- Radical Inaction: How to Live Like a Man Without Cleaning Up After One
By Kayla Warner There are men out there ā Iāve met them, youāve met them ā who live wildly disorganized, beautifully chaotic lives. They forget appointments, lose track of time, get distracted in the middle of conversations, show up late to things they planned themselves… and no one seems to care. Theyāre still praised. Still … Continue reading Radical Inaction: How to Live Like a Man Without Cleaning Up After One - This Life Iām Painting, One Petal and Paw at a Time
Sometimes I feel like the world wants me to be doing something bigger, faster, louder.But lately, I just want to water my flowers.I want to paint something without knowing what itās going to be.I want to sit with my cats and do nothing at allāand call it enough. If youāve ever felt that too, even … Continue reading This Life Iām Painting, One Petal and Paw at a Time - š I Am Not Your Body Story
Some girls tear down other girls as if weāre public property. I donāt play that game. Iāve always heard girls support girls. Itās a cute phrase. A hashtag. A thing you say. But hereās what happened to me.The other day, I was chillingāliterally, I was high on shrooms, vibing, unbotheredāand I had to tell this … Continue reading š I Am Not Your Body Story - The Joy (and Intensity) of Special Interests: Loving Things the Autistic Way
Intro One of the best parts of being autistic is having special interestsāthe things I love with my whole heart, with an intensity most people donāt understand. Special interests arenāt hobbies. They arenāt phases. They arenāt just passing interests. They are passion, comfort, and joy. They are home. The Joy (and Intensity) of Special Interests … Continue reading The Joy (and Intensity) of Special Interests: Loving Things the Autistic Way - Tired of Tragic
By Kayla Sue Warner š¹ Intro: Thereās so much violenceāout there and inside of me. Sometimes it feels like Iāve been living in a war zone, both in the world and in my own head. This is a poem about that kind of pain, but itās also about choosing not to stay in it forever. … Continue reading Tired of Tragic - Fur Real: A Memoir by Frodo the Cat
Chapter 1: The Day I Was Chosen (December 2019) I didnāt choose the shelter life. The shelter life chose me. And thenāthank the stars and the soft blanket godsāthey chose me. She was buzzing with energy the day she walked in. Nervous system overloaded, heart too big for her chest, eyes darting toward every cat … Continue reading Fur Real: A Memoir by Frodo the Cat - Peace Is (According to My Spidey Senses)
Peace is seeing the neighbor outsideand not having to engage. Peace is a 47-minute phone callwith the President of the Escambia CountyDemocratic Womenās Club. Peace is another phone callāwith your aunt who isnāt bloodbut feels more like familyātelling you how much that plant clipping grew,sending a photo of it now,lush and thriving on her windowsill. … Continue reading Peace Is (According to My Spidey Senses) - š¤ Why Juneteenth MattersāAnd Why Freedom Still Isnāt Real for Everyone
By: Kayla Warner Yesterday was Juneteenth. And if I’m being honest, I don’t think enough people understand what that really meansāor why it’s so important. Some people still roll their eyes at it. You can feel it in the way they say, “another holiday,” or the way they go about their day like itās just … Continue reading š¤ Why Juneteenth MattersāAnd Why Freedom Still Isnāt Real for Everyone - ā No Kings, No Masters: Why Protest Matters (and Why Some People Are Terrified of It)
Some people are terrified of protestāunless itās their own. If youāve scrolled the news lately, youāve probably seen people carrying signs that say āNo Kings.ā Maybe you felt uncomfortable. Maybe you thought it was disrespectful. Maybe someone on your feed called it āanti-American.ā But hereās a question worth asking:Why does peaceful protest feel threatening to … Continue reading ā No Kings, No Masters: Why Protest Matters (and Why Some People Are Terrified of It) - š§ The Gap Between Knowing and Doing
Unmasking, One Post at a Time I know what helps. Iāve said it a hundred times. So why is it so hard to take my own advice? I give good advice. Like, really good advice. The kind that makes people pause and go, āWow, that actually helped.ā I know how to say the right thing, … Continue reading š§ The Gap Between Knowing and Doing - šØ He Does the Law, I Do the ArtOn Love, Contrast, and Parallel Lives That Still Fit My boyfriend drafts contracts. I paint frogs in cowboy hats.He files motions. I press flowers in old poetry books.He thinks in straight lines; I think in messy constellations that loop back and overlap and then forget where they started. And somehow, it works. Like, really works. … Continue reading šØ He Does the Law, I Do the Art
