Neurodiversity simply means ‘brain’ and ‘different’. It is an umbrella term that recognises a natural variation in brain function and behaviour from person to person. Variations that are not wrong, bad or broken, but just different.

Neurotypical individuals with standard brain processing and functioning, often don’t realise they fall into this category because their experiences align with what society deems ‘normal’. Neurodivergent people have brains that function differently from the typical ‘normal’.

But what is normal? In a world that often values conformity, the idea of normal is widely accepted and expected. Normal is a slippery term. It implies a standard, a benchmark against which we measure ourselves and others.

I can think of very few less appealing descriptions as, for me, normal also equates to boring, bland, or sameness. The concept of normal is limiting. It perpetuates the idea that everyone should think and behave in the same way and that those who don’t behave in the same way could be subjected to stigma and misunderstanding. As a result, many Neurodiverse people will ‘mask’, forcing themselves into uncomfortable behaviours in an effort to camouflage their differences and appear ‘normal’.

Society’s fixation on fitting in and adhering to the concept of normal stems from various factors, including our desire for social order and predictability. Along with a natural sense of being like others for acceptance, or to feel a sense of purpose.

However, these ideas are deeply flawed. When we look historically, we realise that those people who have contributed most to society, inventing and creating action are far from ‘normal’.

Embracing our uniqueness and celebrating diversity can lead to a richer, more compassionate and more progressive society.

There are lots of personal and professional advantages to not fitting in and being authentically ‘you’. We know that people who think differently are innovators. They question norms and disrupt patterns to create new ideas.

Accepting your own differences can help build resilience, emotional strength and the ability to bounce back. But we know that not adhering to social and societal norms can be a scary place.

One of the 3SC Neurodiversity Coaches regularly uses the phrase; ‘right flower, wrong soil, which means that when a person does not have the support they need or is expected to fit in with the ‘normal’, they aren’t going to be able to perform at their best.

This is a concept that we all need to remember when we need a little strength to be brave and buck the ‘normal’ trend.

History remembers the misfit heroes more than it does the ‘normal’ ones!