Where I've been and where I'm going.
The year was 2020… ya know the year that basically gave the world the middle finger. My husband and I were self-quarantined in our 550 sq ft apartment in NYC and I can tell you that NYC apartments are not meant for you to spend any time in. They are glorified storage units that you pay top dollar for so you can be everywhere but your apartment.
It was day 50 something of quarantine, which felt like our own version of the movie groundhog's day. We were working from home (which we were lucky enough to do), cooking/baking, cleaning, binging Netflix, sitting on zoom meetings, FaceTime, home workouts and scrolling through social media. Then one day I came across a fun quiz simulator on Instagram that asked random questions. It looked like a fun game to pass the time. Most people posted it and had been asked questions like favorite type of food and first car. I could answer those. That looks fun, let's play.
Here we go, first question: what is your favorite thing about yourself?
Me: sh*t, umm I don’t know, next question.
Second question: what is your dream job?
Me: wow, I don’t know that either... is it hot in here?
Third question: Who inspires you?
Me: I’m sorry when did these random fun questions get so deep?
I couldn’t answer the questions and I was devastated. l didn’t want to play anymore. Why were these questions so hard for me to answer? Could other people answer these questions easily or was I the only one who felt lost? Or was the problem that I really knew the answers to those questions and was I too afraid to admit them out loud? The internal dialogue in my head felt like I was sitting on a roller coaster and I was ready to get off the ride.
When I took that quiz, I didn’t know that a week later I would be laid off from my job..and in hindsight, I think it was the best thing that could have ever happened.
I was privileged to have had a diagnosis of dyslexia and ADHD since I was 8 years old and had resources all the way through college. I knew my limitations and I knew my strengths, however, the support you receive in school doesn’t exist in the workplace. Believe it or not, I was sought out for that job because of my disabilities (I was offered the job 6 times and I turned it down 5 times). I brought a unique perspective and set of skills that other candidates didn’t have. The party line repeated over and over again, “Alex, you are the ONLY one who could do this job”. But that job was meant for 10 people.
That job nearly killed me. As much as I loved who I worked with and worked for, it was truly the most stressful job I could have ever imagined. I learned so much about myself, my skills, my abilities, and gained the respect of leaders around the world who knew my name. I was really good at the job but every aspect of it was hard and it sucked me dry. The level of burnout I felt was unlike anything I had ever experienced. I was drowning and almost felt that being quarantined was a gift because it meant I could rest. Nothing about my relationship with my job or myself was healthy during that time.
So when I was laid off I kept thinking about a dream I had since I was sixteen years old: to start a business that supported people with learning disabilities and/or ADHD. The fuel came from a resource room teacher who told me that because of my disabilities, I wasn’t really going to amount to anything. That I could apply to whatever colleges I wanted, but what I represented was subpar and I needed to be more realistic about my options. I was devastated by that response because I was president of a club, I was on leadership teams for several other organizations and I said that is also on paper. Why did she not see that as valuable? I couldn’t wait to prove her wrong.
I did prove her wrong, I did it with flying colors. While getting my undergraduate degree at Indiana University (Go Hoosiers!), I created the Peer Undergraduate Mentor Program (P.U.M.P.) which is a mentor/retention program. It was to help students with disabilities alleviate the effects of their disabilities as they adjust to college, as well as increase their graduation rates. I won several awards from the city, state and the University.
After a decade of working in program and leadership development coming from the perspective of someone who has dyslexia and ADHD I looked at my husband and said I think it’s time. I need to start this business to support adults with ADHD and/or learning disabilities. I wanted to remind people of their tremendous strengths and help them find the resources they needed in the workplace and at home so they could not end up in the same situation I was in.
Less than a year later I launched Cape-able Consulting and I have never been more proud especially because I now know how to answer those questions.
Question 1: What is my favorite thing about myself
Answer: I love my inner strength and ability to navigate through challenges. And I love that I am able to help people see their own strengths and empower them to make things happen for themselves.
Question 2: What is my dream job?
Answer: Working with adults who have learning disabilities and/or ADHD like myself who have been struggling in their careers. Helping them navigate their day-to-day workloads in their careers and at home so that they feel supported and are able to reach their highest potential.
Question 3: Who inspires you?
Answer: All of you who are helping me change the stigma around ADHD and/or learning disabilities reminding people what we are cape-able of.
If you are looking for support for you learning disabilities and/or ADHD book a free consultation call with me where we discuss personal recommendations to implement organizational/focusing tips that match your style of learning.
