Unique, Not Less Than

“Unique, not less than.” 

It’s a phrase my therapist encourages me to say at every session. A grounding mantra. A reminder. A truth I’m still learning to believe. 

After 47 years of trying to force myself into the molds I thought I was supposed to fit, I’m finally beginning to work with my brain instead of constantly battling it. Some days, everything clicks. I feel focused, clear, almost like the puzzle of how I work has been solved. 

Other days, I’m stumbling through a foggy forest where the path keeps shifting under my feet, where every step forward feels uncertain and the trees whisper old lies I’ve heard all my life—You’re too much. You’re not enough. You’re doing it wrong. 

This past year, I’ve begun to uncover what it means to live with AuDHD—a tangled but beautiful combination of autism and ADHD. For so long, I felt like I was broken or behind, like everyone else had the instructions and I was just winging it. 

But the more I connect with others who are wired like me, the more I realize: we’re not broken. We’re brilliant in ways that don’t always get recognized. We process the world differently, and sometimes that means we struggle with things others find easy. But it also means we shine in ways others can’t quite explain. 

I still challenge my own accomplishments. I still feel awkward in social spaces. I still wrestle with belonging. But I’m beginning to see that the same neurodivergent wiring that fuels my doubt also supercharges my empathy, my passion, my curiosity, my storytelling. 

It gives me the drive to create, to imagine new worlds, to care deeply. 

I’m not less than. I’m different. And I have so much to offer—just as I am. 

We all do. Our uniqueness is what makes the world more vibrant, more compassionate, more interesting. So if you’re someone who’s ever felt out of place or questioned your worth—this is for you too. 

You’re unique. Not less than.