Often, those who are Left of Normal prefer to communicate in writing.  There are a number of reasons, not the least of which it's easier to know when it's your turn to "talk."

For me, it spills out into other areas of my life in addition to merely communication.  I turned my ability to write clearly into a career.

In this episode I give a shout out to my friend Shane Fichter.  Shane used journaling to help hone his mindset.  He used this to help bring him from a life of addiction, to a life of inspiration.  Check him out on social media, or find him at https://havocmindset.com/ to learn more about his journey and how he can teach you to use journaling like this.

We go through a lot more, check it out!

It's Thanksgiving-ish time!  This 'cast was posted the day after Turkey Day, so it's a little untimely.

But the concepts are still there, the stories still applicable, and the ideas can flow from Thanksgiving into Christmas.

These times can be stressful on a lot of people, whether they are on the Autism spectrum or not.  For those who do live with ASD, they can be especially stressful as routines are changed, mushy food is served, and expectations vary.

For those who are Left of Normal, or those who have a Left of Normal family member, check out some of the holiday tips to get through with your sanity intact.

Today we have a guest on the 'cast.  I met Suzie DeBar a number of years ago through a networking group I was part of.  She was starting a new business around the same time I started mine, and we were able to support each others' growth.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to write her family story in a magazine that I was helping with run by Aubrey Kincaid - whom I call "obnoxious" in this episode.

Today, Suzie has shifted her focus to NLP coaching.  Where she helps people break down the mental barriers that are keeping them from their goals.  It's fascinating and could very much benefit the autistic and ADHD community.

Along with NLP we discuss her experiences with people on the spectrum, we have a couple stories about people on the autism spectrum who were training clients and how she noticed a specific way to to train them that created instant engagement.

There's a myth out there that autistic people don't feel empathy.  That's not quite true, it's really that most Left of Normal folks don't know how to express empathy.

Then, there's the idea of sympathy.  Where often sympathy is shown, when empathy is needed.

Wrap those up together with an action plan, and you get compassion.

Now, how does self-compassion play into this empathy, sympathy, compassion conundrum?  Today's 'cast dives into how it all should look and how those on the spectrum can get stuck in a self-pity loop when they need to bust free with self-compassion.

I have never been hugely into sports - not organized stuff anyway.  But today's guest is all about them.  Possibly the sportsiest nut I know.  Mitch Bohn, however, has a unique perspective due to his situation.

Today's episode gets into Mitch's positive view on life, how he ended up in the broadcast/podcast world, where he hopes to go in life, and why he's into sports.  We talk about his interactions with those on the spectrum and some of the insights he has learned over the years.

In the episode we talk about his podcasts.  You can check out Wide Left Sports (by clicking the name, it's hyperlinked), or Chin Music with Mitch and Tony (again, clicky clicky, that one is actually on YouTube).

Follow Kickin' It with Leif on Facebook as well as Adventures in Heels with Leah - or check out www.985wolf.com between 7am and 9am to hear Leif's show and 11 - 1 for Leah's.

This podcast is all about Autism Spectrum Disorder.  But there are many traits that are similar to ADHD - despite these two being seemingly at odd with each other.

Recently the idea of AuDHD started to pop up more and more.  While ADHD and Autism comorbidity aren't new concepts, they're being understood more and more.  And from what I've found out, ADHD doesn't necessarily manifest as hyper and out of control.

Let's take a look at how these two play together, and how they show up in real life.

In our family we have two Left of Normal and one normie.  Sometimes the dynamics can get a little weird.

Over the years it has been a learning curve to understand different communication styles.  But as we all grow together we learn what we are trying to say and how to say it.

Jessica and Holden come on as guests in this family episode of Left of Normal.

We all have some of those little things that we love to get lost in.  For those with autism, however, our reasons can be a little different.

Hyperfixations are short-term dives into topics, activities, or something that can completely distract us from real life.  Fixating on them allows the body and mind to reset and calm down.

Today's episode looks at what they are, how the present themselves, the end result and goal, and how you can encourage those around you who have ASD to use their fixations in a healthy manner.

Many people wonder if it's okay to ask someone if they're autistic.  So, I decided to tackle this question and take a look at motives, reasons, and methods of asking.

Today, I'll share some of the tips how you can approach the subject, and some of the reasons why you might not want to go there.  I'll lay it all out there on how I would feel if you asked if I was autistic today, 10 years ago, or 20 years ago.

I'll let you in on a secret: there's nothing wrong with wondering if someone is Left of Normal.  Often there's nothing wrong with asking.  Most people will mess up the approach though.

Social expectations are (largely) unwritten rules created by a society to help keep everything flowing properly and helping everyone get along.

The problem is they assume a specific skill set - a set that the majority of people have.

Most people don't need training for it, they just intuitively know how to navigate following these expectations or norms.

For some, such as those on the autism spectrum, with ADHD, or another neurodivergent way of thinking, those expectations need to be learned.  But nobody teaches them, we just have to figure them out on our own.