NLD and Trying New Things
[2:49] Hello, so today’s episode is about trying new things with NLD. I’ve been trying new things before I started this podcast and today I would like to tell you about some of those things. So, today I want to talk about how trying things relates to NLD by helping with improving your reflexes, processing speed, and self-confidence.
[3:12] One of the things I tried recently was in 2019 I started learning how to surf. I’ve done 4 lessons since then. I’m getting better at standing up and learning the mistakes I made each time I tried to stand on the board. I love doing it with my brother Johnathon. It’s not easy to surf or learn how to do it with NLD because you have to time the process of getting up on the board by riding the waves and you have to be patient with yourself and also try to analyze what you did incorrectly each time to improve. Yes, if you do lessons like I do, with your instructor, they will- they might tell you what you did incorrectly but if you have enough of them then they’ll expect you to catch on and notice it yourself.
[4:17] I noticed that I was leaning too much or not remembering what the instructor told me to do, which was to put my back leg up first and then my front one, which was the opposite of what I was doing the previous times. But it was easier this way. I had to slowly say to myself what the process was of standing up on the surfboard as I was doing it each time and to time it with the wave. Luckily the instructor will try to tell you when to stand sometimes so you don’t have to guess.
[5:04] This has to do with processing speed because people with NLD do have a slower speed than Neurotypicals which makes things like surfing harder to do because it requires multitasking and thinking through steps and timing those steps to do it properly. I’m hoping I’m describing this in a way that makes sense to you.
[5:35] So, onto a different topic: my job. I started to teach myself many new things when I got my job at the– The Unity Center– sorry, got tongue tied– that I’ve had for over a year now. I’ve taught myself how to use the following software and social media programs: square-space which creates websites–, planning center – which helps you–how do I describe planning center– it basically helps you keep track of people and their information, like, their contact information. Daylite helps you, um, create tasks and keep them organized and keep appointments organized. Subsplash is a program for apps and it helps you keep– it helps you make an app and it helps you, um, keep it organized and manage it. Canva helps you with, um, making pictures for social media which don’t have copyright issues on them. Constant contact helps you with sending emails out through, um, through it, and being able to design them and make them look pretty and send them to multiple people. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, you know those platforms if you use ‘em. And iMovie helps you make things that go on youtube. And YouTube, [laughs] to put the iMovie in it uh– sorry– to put the iMovie or mp3s on there.
[7:30] So, it was easy finding the tutorials for the software and social media programs but they don’t always teach you the ins and outs of every part of the program, or programs, I should say. Like with square-space, I had to learn to email them when I had questions on how to do something because sometimes the way it was described on an instructional page wasn’t very clear to me– probably because I’m neurodiverse and not neurotypical. This relates to NLD because sometimes you have to be creative with tackling challenges so that you’re not so black and white thinking there’s only one way to do things. That can be tricky with NLD because we have a mind that naturally thinks in more literal and serious ways. We don’t always think in the gray way. And oftentimes, we go to the extremes of things, like “this is really bad” or “this is really good.” We don’t always think in the middle and sometimes that’s a stretch for us too.
[8:38] Another program that I use is called Udemy which is an online learning company that can teach you how to do various things like creating a podcast, YouTube channel, becoming better with social media, and with photography.
[8:57] Whenever I figure something out on my own I always make a “he he” sound because I’m proud of being able to figure out things on my own and doing something without asking for help. But I do like figuring things out on my own because it boosts my self-confidence which has been up and down all my life. It’s not that I don’t mind somebody teaching me, but I feel like if I figure it out on my own–like I was saying–it gives me more self-confidence and it helps me know that I can do more things on my own and more independence than I thought I could. And, it helps me realize that I can be my own teacher and be able to do more things that I thought I could, which, when you have something like NLD, or any other learning challenge, that’s a really boost to your self confidence and self esteem if you can do more things on your own than you thought you could and if you can be successful while doing it. [clears throat] Excuse me. So I’m okay with asking for help if I know it’s beyond my current expertise or not in my job areas. Also, it would make that task easier because of the challenges that come up with having NLD.
[10:26] Another topic, I’m also learning how to write more professionally for emails and board reports. So, I write emails to coworkers and to people in the congregation at The Unity Center, which is a spiritual community, and I'm learning how to write them better. I don’t know always how to write them but I ask my parents how they would write them and that helps me learn better. And, I– with the board reports– I write a report monthly on what I was doing that month. And, I’ve learned a lot better on how to organize it on each area that I’m working in, like the Admin area, the congregation area, um, the tech area, the Sunday area where I help on Sundays with the congregation and the service, and also the area where I help clean the building the– what I like to call the covid hygienist area, and, um, being able to make it look professional and, um, yeah.
