As of September 2025, I will celebrate a milestone I never expected to have as a neurodivergent individual, especially one considered ‘twice exceptional’ such as myself.
I am celebrating 10 years of working with my organization.
A decade of continuous employment with the same people. In an era of job hopping and losses, of lockdowns and bankruptcies and shortages and tariffs, I’ve stayed and grown. I’ve been stable. I finished graduate school, was elected to multiple boards, and started a family.
The many metrics neurotypicals use to gauge success can be used in this case, something I find rather amusing.
I work for a major nonprofit. Thousands of employees take part in it across the world. I have been promoted twice. I currently earn the same salary as a professor in my subject–which is saying something, as I have a Ph.D. I’ve been sent all over the United States to present at conferences. I’ve had paid training across the country as well. I’ve published book chapters and journal articles about my work.
One of the most common refrains I’ve heard from countless neurodiverse individuals, including those with NVLD, is of rocky relationships, especially ones that require intense, subtle nonverbal cues. Like at work.
As a result, NVLD issues within a professional setting are especially common. I’ve seen plenty of folks struggle with work who have nonverbal issues, and it is not surprising.
We miss social cues, speak out of turn, misinterpret social signs. Conversely, we are not innocent of saying incorrect things at times, or coming across as less than ideal in our positions. Lord knows I haven’t.
For those in careers where networking and soft skills are crucial, having a disorder that affects social interpretation can be a death sentence to advancement, or even job security.
Rare is the NVLD individual who has not been bypassed for promotions and projects due to being ‘off’.
Rarer still is the NVLD individual who misinterpreted something social, and didn’t catch flack for it.
Rarest of all is the NVLD individual who has not watched an undeserving individual bypass them due to better social skills.
I have a successful career, but I’ve been through the ringer with terrible work situations as well. I’ve had bosses who, upon me not reacting in the ideal manner that they wanted, literally slammed their hands against the table and screamed at me. Others who misinterpreted my silence and hyper focus as being ‘snotty’ or ‘stupid’. My frank manner of talk has come across as rude. And when I freeze (a learned response to loud, angry bosses who will punish you if you react in any way), it’s seen as uncaring or insubordinate.
All of which is false.
I’m a good employee who meets her goals with flying colors (of which four supervisors have said in reviews about me!). I misinterpret and overthink and stim. But I’m an excellent writer, a great communicator, and most importantly, someone who has learned to be incredibly resourceful and resilient. When someone in my office has an odd problem, I’m the first person they come to, now.
So I take that I’m good at what I do, and do my best every day.
Here’s to more years.