- On the Clock Again (But Only When Iām Actually Getting Paid)
I started working again for the first time since Octoberāthis time in a chill, part-time job. And wow, it really puts into perspective just how wrong it is that teachers are expected to work endless unpaid hours. After eight months of not working, I started a part-time job as a receptionist/assistant at my boyfriendās office. … Continue reading On the Clock Again (But Only When Iām Actually Getting Paid) - When Your Body Feels Everything: Autism, ADHD, and the Pain No One Sees
This post was hard to write because it’s hard to explainābut I need to try. People often ask if Iām okay. Usually, the answer is noābut not in the way they think. Iām not sick, not injured, not recovering from surgery or fighting off a cold. My body just… hurts. All the time. Not in … Continue reading When Your Body Feels Everything: Autism, ADHD, and the Pain No One Sees - Baseball Is the Sexiest Sport, and Iāll Die on This Hill
An Essay by a Very Enthusiastic Heterosexual Woman Let me start by saying Iām not here to argue. Iām here to declare. Baseball is the sexiest sport on Earth ā especially to watch men play ā and if you disagree, youāre wrong (but welcome to come sit by me so we can discuss in great … Continue reading Baseball Is the Sexiest Sport, and Iāll Die on This Hill - Pale Blue Dot (as Seen by a Spiraling Mind)(for the unmasked, the overstimulated, and the wildly alive)
Introduction: The other night, I watched an episode of PBS NOVA about decoding the universeāand I havenāt stopped thinking about it since. There was a moment in the episode when they showed the famous Voyager photo of Earth: a tiny pixel suspended in a sunbeam, what Carl Sagan famously called the pale blue dot. That … Continue reading Pale Blue Dot (as Seen by a Spiraling Mind)(for the unmasked, the overstimulated, and the wildly alive) - Not Gone, Just Spinning Plates
Itās been a little quiet on the blog lately, and I wanted to check inānot because I feel like I have to, but because writing still feels like home, even when life pulls me in twelve directions at once. The past week has beenā¦ a whirlwind. I just got back from vacation (which was lovely), … Continue reading Not Gone, Just Spinning Plates - š ļø Who Needs Peace and Quiet When You Can Have a Home Reno Meltdown?Coffee is Sacred, Dust is Inevitable, and My Dad Just Wanted to Retire in PeaceLetās talk about home renovations.Or as I like to call them: emotional rollercoasters with a hammer. Back when I lived in Pensacola, I had this adorable old houseālike 1950s adorable. The kind of house with charm, potential, and just enough issues to be cute until you actually try to live in it in the 2020s. … Continue reading š ļø Who Needs Peace and Quiet When You Can Have a Home Reno Meltdown?Coffee is Sacred, Dust is Inevitable, and My Dad Just Wanted to Retire in Peace
- No Boots, Just Bars
Truth in the Beat, Silence in the SouthUnmasking, One Post at a Time Let me start by saying this: Iām not here to shame people for what they enjoy. If you love country music, thatās cool. Iām not taking that away from you. But I am going to talk about why I donātāand why hip … Continue reading No Boots, Just Bars - Back Down South: Sand, Segregation, and the Sounds That Stay With You
Unmasking, One Post at a Time This weekend, I found myself back down in the Deep SouthāPensacola, Florida to Gulf Shores, Alabama. Back in my old stomping grounds. The air was thick with salt and humidity, the kind that settles in your lungs and reminds you where you are. It was Hangout Weekendāaka the Sand … Continue reading Back Down South: Sand, Segregation, and the Sounds That Stay With You - Between Two Homes: A Love Letter to Pensacola
Iām from Logansport, Indiana. But at 24āfresh out of collegeāI packed up my life and moved to Pensacola, Florida. What was supposed to be just the next chapter ended up becoming a whole damn book. I lived there for eight years. Eight years of becoming, unraveling, rebuilding, and becoming again. Pensacola is where I worked … Continue reading Between Two Homes: A Love Letter to Pensacola - š§ What ADHD Actually Is (and Isnāt)
Unmasking, One Post at a TimeBy Kayla Sue Warner Letās just say this up front: the name āAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorderā is wrong. Like, offensively wrong. Thereās not actually a ādeficitā of attention, and thereās nothing ādisorderedā about the way our brains work. ADHD is a neurotypeāa naturally occurring variation in how human brains process time, emotion, … Continue reading š§ What ADHD Actually Is (and Isnāt) - Being a Democrat (But I Might Not Always Be One)By Kayla Sue Warner
A raw, honest take on why I currently vote Democratābut why Iāll never blindly follow any party. Because I care about people, not politicsāand whatās best for ALL of us. - What Autism Actually Is (and Isnāt) By Kayla Sue Warner
