Passion & Persistence
Break Big Tasks Into Small Steps
If you're someone with NVLD who dreams of running a business, here are things to keep in mind when business is going good & when there's a rough patch:
It's about building something that works for you. And that path is just as valid. Cheers to embracing the messy, magic, & everything in between Reflection Questions: What inspired you to think about starting a business? What parts of running a business feel exciting to you? What parts of entrepreneurship feel the most overwhelming right now? Feel free to share your questions, stories, advice, or anything related to where you are on your journey.
 While some moments change your life loudly, others change your life quietly. Mine came slowly like the truth finally catching up to reality. My whole life, I felt like I had to translate what everyone else knew. Social cues felt invisible because I couldn’t see them. Directions felt overwhelming. Certain “simple” things felt impossible. And yet… I’ve always loved words. I’ve always felt deeply whether I wanted to or not. I’ve always felt like I’ve lived in the in-between. Capable & confused. Strong & struggling. Trying but tired. When you can’t find an explanation for why things feel harder than they “should,” you start to feel lost. Like you’re walking without a map. There were seasons where I felt:
But you quietly feel like you’re fighting yourself. Then one day, everything changed. I was diagnosed with Non-Verbal Learning Disorder (NVLD). At first, I didn’t feel relief. I shut down. I isolated myself. I wasn’t ready to face what it meant. Luckily, my mom was ready to take everything head on. She began learning. Researching. Understanding. And slowly, the information started to unfold. Strengths:
But eventually… it became grounding. When I Was ready, when I was finally ready to accept it, to work with it instead of resisting it, it didn’t feel dramatic anymore. It felt relieving. There was a name for the struggles I had carried my entire life. Knowing there was an answer helped me understand why I am the way I am. It was the shift I didn’t even realize I had been waiting for. That first aha moment didn’t erase everything that happened before my diagnosis. But it changed everything after. I still feel overwhelmed sometimes. I still misread situations. I still overthink conversations long after they end. But what changed is this: I no longer see myself as broken. I see the possibility that I’m simply wired differently. I still fight every day. But I don’t have to fight as hard, because now I understand what I’m fighting. Understanding NVLD gave me: Self-compassion instead of criticism. Language instead of shame. Clarity instead of confusion. Understanding NVLD strengthens me. Because when you understand your brain, you can finally stop trying to be someone you’re not. That first aha moment, getting the diagnosis, was the beginning of something much bigger. Now, at 20 years old, I have the opportunity to be independent & advocate for myself. I can explain instead of apologize. I can build a life that works with my brain instead of against it. Awareness becomes confidence. Confidence becomes courage. Courage becomes purpose. If you relate to living in the in-between, feeling capable and confused in the same breath, I want you to hear this clearly: There is NOTHING wrong with you. Clarity will come with time. And when it does, it won’t feel like a label. It will feel like home. Your aha moment isn’t about defining yourself. It’s about freeing yourself. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop fighting who you are… and start understanding her instead. Reflection Questions:
Feel free to share your questions, stories, advice, or anything related to where you are on your journey. You’re not alone in this.
 🖐🏻 if you have NVLD & feel emotions deeply but struggle to explain them. Do you feel:
You might have these thoughts:
Top 3 Ideas: 1. Art as Emotional Language
3. Creative Expression Beyond Art & Writing
Not a perfect voice, but a real one. And sometimes, real is exactly what healing sounds like. Reflection Questions: What would it look like to honor your emotional depth instead of judging it? How can you create a safe cozy space for self-expression? What would it feel like to express yourself without pressure? What does your ❤️ need more of right now? Cheers to embracing the messy, the magical, & everything in between. Feel free to comment questions, stories, advice, anything related to where you are on your journey 🙂 New Pin New Pin New Pin
 Have you ever thought about how real perfectionism is? For those of us with NVLD, there are so many layers to the difficulty we have coping with it. In our own timing, we realize what perfectionism is & figure out through trial & error what works for us to navigate it. We learn to work with it, not against it. For example, perfectionism can be fear disguised as discipline. Instead of fighting it, we can learn to care about the details without letting them hold the steering wheel. The real growth lives in... messy drafts unpolished ideas trying again after a hard day half-formed ideas and taking small, brave steps forward. Raise your 🤚🏼 if you're someone who feels like you have to get everything “perfect” before you start. Here’s your reminder that you’re allowed to begin imperfectly. You’re allowed to… be a work in progress learn as you go take up space before you feel ready Perfectionism isn’t the goal. The goal is to grow, become be real, & be perfectly imperfect. It’s not about becoming fearless. It’s learning how to walk gently with the parts of you that are still afraid. Not against yourself -- with yourself Reflection questions: Where has perfectionism shown up in your life? What would working with yourself instead of against yourself look like right now? What’s one imperfect step you can take in this moment? Cheers to embracing the messy, magical, & everything in between. Feel free to comment questions, stories, advice, anything related to where you are on your journey 🙂 Newest Pin
