Neurodivergent Entrepreneur Mental Health & Wellness: A Perspective Piece
I am writing this journal entry with dark truffles next to me, tulip blossoms outside my window and the sun shining into my office. I feel an embodiment of peace, creativity, hope and inspiration that a bright spring day brings. In juxtaposition to the rainy spring season heaviness from vulnerability, disappointment, overwhelm, nervousness, grief can settle in.
As someone who identifies within the neurodivergent community and is on their own mental health journey I have lived experience with how almost unexpectedly the waves of feeling awful and uncomfortable can wash over us. This dark cloud can be surprising to us as we may have been here before and we thought we’ve tackled this pain point. It may be surprising because of the unexpected, involuntary way our system and psyche gets set off course.
A Business Owner’s Story
I’ve written about my own mental health journey through this “Dark to Light” series with the Costron + Co community here:
May 2024 marks the 5th anniversary of a trauma event that happened in my life. And interestingly enough May is Mental Health Awareness Month. At this moment in time I reflect back on the transformation, resilience and grace that I invited (and many days strived for to bring peace as fast as possible) into my life + business.
The Healing & Nourishment Journey
The Dark Cloud: Hold Onto Your Wisdom
It’s never linear the lessons that come into our lives and at what time. But what is linear is that the Wisdom you carry with you from situation to situation will always be there - in seen and unseen ways. It may come from your own internal messages, the kindness and compassion you’ve received from someone, the stories of empowerment and hope you hear from your community. Hold on. I know how it feels when a dark cloud is over you and you don’t know when it will pass.
Embodiment of Peace and Ease
There is always an option to find more ease. I have been surprised in my own journey how even the smallest acts of kindness can have an impact. They can open the door for more loving energy to enter, and continue to cultivate a practice of compassion and gentleness in our own lives. I have noticed how these actions in my life and business create peace and ease with self, my clients, my team and my community. The ripple effect of these virtues are powerful and worth fighting for in our lives and businesses. It’s not just about us at this point but also about the impact of a healthy ecosystem with all sentient beings.
Taking into Giving: The Ecosystem of Health and Wellness for a Business
When it’s your face and personal reputation behind the business there is a poise and power narrative about the way we show up in our community. In these moments where I have not felt okay I have found great support in honouring the space I need through:”
taking the energy and time from those I love
taking another health professional medical appointment
taking another SSRI pill
taking time to rest and practice mindfulness when I should be doing XYZ
Being here wasn’t always easy as I felt that I was relying too heavily on support resources and that I wasn’t good enough to figure this out on my own. I’ve beat myself up a lot and made it even harder on myself.
What I found out along the way is that people really want to help—that sometimes receiving support is actually giving someone else an opportunity to help in a way that really serves them, and serves connection and community building. That these healing practices were resources not only for me, but also for us. I found that when I gave permission and allowed these rituals to “work their magic” that the charge settled for a longer period of time within my day. Into my weeks and months. That when the discomfort set in, I knew where to go to get support, to heal. My “bounce back rate” began to improve when navigating through challenges in my business and in entrepreneurship.
Offerings supporting business owner wellness and mental health
Our workshops Shine Your Light, Inner Leadership and our 1:1 mentorship are all ways that you can access support towards improving your mental health and wellness as a business owner. All curated from lived experiences navigating mental health from a fellow business owner, a therapist, a mother and neurodivergent human. These offerings have been called into the Costron + Co community because we are deeply called to give them back to our community. To serve the collective in bringing clarity, confidence and calm back into their business +lives.
I invite you to connect for a complimentary discovery call. I would be honoured to hold space for your story and find a way forward together.
