Blogs by Charlie

  • Mental Health Awareness Week 2024

    This Mental Health Awareness Week, I have no paid work, but I plan to publish free content about mental health every day. YouTube (4 minutes) for Speakers Collective Transcript: I’m Charlie and I am neurodivergent. That means neurologically different; my brain is not standard issue. Some of my neuro differences I was born with, othersContinue… Read more

  • My first TED talk

    Do you remember your first TED talk? During sixth form and university (and my other two Alice in Blunderland years still in Lancaster after flunking university), I spoke like Bill and Ted most of the time. This started as a fun thing to do with my boyfriend Andy when I was 17 (we both lovedContinue… Read more

  • One year since I did a naughty thing…

    One year ago today, I did a naughty thing and sampled some ADHD medication. They worked, and there was an unexpected side effect, this epiphany: I could no longer tolerate working in HR, and I must become my own boss. And neurodiversity needed to be main mission, not my side quest. Yes, one year ago!Continue… Read more

  • The launch of Club Ausome

    Yesterday, I soft-launched ‘Club Ausome’. This is what I am calling the work I am doing to signal-boost my friends who are neurodivergent or disabled, have a lot to offer, and are not getting the recognition they deserve. ‘Club Ausome’ consists of a weekly half-hour live event, with a different guest(s) each week, and aContinue… Read more

  • My Autism Acceptance Month talks

    I just received an email with such lovely feedback from my talk yesterday, I just had to share: ‘Thank you also for a brilliant, informative event.We have received lots of positive feedback about it, such as:– Interesting and inspirational speaker.– Great to hear her personal story and tips around allyship.– Very relatable.– Pure honesty aboutContinue… Read more

  • The 5 year anniversary of Iggy leaving this inhospitable world

    I had originally planned to make a big deal yesterday out of the fifth anniversary of Iggy’s death, but on the day I didn’t feel like dwelling on this too much, and didn’t want a social media notification overload, so we got on with life as normal for us. I did manage my traditional thingContinue… Read more