 The world wasn't built for those of us with NVLD. You can feel like nobody understands you. Like you don't get opportunities in the spotlight because you're different. Like you have to work harder for everything, especially what you want. These reasons alone show that community is essential. Struggles like social understanding, feeling different, & the difficulty of explaining all the different layers of NVLD can make everyday feel more challenging. The emotional weight of trying to fit in, masking, & constantly having to fit into situations makes the weight feel heavier. The heaviness is another reason community is essential. Having people who make you feel seen, understood, & safe at an emotional level can change your life. Being around those who get you is a reminder that you're a whole person. They show you that being different is ok. Understanding, validation, & real support is what makes you feel whole & not isolated. Not only does community help you emotionally, it gives you a place for advice, shared understanding, advocacy, & real life guidance. Being part of something bigger than yourself helps you to reconnect with parts of yourself you didn't know were there. Having the right people around you awakens confidence, creativity, self-acceptance, & healing. It reminds you that you belong as you are. The best communities are rooted in lived experience, empathy & understanding, guidance & mentoring, validation, & support from peers. They carry advocacy in their heart. There's space for safety, healing, growth, & hope. Never forget that you're not alone. There's always someone out there who supports your journey & wants to help whether that's online or in-person. You deserve support, understanding, & being surrounded by people who see you as you are. Reflection Questions: How do you feel about community? How does it help you? How do you find your community? Cheers to embracing the messy, magical, & everything in between. Feel free to comment questions, stories, advice, anything related to where you are on your journey 🙂
 🤚🏼 if you relate to struggling to remember "Mistakes Mean You're Learning, not Failing. The society we're growing up in can show us that making mistakes can make us feel like we're wrong, broken, not good enough, not smart enough, not set out to do what we want to do, not capable enough, etc. THAT'S NOT TRUE Mistakes mean you're... Showing up Trying something new Going above & beyond what feels secure & familiar. Allowed to try again Allowed to live boldly Allowed to live courageously You're allowed to live bravely You're learning You're growing You're becoming Mistakes don't mean you're... Behind Broken Failing For those of use who have NVLD, Anxiety, think & feel deeply, sensitive souls, etc. mistakes can be so much more than an oops. The inner voice can tell us things like "I'm the mistake", "Everyone else gets this, why don't I?", & "I should be better by now. We can make it our story & whole identity. Mistakes don't define you, they make you grow. Learning is messy. Being real looks like trying, messing up, adjusting, trying again, feeling awkward before confident, & not understanding until the day you do. Anytime you're in an in-between space, that's not failure, that's growth in progress. Permission Slips: You're allowed to be a beginner You're allowed to need extra time You're allowed to learn differently Cheers to embracing the messy, magical, & everything in between. Feel free to comment questions, stories, advice, anything related to where you are on your journey 🙂
Do you struggle with paying attention, concentrating, organizing, planning, prioritizing, starting/completing tasks, understanding different points of view, emotional regulation, processing information, multi-step directions, change in rules/routines, overly emotional, fixate on things, time management, & starting/completing goals. Visual-Spatial Deficit & big picture thinking is a big part of why executive function is a struggle for someone with NVLD. Anxiety of the not knowing causes difficulty with change in rules/routines. Executive Dysfunction - difficulties with planning, organizing, initiating tasks, focusing, & regulating emotions Cognitive Overload - state of mental exhaustion occurring when the amount of incoming information exceeds the brain's working memory capacity Sensory Processing Sensitivities - more sensitive nervous system, leading to deeper processing of physical, social, & emotional stimuli Struggling to interpret nonverbal cues can make understanding different points of view difficult. Processing information can be hard because of low processing speeds, difficulties with spatial awareness, organizational challenges, & trouble interpreting nonverbal cues like facial expressions or body language. Like other parts of executive function, you can be overly emotional because of the struggle to interpret nonverbal cues. It's easy to fixate on things which can be good & bad. Ways to help with executive function struggles: Routine Visual Aids - checklists, color-coding systems, charts, alarms, timers, calendar (physical or digital), & planners (physical or digital) Breaking tasks into small, manageable steps Explicit verbal instructions for multi-step tasks Apps for time management What executive function struggles do you relate to? What would help you? What other tips do you have? Feel free to comment questions, stories, advice, anything related to where you are on your journey 🙂
 I lost my best friend this year😭 We found out that Yoda was in a lot of pain & wouldn't get better. Out of love & care for him, we put him down so he wouldn't suffer anymore. I love him with all my ♥️ & wish he could be around forever, however I would do anything that's best for him. Losing him is the hardest thing I've gone through since losing my grandma. This is a perfect example of using coping mechanisms & I couldn't do it. My mind went completely blank & I was already too far gone to the point where meltdowns were all I could do. Even though I'm really sad right now, I hope Yoda is living in a big green pasture with all the grass he can eat & carrots whenever he wants them. I will always remember him as sweet, gentle, loving, gave good hugs, always put a smile on my face when I was sad, there when I needed comforting, a laugh, & whenever I needed a friend. He was the greatest joy in my life. I'll miss him everyday, & know that he'll be taking care of me from above.
 Handsome Boy! |
