Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, I'm Dyslexic How are You?

I feel like I'm almost always on some sort of crusade or campaign or other to educate people about being Dyslexic and of course Neurodiversity!

It's a life's work. I feel it will follow me until society reaches a place of unconditional positive regard inclusion and acceptance. A place where labels are no longer needed, and people are simply accepted for who they are, not on how they think, feel, look and background etc.

That's Nirvana (not the one with Kurt Kobain). We're nowhere near that place, not yet anyway, but progress is progress, no matter how painfully slow it might be and I've seen the dial shift slowly over the years in the right direction. Here's one of my favourite Nirvana tracks for good measure.

Anyway as it is indeed Dyslexia Awareness Month and as I am indeed Dyslexic (and ADHD - many of us Nuerodivergent folks have multiple co-occuring conditions), I thought perhaps the time was right to share some of my lived experience, for the benefit of those who haven't had the pleasure of hearing it before.

I have to warn you, its not all smiley faces and red roses, but neither is living with being Dyslexic and Neurodivergent, every single day is a challenge, being a square peg in a round hole, and no matter how many times my well intentioned Neurotypical friends "Neurosplain" to me that I should focus on my strengths, I believe in telling the trust, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God! (that was a bit epic).

Humble beginnings!

When I were a lad (in my most authentic Yorkshire accent), nobody really spoke about things like Dyslexia or ADHD,

Where I grew up you were known as "special", if you had any kind of difference, and you recived not so special treatment?

I grew up in a small Yorkshire mill town called Batley with little aspiration or hope for much else beyond my lot.

Sadly, this isn't one of those, I broke the mould and was the first in my family to go to University type tales, that was never an option for me.

I grew up as an only child, raised by a Single Mother, the product of a broken home, my Father, Richard, was an alcoholic abusive layabout, not much of a role model, and my Mum worked four jobs just to pay the rent. I was primarily raised by my Grandparents.

This isn't a woe betide me tale, I'm not seeking nor do I need pity. I think it's important to provide some context on my not so sexy reality and early lived experience of being Neurodivergent in a place of little education and understanding of difference.

I think I'd be labelled as being of a lower socio Economic background in today's money.

Anyway, focus Mike, where am I even going with this? what's any of this got to do with Dyslexia?? Stay with me friends! I'm coming back to you I promise.

I bombed ?? out of education, with Zero qualifications.? I didn't even bother turning up for most exams, in fact I hardly attended school in my final year.? I didn't see any point.? The Teachers couldn't and didn't have time for me, I struggled to learn in the way they wanted to teach and there wasn't a Plan B.? It was always going to get messy. Little did I and clearly did they, understand my brain ??

The thing was I wasn't stupid. When I was interested in something, I was really interested and when I wasn't, you knew.

I didn't fail Education, Education failed me.

I had dreams, I was a dreamer (so my school reports consistently said). I dreamt of being an archaelogist and studying archaeology when I grew up.

My dreams were quickly crushed in mainstream education and I was told I was far too stupid for that, University wasn't for me and I should instead focus on getting a job in the local biscuit factory (which incidentally employed 80% of the town).

My brain was constantly buzzing with ideas, thinking about things differently, I had so many dreams and hopes and the factory wasn't one of them

But where I came from, people didn't like difference, they didn't like anything that challenged their ideals and preconceptions, so they quickly quashed my ambitions and I was put firmly back in my box ?? by those who were closest to me.? Stop dreaming and start earning! that was the mantra, except I was a born dreamer and that was never ever going to change. I just hadn't quite worked out how to vocalise and conceptualise that yet.

So it looked like I'd be following in the family footsteps to the biscuit production line.... I really didn't want it, but my then mothers partner, who was asserting his dominance, insisted I get a job or get out.

Oddly, it was here on said production line, whilst eating my 700th biscuit, that I had my epiphany, my Eureka moment.? I was not going to follow this path,..

I was going to follow my own path and see where it led me.

I remember the pride in myself when I took off my standard issue whie apron and hairnet, threw it in the floor, told the boss to stuff their job and announced I quit in front of everyone.? It was quite a moment of high-drama. This was me taking back control of who I was and not letting others control my destiny.

Needless to say it didn't land well, and long story short, I ended up leaving home because the Man of the House didn't like the new assertive me. It wasn't really my home anymore then anyway. So I packed my bags and off I went on an adventure.

I moved from Job to Job, place to place and learned a lot of life experience on the way.?

The term University of Life, couldn't be more apt. I was always good with people and problem solving, in fact solving people problems.? So, whenever I got the chance to help people, I jumped at it. I relocated from Batley and moved to live in the bright lights and Big City of Birmingham.

This led me to a career in Government and over two decades as a Civil Servant. I've always had an entrepreneurial mindset, so what's now referred to as a "portfolio career" was a thing for me before it was a thing.

The golden thread throughput my journey, was a deep connection with people, being able to quickly grasp complex concepts and work out a solution and a passion for learning.? Ironic considering my relationship with education.

Through the Civil Service, I returned to a place I never dreamed I would, education

I started at the very bottom, from zero qualifications, completing Levels 2, 3, 4, 5 standard of education and qualifications.? I acheived NVQ's, Diploma's, Apprenticeships, City & Guilds and I'm now just about wrapping up the equivalent of a Masters (Level 7) in professional Coaching and Mentoring. Education as an adult in the workplace was very different from when I was at school.

I realised I wasn't stupid and I could go far with the right support and opportunity.

It took me a lot longer to do things that involved instructions and reading than others, as I'd have to read, reread and read something over and over and over again.

I carved out a reasonably successful career to middle management but I still struggled with some things, and the more I progressed and the roles I took, it became evident, I couldn't hide it anymore.

So reluctantly, I went through an Occupational Health assessment and stone the crows, one thing led to another and I ended up being Diagnosed Dyslexic. Here's a video interview I recorded with an specialist psychological services organisation, who initially Diagnosed me, Lexxic.

The penny finally dropped. Shit made sense!

The dots started to join. It was like being reborn as corny as that sounds. Dyslexia has and always will be part of me.? Its made me who I am.? At times, its been hard and I hated it. Other times, especially now I'm self aware, I know how, when and where to call on it.

Thanks to Lexxic, Dyslexia and now ADHD, I've been able to make sense of and embrace my identity, join up my own dots. I've embraced who I am, embraced teh dreamer and my entrepreneurial side and in January 2022 I established my own business, Bee-Brilliant People Development LTD, which focuses on making a positive impact in the the space of Neurodiversity both for employers and individuals.

If you're reading this and you're Dyslexic, ADHD or Neurodivergent be proud of who you are, don't be ashamed, don't hide, bee yourself and embrace the chaos, good and bad, follow your own path and see where it takes you.

My core value is authenticity and being able to be yourself and who you are

As Liam Gallagher said in one of my favourite Oasis tracks and one that resonates with me throughout my whole life..

You gotta be yourself, you can't be noone else

If I can help you on your journey, as a Neurodivergent Coach and Mentor, who's got the lived experience and who is also a professional Coach and Mentor, then DM me and see where the conversation takes you.

If you're an employer wondering how to start building a more Neuroinclusive workplace Culture, I can help you in many ways. Visit my Website and reach out.

#neurodiversity #dyslexiaawarenessmonth #dyslexicthinking #adhd #adhdawarenessmonth #neurodiversityatwork #inclusion