114. S9 E9: Playing on 'hard mode': accepting our autistic challenges while anchoring to our brilliance

Anissa Ljanta is a writer, a neurodivergent specialist coach, educator and equity and inclusion advocate living in the remote hills of a wild surf beach in West Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. She grew up in Samoa and South Auckland in Aotearoa New Zealand, where she was deemed a gifted child but was unable to deliver results. Her inability to live the expected 9-5 life led her to step out of life as most people know it, spending 18 years going from one adventure to another in various corners of the globe. Now 52, Anissa is a single mother to a neurodivergent teen. She was diagnosed autistic in 2021. Anissa was such a delight to talk with, so gentle and thoughtful as she reflected on her life, her struggles and autistic joys. She touched on many different topics, some of which are:   ➡ Being unable to work full time, not being able to live a consistent life, and accepting that sometimes we can't live the life we want ➡ Being debilitated by burnout - its ongoing and accumulative effects, and the importance of having a plan ➡ Making a haunting neurodivergent  discovery in her family history ➡ The power of reframing past experiences through a neurodivergent lens, and finding a sense of connection within her family.   Squarepeg is a podcast in which neurodivergent women, and trans and nonbinary people, explore navigating a neurotypical world and share their insights, challenges and successes. I hope that these conversations will be inspiring and thought provoking, open you up to new ways of thinking about being neurodivergent, and help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences. I'm Amy Richards, and after being diagnosed autistic at the age of 37 I'm now on a mission to learn more about different perspectives and issues around being a neurodivergent adult in a world that feels like it doesn't quite fit.   EPISODE LINKS: NEW for 2024: Anissa's book, Wild of Brain is available! Hardback: https://www.wildofbrain.com/shop-resources/p/wild-of-brain-the-book Kindle (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wild-Brain-extraordinary-neuro-curious-struggling-ebook/dp/B0DJV9YMVR/ Kindle (USA): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJV9YMVR/ Wild of Brain substack: https://anissaljanta.substack.com/ Wild of Brain Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085740605286 Hannah Gadsby interview on We Can Do Hard Things podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6cVlrd5mRHdx5AlFJyXRAG   If you'd like to connect with me, get in touch or follow Squarepeg, you can find me on: Website: https://squarepeg.community/  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squarepeg.community/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/squarepegautism  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/squarepegautism/  THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS!   A HUGE thank you to my amazing patrons, who support my work on the podcast:   Abby, Abi Hunter, Adam Klager, Alice Kemp, Amanda Ford, Amy Adler, Amy-Beth Mellor, Anika Lacerte, Annette, Becky Beasley, Ben Davies, Carly Melling, Caroline, Cat Preston, Catrin Green, Charlotte Keen, Cindy Bailey, Corinne Cariad, Dana Bradley, Danielle Warby, Deborah Cullinan, Dennis McNulty, Elizabeth Williams, Erica Kenworthy, Evgeniia Pupysheva, Ewan McNeill, Fiona Connor, Fiona Ross, Frederike, Galina, Grace, Gwyneth, H Arena, Hannah Breslin, Heather Peake, Hegatronix, Jackie Allen, Jayne Hutchinson, Jeff Goldman, Jen Bartlett, Jess Dwyer, Jo, Julie, Katarzyna Tomaszewska, Kate and Kathryn, Kate Faust, Katharine Richards, Katherine, Katherine Lynch, Ken K, Laura, Leo Ricketts, Lesley McKenzie, Lilli Simmons, Linda Brown, Lisa, Lisa Joy Powley, Liz, LQ, Lyb, Mandy Allen, Marjory Webber, Martine, Melissa Shaw, Meredith L. Freyre, Monica Toohey, NC, Pete Burke, Rebecca, Rebecca Biegel, Sadie Slater, Sandy Ladkin, Sarah Ivinson, Sarah Jeffrey, Sarah Raine, Sarah Swanton, Shauna Schramke, Stefan Mundt, Suzanne, Talia's Nature, Tammie Fabien, Tamsen Staniford, Tara Blue Meyer, Tara Finlay Art, Tessa Valyou, Vic Wiener, Vicki Temple, Wendy Walker, Zephyrine Craster and Zoe Lee. If you're enjoying the Squarepeg podcast and would like to help me carry on making new episodes, you can become a member of the Squarepeg community on Patreon from £3 per month: https://www.patreon.com/squarepegpodcast