Are You Invisible? Tips and Tricks for Adults with Learning Disabilities and Dyslexia

One thing that is always a part of your adult life is money.  Do I have enough?  How can I get more?  What should I do with what I got?  People with invisible disabilities face these questions everyday in unique ways.  Here's some tips to manage your finances if you have LD, dyslexia, or ADHD.  

This podcast concludes the #26 Series titled: You and Your Employer.  It pulls together ideas from all of the other podcasts, along with two powerful scenarios and multiple suggestions  from Tips #3 and 4.  Such information can make you a workplace survivor--no matter what life or your job throws at you in the future.   

If you're going to be an effective employee in the 21st Century, there's lots and lots of things that you need to know.  Consequently, this podcast looks at critical information for people with invisible disabilities through the lens of six important questions.  These answers  help  you not only succeed--but even thrive--as an employee with LD, dyslexia, or ADHD..   

This is a continuation of Podcast 26A where we talked about a critical area in your daily life--your job. In this Podcast, we delve further into the connections between invisible disabilities and employment, along with Scenarios and specific Tips to make you a winner in the workplace.

We've talked about almost everywhere else in your life, except the one place where you may spend most of your time--your job. What do employers need to know about invisible disabilities? What do you need to know as an employee with an invisible disability? Here's some ideas to get you started....

There's many important adults in your life--some may be parents, some maybe siblings, others are  extended family members.  All of these folks can have a huge impact  on your life if you have invisible disabilities at any age.....

A big part of happiness as an adult is being around the people who really love you. This may bring special challenges if you have an invisible disability. Here's some advice for you, your spouse or friends who make your life so special. 

As a child, lots of folks were in charge of your life. But, you're an adult now.  So who's going to take care of you? Learn about the magic of reframing and find ways to take control of your own life.....

We all have secrets. You have a special one to share--you have an invisible disability. So, when do you stop being invisible? Who needs to know? Why do they need to know it? This podcast will help you figure out what to do next if you decide to self-disclose your hidden disability.....

We all love winners and nothing makes you a winner like being resilient. Find out what that means and how you can do it with this podcast and blog.

Want to try something new that could really change your life? Try gratitude and acceptance. It's so simple and it really works! See if it can work for you....

What's something everybody today has in common?  Lots, and lots, and lots of stress and anxiety. Plus, having an invisible disability can bring an extra load of craziness.  Check out this podcast to see if this applies to you.....

What if you had a treasure chest available whenever you wanted?  But you never used it, because you didn't know it was there? That could be you--if you don't take advantage of all of the resources waiting to be found.  Let's look and see what's out there for you.

Feel like you're fighting all of the time when you have an invisible disability? Think you're a loser--when you want to be a winner? Try these Tips and see what happens.....

What's a secret ingredient for successful adulthood? Try giving it all you've got--and then a little bit more. Think you have what it takes to go the extra mile when you have an invisible disability? See if these ideas are for you..... 

How often do you justify or explain yourself to others? Justification can be an excuse or a way to self-advocate for yourself. Are you a good self-advocate? Try the Tips from Podcast #15 to see for yourself....

How many times have you heard, "Did you hear me?  Are you paying attention at all?" Everybody needs to listen.  No matter where you are or who you are, we all need to understand what is going on around us.  In fact, you're probably listening to a hundred different messages everyday--and aren't even aware of it.   But, no matter where or when  you listen--most people with learning disabilities or dyslexia will have problems with listening at least sometime in their lives.  This podcast not only will help you to understand how you listen everyday, but give you tips and tricks how to do it more effectively.  Better listening works!  Just give it a try......

How do dancers, actors, or musicians become great at what they do? They practice, practice, practice! Being successful with an invisible disability means always being prepared. But how do you do this? Let's find out together.....

How often have you dreamed of being totally independent?  Of living the life you want to live with the people you want to live it with? Of being able to support yourself and those you love?  Of making your own decisions and being responsible for the results?  If that's you, then let's make it happen......

Life is full of complexities:  what to eat, what to wear, where to go, who to see, how to pay bills, how to meet a deadline, etc.  These are typical questions, but for people with LD or dyslexia, they are even more complicated because of an invisible disability.  Things that may seem relatively straightforward suddenly become a complicated maze for some folks with neurological processing problems, such as:  prioritizing events, organizing paperwork, making decisions, following directions, or multi-tasking.  If that sounds like you, here's your Podcast!  It's jammed with tips and ideas to help simplify and enjoy your life one task at a time and one day at a time.   

One of the best tricks that you will ever learn--and nobody will ever teach you--is how to figure out what you're doing RIGHT!  You may know every detail of what you've done wrong, but not what you're already doing right.  If this is a new way to look at yourself, you may want to try another approach.  This type of self reflection can open many doors that you thought were closed forever.  So, stop standing in your own way with deficit thinking.  Instead, use these insights to become the person that you want to be.....

Social Wellness isn't a secret. It's all around you, but you may not even know it.  Have you ever heard of this before?  Do you know how it directly shapes your life everyday? What about using social wellness as a booster shot to give you great mental and physical health?  Here's the place to find out more......

