Welcome and Mid-Month Prompt
Welcoming new Neurodiversified writers and a mid-January writing prompt
Happy New Year!
Given the past two years have not gone at all as most of us would have liked, we hope to offer a small but meaningful source for mental health support, as well as neurodiversity-affirming, accessible, and evidence-based information.
Neurodiversified started the year off by adding a new writer, J.R., Not Weird Just Autistic, who talked to us about acknowledging and learning from past mistakes to facilitate personal growth.
Admitting Past Failures Correlates with Success in the New Year
J.R. then touched on the social model of disability, explaining how he is dis-abled by the environment around him much more than he is “disabled” by being autistic.
I’m Being Dis-Abled. I’m not Disabled
J.R.’s story, along with Lula Maude’s earlier story about making the most of a society not designed for our neurotypes, What Works For Me As An Autistic Adult, prompted me to compile a story series on articles that help to illustrate the social model of disability.
I also went on a bit of a writing spree and wrote a flurry of stories about emotional dysregulation and co-regulation, which prompted me to compile my related stories to make them easier to find.
I was then distracted from those themes as I read a (terrible) article trying to “prove” that Highly Sensitive People (HSP) are not autistic, while it actually went on to describe the ways in which HSP & autism are essentially the same thing.
Everyone Needs Accommodations To Thrive
Speaking of rants and accommodations, I also wrote a piece yesterday describing the different types of advocacy. My article explains how it is highly problematic when certain “advocacy” groups ignore and speak over the very individuals they claim to support.
Last but not least, this week we welcomed another new writer, Jeff Peirish, who gave us important tips for getting our brains unstuck when they get fixated on certain thoughts or ideas.
The Mind Clearing ADHD Tip You Need to Know
Writing Prompts
I have a couple of mid-month writing prompts for anyone needing some inspiration :
Prompt #1: Goals & reflections
What writing goals do you have for 2022? Tell us about them!
Did you make any new year’s resolutions? If so, have you kept them so far?
What 2021 achievement(s) are you proud of?
What are you grateful for?
Prompt #2: Compliments & coping skills
What is the best compliment you’ve ever gotten? Tell us what it was, who said it to you, and when. Why was it so meaningful to you?
What are your most effective coping tools and strategies for when you start feeling overwhelmed or dysregulated? I shared some of mine in another recent piece about keeping our cool with our kids when they get worked up.
Keeping Our Cool With Our Kids
As always, it is not required to respond to a prompt. Writers are welcome to submit any writing that aligns with our themes and follows our submission guidelines.
For more great reads about neurodiversity, parenting, and advocacy, follow Neurodiversified.
We’re always on the lookout for more educational, informative, and well-written articles about ADHD, Autism, mental health, twice exceptionality, neurodiversity, parenting, advocacy, and education.
Want to write for us? Check out our submission guidelines.