5 Inspiring Lessons from Nurse and Entrepreneur Kaitlin McCarthy on Loving Your Neurodiversity
Navigating school, work, and life as a neurodivergent student can feel exhausting. From past due assignments to pressing deadlines, to constantly being told to “just focus”, it can feel like the world wasn’t built with ADHD, Dyslexia, or other learning differences in mind.
Kaitlin McCarthy knows exactly what it’s like to struggle in school and feel like no one gets it because she’s been there. Growing up with undiagnosed ADHD and dyslexia, she faced her fair share of challenges. But instead of letting it hold her back, she pushed through and built an incredible career as an ER nurse, children’s book author, and CPR instructor. Now, she’s proving that being neurodivergent doesn’t mean you can’t succeed—it just means doing things your way.
Here are five of the biggest takeaways from her journey that every neurodivergent student needs to hear:
- College Pressure Is Real (No, You’re Not Imagining It)
Living at college can be really difficult, especially for neurodivergent minds. There’s no escape from deadlines, exams, and the constant reminder that you should be studying.
“When you’re living in school, I don’t think people really appreciate the tremendous amount of pressure that I don’t think I could have ever anticipated because it’s like, you walk to breakfast, you’re walking past the building that you’re going to have a test in later that week, and then that’s all your brain can think about.”
The key to escaping the pressure? Find ways to give your brain breaks—whether that’s hanging out with friends, going on a walk, or just binge-watching your comfort show for a bit.
- Other People’s Opinions Don’t Define You
You’ve probably experienced a teacher, advisor, or peer that didn’t think you could succeed because of your neurodiversity. Kaitlin also faced adversity throughout her school career.
“If I had gone with the opinions of the adults around me throughout my life. I certainly would not be a nurse. I certainly would not have written two books. I wouldn’t have started a company in nursing school. And I probably wouldn’t have started a company while I was planning my own wedding.”
Translation? Other people’s doubts have nothing to do with what you’re capable of.
- It’s Okay to Be Frustrated with Your Brain Sometimes
Having a learning difference, like ADHD and Dyslexia, isn’t always rainbows and butterflies. Some days it feels like a superpower. Other days, not so much.
“I want to remind people that it’s okay to dislike being neurodiverse while also being slightly thankful for it. I think that there are many challenges that come with it, and I think that there’s different seasons of life where we can be really appreciative of it. And then there’s also seasons of life where we are like, this sucks and I hate it.”
Don’t let the tough moments make you forget how capable and talented you are.
- Ignoring a Diagnosis Won’t Make It Go Away
Some parents may have a difficult time pursuing a diagnosis for their child. Kaitlin has a message for those worried about what a diagnosis means.
“I feel like it can be really devastating for some parents to get that diagnosis of dyslexia or ADHD or something, or some parents don’t even seek out the diagnosis for fear that their kid has it…If they have it or they don’t, that’s already established. But you denying them that diagnosis is only going to perpetuate the issue and lead to so much more stress.”
Avoiding the diagnosis doesn’t create a problem, it avoids them! If you think you might have ADHD, dyslexia, or another learning difference, don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for an evaluation.
- Your Brain Works Differently—And That’s a Good Thing
For some people, it may seem like it’s easy to choose a path in life. For many neurodivergent individuals, choosing may seem like an impossible task.
“There is no one path.”
So whether you’re in high school, college, or figuring things out as you go—know that your differences aren’t weaknesses. They’re just different. And different is powerful.
Kaitlin’s story proves that being neurodivergent isn’t a roadblock, it’s just a different path. The world might not always be created for neurodivergent minds, but that doesn’t mean you can’t thrive.