[Unobstructed Issue No. 053]
“Why can’t you just sit STILL?”
Feel that? Yeah…me too.
Yeeeeesh.
So much of how we show up as adults is shaped by the stuff we couldn’t control as kids. Maybe the question should’ve been:
“what would make you feel safe?”
I’ll tell you up front, this episode gets pretty personal. And I think it’s one of the most important ones we’ve done so far.
Because here’s a hard but honest truth:
Kids don’t grow out of dysregulation.
They grow into systems that punish it.
The Unobstructed Podcast: Episode 09
In this episode of The Unobstructed Podcast, Rachael and I traced the root of neurodiverse confidence, and what it looks like when you grow up feeling like the problem.
We talk about school, labels, work, parenting, and a lot more. Like the invisible cost of teaching kids to “be good” instead of honest.
It starts with a conversation about neurodiversity.
Ok, no. No it doesn’t. It starts off with a conversation about placebo and marketing manipulation—but ADHD took the wheel.
And honestly? I’m glad it did.
Because wow….
I love where this went.
Who’s functional enough to suffer in silence.
The teachers who can (and did) change everything.
What real support looks like for kids—yes all of them.
Coping habits shaped by the labels we were given (or weren’t).
Unlearning everything and rebuilding your confidence as an adult.
But here’s what we really uncovered:
Empathy is the most underutilized tool we’re never shown how to use.
This conversation hit pretty deep for both of us.
I’d love to know what stuck with you.
You can also get it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.
onward.
-dmac
P.S. Trying to make sense of your Substack site settings? Use this free checklist to try the 5 Ps framework.
P.P.S. If the weekly newsletter’s helping you think differently, a paid subscription’s where we can put it into practice.
You get:
Monthly longer-form essays.
Behind-the-scenes systems access.
First dibs & discounts on new resources.
Go from designing a clear path to walking it, calmly.
Share this post