If you have any kind of condition or disability, you will have probably got the message that you are defective in some way.
I’m here to tell you that that’s not really true.
Yes, it is true that you can’t do some things that other people can. Or you can do them but you find it really difficult, and don’t do them very well.
However, if you have a condition like autism, ADHD, depression, a learning difficulty or something else, you also have special powers. You are different, but that doesn’t mean worse.
I hate the terms “special” or “differently abled” because they’re patronising – and because everyone is special, and everyone is different. But in your case, you are extra special!
Here are some powers a person like you might have:
- An autistic who’s really good at maths
- A person with ADHD who can hyperfocus
- Someone with OCD who is a fantastic animator
- A person who is depressed and very funny
- Someone with Down’s syndrome who has great social skills
- A tired new parent who is loving and sympathetic
- A stressed person with excellent decision-making skills
You get the idea.
Now it’s time to work out what your powers are and how you can use and exploit them. “Exploit” isn’t necessarily a bad word, it just means to use something as much as you can.
The easiest way to find out where your powers lie is to take this character strengths test from the VIA institute. I’ve done it, it was a real eye-opener!
When you’ve got an idea of what you’re good at, you can start to use your powers in you work and every day life, and hopefully, finally start to feel a bit more powerful.
In some upcoming blog posts, I’ll show you what you can do with your strengths list, and how you can incorporate it into your toolkit.
If you need more help, please contact me.
Sparkle Class 