Letās clear some things up. There is so much misinformation about autism out there, it could fill a book. Actually, probably a library. And Iām tired of watching people learn about autism from Facebook memes, RFK Jr. conspiracy theories, or the cringiest portrayals on TV. (Please, for the love of god, stop referencing Rain Man.) … Continue reading What Autism Actually Is (and Isnāt) By Kayla Sue Warner - š Unmasking: The Struggle of Being Myself
Unmasking, One Post at a Time Iāve been doing a lot of thinking lately. Specifically about unmasking my autism. And while Iāve had some positive experiences with it, Iāve come to realize that the negative experiences still outweigh the positive ones. And that makes me really sad. Itās hard, honestly, because I donāt know what … Continue reading š Unmasking: The Struggle of Being Myself - Title: Hyperfocused on Gardening: A Neurodivergent Spin on a Joyful Day of Planting
Today was one of those days where everything just clicked, and I got completely lost in something. I mean, I was hyperfocusedālike, buzzing with excitement. My whole body was practically tingling with joy as I worked my way through this gardening project. If youāve ever felt so into something that your entire body is just … Continue reading Title: Hyperfocused on Gardening: A Neurodivergent Spin on a Joyful Day of Planting - š§· Closet Full of Stories: Styled Like Me
šŖ” The Art of Dressing Myself: Fashion as My First Form of Art Before the canvases, before the poetry, before the essaysāI was already making art.I just didnāt realize it yet. It started with an outfit. Putting together clothes has always been my way of expressing who I amāwithout needing to explain it. To me, … Continue reading š§· Closet Full of Stories: Styled Like Me - š Laughing Until It Hurts: Why Being One of the Guys Isnāt What It Seems
This oneās been sitting heavy on my chest for a while. For most of my life, Iāve found myself in rooms full of guysājoking with them, laughing with them, feeling like I belonged. But lately, Iāve started noticing the cracks in that comfort. This essay is about what itās like being the only girl in … Continue reading š Laughing Until It Hurts: Why Being One of the Guys Isnāt What It Seems - The Holy Spirit Wore White Pants
A sacred little snapshot of sunshine, cats, and casual prayer The Holy Spirit Wore White Pants a poem about joy, memory, and the holiness of everyday moments Singing Sun Singing sun skippingāseriously, happilyāwhile I singalong with birds who chirp my song.Not a single cloud in the sky. Wearing white,multi-pocketed pants,striking random yoga poseswhen it feels … Continue reading The Holy Spirit Wore White Pants - From Storytelling to Stereotypes: Why Modern Country Music Feels Like a Crime Against the Art of Music
No offense (really), but todayās country music? Itās painful. Not just ānot my tasteā kind of painful ā Iām talking ear-splitting, soul-numbing, makes-me-want-to-crawl-out-of-my-skin kind of painful. It doesnāt just put me in a bad mood. It makes me feel dumber, sadder, overstimulated and undernourished all at once. As someone who deeply loves music ā who … Continue reading From Storytelling to Stereotypes: Why Modern Country Music Feels Like a Crime Against the Art of Music - Style and Identity: Proving You Exist Through Self-Expression
Lately, Iāve been thinking about the ways we leave pieces of ourselves behind, almost like traces in the sand. Itās something Iāve noticed in the way we express ourselves through fashion: itās not just about clothes, but about who we are, how we show up in the world, and how we make our mark. For … Continue reading Style and Identity: Proving You Exist Through Self-Expression - Microwave Bacon: The Best Food Invention Ever Created
Okay, hear me outāmicrowave bacon is the greatest food invention of all time. Yes, I said it. The best. Now, before you roll your eyes and tell me Iām crazy, let me explain why microwave bacon takes the crown. 1. Itās Fast (Like, Really Fast) We live in a fast-paced world, and sometimes we need … Continue reading Microwave Bacon: The Best Food Invention Ever Created - š§ Unmasking, One Moment at a Time
Part of the āUnmasking, One Post at a Timeā series Content Note:This post explores masking, self-awareness, and the quiet moments of learning to be real. If youāre currently in a hard place with identity or self-acceptance, please take care while reading. I used to think unmasking would be one big, dramatic moment. Like a grand … Continue reading š§ Unmasking, One Moment at a Time - The Silence That Hides Behind Power: A Story of Rape, Shame, and the Men Who Get Away With ItThe night of the National Championship, January 2013, was supposed to be a moment of celebration. I was 20, a sophomore in college, and my dad had raised me to be a lifelong Notre Dame fan. It was a big dealāNotre Dame had finally made it to the championship after years of waiting, and I … Continue reading The Silence That Hides Behind Power: A Story of Rape, Shame, and the Men Who Get Away With It