Nothing can be more confusing or frustrating than making choices.  Part of being a successful adult, either with or without disabilities, is finding two new doors and then figuring out which one to go through.  Will the left door open to your dream job or just be more of the same?  Will the right door show you new friendships or a way to meet your significant other?  Which one brings the most potential with the least problems?  It's these choices--whether big or small--that change the fabric of your life.  And they all ultimately depend on making decisions about what is the best for you.  Or, making your best match.  This is such an important skill that I've devoted a whole podcast to it + this blog is crammed with lots and lots of great resources.  So open one door and let's see what happens....... 

Feedback is something that most people don't want to hear--but you get it anyway. It can be positive ("Yeah, great job!"), neutral ("Let's try that again"), or negative ("You really blew it that time"). It can be in words, gestures, or facial expressions. It can come from anyone at any time. The secret to feedback is to make it work for you--not against you. Here's a good place to start..... 

How many times have you heard, "Did you hear me?  Are you paying attention at all?" Everybody needs to listen.  No matter where you are or who you are, we all need to understand what is going on around us.  In fact, you're probably listening to a hundred different messages everyday--and aren't even aware of it.  But, no matter where or when  you listen--most people with learning disabilities or dyslexia will have problems with listening at least sometime in their lives.  This podcast not only will help you to understand how you listen everyday, but give you tips and tricks how to do it more effectively.  Better listening works!  Just give it a try......

Communication is inter-woven into our everyday lives.  How many times have you talked and talked--and talked--and still, nobody seems to hear you?  That's the heart of communication; you have an idea, emotion, or reaction to share and you want someone to listen!  But, if you have learning disabilities or dyslexia sometimes those messages get garbled or easily misunderstood. This episode digs deep into the communication process.  We look at the different types of communication (verbal, non-verbal, visual, and auditory), along with scenarios illustrating how LD and dyslexia can shape and influence communication.  Tips and tricks emphasize effective non-verbal communication, making conversation, and increasing your collaboration skills.  Let's make communication work for you--and not against you.....   

Soft skills are a critical component to your everyday life because . . .  if there's one thing that will drive you crazy, it's getting along with other people!  Sometimes, it can be just a minor irritation--other times it's a full-blown problem that just won't go away.  Because you probably never took a class about soft skills, we will spend lots of time in this podcast delving deeper into this topic.  We'll explore how soft skills can open doors for you, along with information about how you can make effective soft skills work for you right now.  So, dive in!  The fun's just starting.....      

All of us have dreams.  Some of them are small and simple; some are big and in technicolor.  So, what are your dreams?  How can you make them come true if you have LD or dyslexia? One of the most effective ways to make that happen is with a mentor.  While mentorship sounds easy, it is often hard to start and then keep going.  This podcast has multiple tips and tricks specifically tailored to make mentorship work for you.  You’ll explore these questions:  Who is your Spirit Guide?  What kind of mentor do you need? and What is your dream?  You’ll also find scenarios, links, and simple tricks so you can start finding a mentor right away.  Be sure to take advantage of The Little Old Lady Professor blog.  It’s jammed packed with additional free, easy to use resources and examples to make mentorship a reality in your life.

A concept that often goes hand-in-hand with LD and dyslexia is accommodations.  Once you figure out for yourself what your LD is, the next step is to explore how to deal with it in meaningful ways every day.  This podcast is full of tips, tricks, and scenarios about specific accommodations and why they can be important assets to you.  Together we will focus on these questions to guide you:  What am I good at? and Where are my safety glasses?  Also, don’t forget to check out the blog for Episode 3—it has lots of free resources that I know you’ll want to use and share with others.  

Everybody has problems and issues that they deal with every day.  However, yours are unique.  Your life is shaped by a little known or understood phenomena called “learning disabilities”—something that very few people understand.  In this podcast, Dr. Price talks about the four types of learning disabilities (LD), including the most common one called dyslexia.  She pulls back the curtain on the myths and stereotypes about learning disabilities as seen at home, in school, at work, and in the community.  Try exploring your own learning disabilities further by writing a personal definition of LD, journaling about your new insights, and giving yourself a piece of survivor jewelry.  Another great resource is the blog for Episode 2, where you will find a wealth of ideas, research, and links to expand your knowledge about learning disabilities and adulthood. 

Right now, almost 5 million Americans have been diagnosed with learning disabilities or dyslexia.  Is that you? If so, do you ever feel like nobody sees you for who you really are?  Maybe you have felt disconnected from other people because you “don’t look like you have a disability”.  Perhaps you’re frustrated or angry or lonely because no one seems to get why you can’t read or write or do math or follow directions like they do.  Then, this podcast is for you.  Dr. Lynda Price, the little old lady professor, starts with an overview of what learning disabilities are and how they impact your daily life.  But this podcast isn’t just theory—Dr. Price then guides you to investigate your invisibility with simple, real-life tips by: using self-observation, finding an object that represents you, and creating your personal timeline.  Now’s the time to step out of the shadows and claim your new life.