Learning to Name It

I know, I know—this interview should have gone up last week. My apologies, both to you, my listeners, and to Olivia, my guest. Life got in the way, as it sometimes does, and the upload slipped my mind. But here we are, one week later, and I’m excited to share the second part of my conversation with Olivia.

You might remember her from a couple of weeks ago, when we released the first part of her interview. Olivia lives with Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD), low muscle tone, and other learning challenges, and she’s from the East Coast.

In this portion of the interview, we dive deeper into what it means to navigate daily life with NLD and related conditions. Olivia opens up about the invisible challenges she faces—things that aren’t always obvious to others but have a real impact on how she experiences the world. She shares moments of frustration, as well as the strategies she’s developed to make life work for her.

One of the most powerful parts of our conversation is when Olivia talks about the importance of naming your challenges. Something is empowering about being able to say, “This is what I’m dealing with, and this is how it affects me.” It’s not about labeling yourself in a limiting way—it’s about understanding your wiring so you can advocate for what you need and build a life that works for you.

Olivia’s honesty is refreshing. She doesn’t sugarcoat the hard parts, but she also brings in a sense of hope. Yes, the challenges are real, but so is her determination.

If you haven’t listened to the first part of Olivia’s interview yet, I highly recommend going back and doing so—it sets the stage for everything we talk about here. And as always, I hope you find her story as inspiring and relatable as I do.