[11:39] So, another thing that I’ve recently taught– been teaching myself– is how to jump rope. And, I know I’m kinda jumping around to different things but I want to give you an idea of different things I’ve been teaching myself. So, jumping rope is one of the recent things I’ve been doing actually just this year. And, I thought it was going to be harder than it was because of the timing with jumping with the rope, but I got up to 30 jumps in a row by looking at the ground to time myself to the jump and 23 without looking at the ground to time myself with jumping! And, um, excuse me, I’ve– you know– I’m really proud of myself because, sometimes I think I can’t do something and then I prove myself wrong and I can do it and that also boosts your confidence when you have a learning challenge because then you realize you can do more than you thought you could. And, when you realize that you begin to realize, “well maybe I can try new things without hesitancy or so much hesitancy as you’ve had in the past.” And that really helps because then you can be able to be more flexible in your life and maybe, you know, try a new job or career that you always wanted to or thought that you might like and you might find that you don’t like it, but at least you tried right? You never know if you don’t try.
[13:25] Um, so another thing I’ve been doing is working on my reflexes. And how I’ve been working on them other than jump roping and surfing is playing jacks– and yes I do mean plain old fashion jacks. And, it helps to increase your reflexes because you throw– well you don’t throw– you drop a ball in the air and then you see how many jacks you can pick up before it bounces once and then you pick up the ball and the jacks in the same hand. I hope I described that in a way that makes sense.
[14:14] And, the reason that helps me with my reflexes is because it’s the speed and the way I do it, I kind of cheat. I let the ball bounce twice, or as many times as I need to to be able to pick up one or two jacks– whatever number of jacks you’re working on, because I’m okay with doing that. I’m just trying to make my reflexes a little bit faster than they already are. I’m not trying to make it a competition with myself. I’m just trying to improve something that I know is a little challenging for me and trying to do this because of driving.
[14:56] Because, it will help w-you with that area–and other areas– but especially driving because if you think about it with driving if you have faster- [vocalizes] if you have faster reflexes – trying to talk too fast– you have faster reflexes than you can catch yourself and be able to smash your foot on the break faster if you need to. Um, so you don’t cause an accident or, um, you know, respond to things faster and look for things faster, scan your surroundings faster. You know, whatever may be that requires faster reflexes for driving, you’re gonna be able to do that if you work on it.
[15:42] Or, be able to catch an object that is falling faster. I’ve actually seen myself doing that recently since I’ve been playing jacks and one– I’ve been doing that and I’ve put the object down. I was surprised that I was able to catch it. You’re like “wow” because I used to not be able to do that before and things would break more often. But now, I can catch it and it doesn’t break and it doesn’t fall. Or, I can reassure myself that I’m not going to drop it and it’s not going to break. Um,so that’s another boost to your confidence and to your self-esteem. I know I’ve been saying that a lot. But it is true. If you can do that and– and this can also be true for somebody who’s neurotypical. That, if you can do that and make yourself feel better especially in a time like the pandem-pandemic then you can have something that you can look forward to and make it easier for you.
[16:51] So, I’ve always loved trying new things because it helps me discover more about myself. It also helps me learn how to be more helpful to others because the more things I know how to do the more helpful I can be.
[17:06] I would like to reference an article from the NVLD Project that talks about trying new things and trying to overcome the challenges that one has with NLD. It is titled “Not Limited,” by Sam, who wrote this in July of this year., “ When I was younger I couldn’t p–” Sorry, “When I was younger I couldn’t play chess. The game baffled me. It got so bad that I refused to play for many years. A few months ago I began playing chess again. Now that my brain is more evolved, I’m beginning to figure the game out and have even beaten several people online. This new phenomenon has inspired me to test my limits in other areas”.
[18:01] So, I can definitely relate to this article by Sam because it reminds me of all the challenges with NLD that I’ve tried to do better with in my life so that my life is a little easier. My dad said recently that NLD doesn’t get better but you get better with having it. That statement is so wise and true because you should be able to make your life easier by working on your challenges but unfortunately, there’s no cure for NLD. Basically, what that statement means is that NLD is not going to go away and neither will any other learning challenge but you can make your life easier by working on the challenges that you have because of having that learning challenge. Whether it’s NLD, ASD, ADHD, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia- sorry- Dyscalculea, Asperger’s, um, Bi-polar, Schizophrenia, OCD, I know there’s more out there that I’m not naming, but those are some of them. The point is, if you try to work at your life and make it easier and the symptoms that you have because of learning differences, you will get better with it. You just have to work at it and sometimes that can be challenging. You will always be an NLDer or you’ll always have Autism or ADHD, or Asperger’s, whatever it is. But for me, I think it’s a blessing in disguise because it’s made me who I am– excuse my french–:a badass woman who is willing to take on any change, challenge, or transition that life throws at her. Plus I wouldn’t be able to do this podcast if I didn’t have it. And try to help others who do it or know people that do have it.
[20:13] So, as I wrap up today, I would like to ask my audience or people that know who have NLD about their challenges with trying new things and to let them know that people with NLD still have challenges with trying new things and that while they may try new things to improve their reflexes, processing speed, and self-confidence, they will have challenges in those areas while trying new things. So, I would like to hear from you about your challenges in these areas: reflexes, processing speed, and self-confidence. Whether you have an NLD or another learning challenge. Also, if you’re neurotypical because I’m sure you thi- have struggles in those areas as well sometimes. Also, and as always, please email me with the answer or you can comment on this episode on my website livingwithnld.com or on youtube. I hope that you learned something new today. Talk to you next Friday. Bye!
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