- I Donāt Want to Make ItāJust Make Meaning
Professionally Confused Since 1992 ā Entry Six I never chased a big salary.My dream job was to be a teacher. Not because it paid well. Not because it impressed anyone.But because I thought I could make a difference. That was the dream.To show up, to help kids feel seen, to give them the kind of … Continue reading I Donāt Want to Make ItāJust Make Meaning - š One Book, One Day: How ADHD Helped Me Focus Posted in: Living Neurodivergent | Tags: ADHD, Focus, Reading, Self-Kindness, Lessons in ChemistryāØ Video below! Yesterday, I picked up Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.Today, Iām already on page 347.And yesāIāll probably finish it before the sun goes down. People often misunderstand ADHD as an inability to focus. But really?Itās more like I focus with intensity. On one thing. For a while. And then I crash or … Continue reading š One Book, One Day: How ADHD Helped Me Focus Posted in: Living Neurodivergent | Tags: ADHD, Focus, Reading, Self-Kindness, Lessons in Chemistry
- This Was Never Supposed To Be A Blog
I didnāt set out to start a blog.I didnāt even set out to ābe a writer.āI just needed a place to survive. For most of the past year, I was holding myself together with painting, poetry, long walks, and a lot of hope I wasnāt sure I even believed in.Healing was slow and messy.It still … Continue reading This Was Never Supposed To Be A Blog - š What Is Neurodivergence? (And Why You Should Know About It)
Neurodivergence is a word you might hear tossed around more and more lately ā but what does it actually mean? Is it just about autism? ADHD? Something else? Let’s break it down together. 1. What Neurodivergence Really Means: Neurodivergence simply means that a person’s brain works differently from what’s considered “typical” (or “neurotypical”).Itās not automatically … Continue reading š What Is Neurodivergence? (And Why You Should Know About It) - The Revolution Starts with Real Conversations
Note:Communication is such a powerful thing ā when itās real, when itās clear, and when it comes from a place of respect. Today Iām sharing some thoughts about why speaking honestly, listening with care, and making sure weāre understood matters so much. A little communication can go a long way. The other day, someone asked … Continue reading The Revolution Starts with Real Conversations - More Than What You See
I wanted to share a short story today ā one thatās been sitting with me and feels too important not to talk about. Itās about how easy it can be for people, even those who love us, to focus on appearances instead of what really matters. This story isn’t just about my friend. Itās about … Continue reading More Than What You See - š
April 25, 2020: A Day in the Life (According to My iPhone Memories)On April 25, 2020, I didnāt know my phone would save these messages or that theyād still mean so much to me years later. But today they popped up in my photo memoriesāand I remembered the love, the grief, the trying, the tenderness. These werenāt grand moments. They were just human ones. Small threads in … Continue reading š April 25, 2020: A Day in the Life (According to My iPhone Memories)
āØ Welcome to Understanding Neurodivergence
This space is for learning, reflection, and connection.
Here, youāll find real talk about autism, ADHD, education, career confusion, unmasking, and the everyday experiences of living as a neurodivergent person.
This isnāt just about definitions ā itās about real-life stories, personal journeys, and building a world that welcomes all kinds of minds.
Whether you’re here to understand yourself, support someone you love, or simply explore a more authentic way of being, you belong here. š
šæ A Quick Note:
This site is currently under active construction as I build out the full library of essays, reflections, and videos.
You may notice a few unfinished pages or links while everything is coming together!
Thank you for your patience ā Iām so excited to keep growing this space, and Iām so glad youāre here at the beginning. š¼
šæ Whatās Coming Soon:
- Clear, compassionate guides to autism and ADHD
- Real examples from lived neurodivergent experience
- Stories about unmasking, healing, and self-discovery
- Honest reflections on work, identity, and purpose
- Insights and advocacy from my time as a former teacher
- Short videos breaking down key ideas in real, human terms
- Reflection prompts to help you explore your own journey