This wasn't a question but an observation and I wanted to share my thoughts and what I do in this situation.

I used to read all types of books before bed and then I realized, I can't read journal articles, self-help books, education books, etc. Because then it keeps me awake because I'm learning.

So instead, bedtime reading is for fantasy fiction and sci fi. This changes how I go to sleep now. Instead of it waking me up and thinking I need to take notes. It takes me into a world where I can drift to sleep. Something to consider. This is what just works for me.

Answer: To be honest, I haven't dived into the research associated with inner voice, mindset, self-talk specifically with neurodivergency.

However, let's extrapolate through observation and information we already know, because that is also a part of science.

Executive dysfunction under the umbrella of neurodivergent individuals describes having trouble with executive functions like: difficulty managing time, finding it challenging to get started on tasks, difficulty remember, difficulty with organization and other examples.

If you are someone who puts an enormous amount of pressure on yourself as you try to manage executive functions, then your inner voice may speak unkindly to you . . . or it may not. Ultimately, it depends on the person, neurodivergent or not.

Answer: Depends on what you are looking for. 

Shameless plug for my book: Speak Kindly, You're Listening.

Other list of books that have had a huge impact on my research, neuroscience and philosophy

1. The Element - by Sir Ken Robinson (really any book by him and also watch his TEDtalk - School Kills Creativity)
2. Anything by Adam Grant

3. Anything by Malcolm Gladwell

4. The Happiness Advantage - Shawn Achor

5. Untamed - Glennon Doyle

6. What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear - by Danielle Ofri

7. The Alchemist - by Paulo Coelho

8. Atomic Habits - by James Clear

9. Being Mortal - by Atul Gawande

10. Ikigai - by: Francesco Miralles and Hector Garcia

11. Travels with epicurus - by Daniel Klein

12. Who moved my cheese? - by Dr. Spencer Johnson

13. Any book by Brene Brown

14. Black Box Thinking - by Matthew Syed

Okay, that's a good starting list. At the back of my book are also a bunch of articles and other books as well!

Happy Reading!

The question continued: We live in a society where we are told that our worth is connected to productivity. I am curious if we lived in a society where we could live sustainably without having to sell our labour just to put food on our tables or obtain housing, maybe our inner gremlin wouldn't be so strong and we wouldn't experience.

Answer: First off, this is such an interesting way of thinking. Here is my opinion -- I don't think it would change our inner gremlin.

Let me share an example. Society's are built on community and building community. In order to thrive, people of the community are given tasks to help support and grow the community. One individual may still be a healer or physician, one person an agriculturalist, one person an artist. Not one person can learn everything which means we have to rely on others to treat us, to support us and to entertain us. There could be in this situation trades. But even with trades, there is still the idea of pushing yourself to learn more. 

Something I didn't talk about in the webinar but I share in my book is "well where did that voice come from?" And there are a couple different theories: 1. your upbringing 2. societal expectations on gender norms. If you would like to learn more, check out part I of speak kindly, you're listening.

Answer: You being mindful of how you speak about yourself in front of your kids. Then paying attention to how they speak to themselves and helping them change the narrative if you notice they are speaking unkind words to themselves.

There is no right answer to parenting. You can read all the books. Essentially having a kid is your own experiment and you will leave them with rocks they will have to turn over when they are older. That doesn't make you a bad parent.

What I think is important -- how you choose to have those important conversations around topics like your inner voice and how that voice will change based on experiences, people, culture, etc. 

Answer: Ooff, I totally get this because sometimes I have to check myself. My inner gremlin makes it easy for me to compare myself to others around me and that I am constantly playing catch up (even during the pandemic when the world shut down).

First off, give yourself perspective. Is the world moving faster, or is the world moving faster to the pandemic? Because wasn't it moving just as fast pre-pandemic? 

The pandemic just gave us an opportunity to live life in a different way and to show us it is possible.

Your choice now is to figure out what works best for you at this stage or season in your life. If you are moving slower, then move slower. That doesn't mean you'll move slower forever, it just means that maybe this your winter season and you're hibernating.

OR, maybe there is no need to move as fast as the things that are happening around you. Maybe that is only one way but not the ONLY way.

Food for thought: seeing things from a different perspective and adjusting your inner voice to the idea that you are ALLOWED to have a different perspective compared to others.

Answer: Let's first define culture and I'll answer this question in multiple parts.

1. Culture (family/upbringing) -- if growing up you were praised for your high grades, and questioned why you only got a 97%. Part of that voice that pushes you in adult came from here. If part of your culture pushes you to do the best, be the best . . . a part of that voice comes from culture and can impact how you see yourself in the world and compare yourself to others. 

2. Culture (work) -- if workplace is toxic, this can affect your confidence if people are speaking behind your back, giving unsolicited opinions, bullying, micromanaging, etc. And being in that environment for an extended period of time can definitely add or create imposter syndrome.

The people around you, friends, foes, family can have an impact on your inner voice and ultimately affect if imposter syndrome shows up for you.

Answer: Yes, yes and yes.

Perfectionism has a drive to not just do things perfect, but to do it perfect compared to others as well. Perfectionists, also considered high achievers, will continue to push themselves. Moving the goal post consistently. Setting a stage around re-establishing what productivity usually is. And if you consistently are striving for perfection and you only think in order to be perfect you have to be productive, then it turns into a feedback loop. An unending cycle. A disaster waiting to be unfurled.