Over-explaining, avoiding eye contact, doodling through meetings, asking a relentless stream of “why” questions… these can look like bad manners or insecurity, but they can also be signs of a neurodivergent brain working hard to connect, regulate, and be understood. We talk candidly about the moments that get misread most often, and how quickly a well-meant attempt at clarity can be mistaken for defensiveness or “making it all about me”.

We also get into the hidden mechanics of masking and “performing listening” versus actually listening. If you’ve ever been told you look bored while you’re concentrating, or you’ve felt pressure to nod and maintain eye contact at the cost of processing what’s being said, you’ll recognise this. We share why fidgeting, stimming, looking away, or even quietly crocheting can help attention, and how a simple shift in interpretation can make workplaces, friendships, and group spaces far more accessible.

Then we move into success amnesia, the frustrating experience of remembering your achievements as facts but not being able to feel them as confidence. We explore how rejection sensitive dysphoria, criticism, and old shame can become “doom leaders”, why this is not the same as imposter syndrome, and what actually helps: keep your evidence visible with a brag file, a praise jar, or our favourite idea, a “brag flag”. If any of this hits home, subscribe, share the episode with someone who needs a kinder lens, and leave us a review to help more people find the show.

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