Ever really feel like your dyslexic mind’s a sponge sopping up stress till it drips exhaustion throughout your life? Akyia Oppong will get it. On the HY Dyslexia Podcast, host Elizabeth Tashi chats with this London Inventory Trade whiz—senior analyst, STEM ambassador, and neurodiversity dynamo—who’s juggled dyslexia, ADHD, and a packed schedule with out dropping her spark. Recognized simply final yr, Akyia’s story is a uncooked, actual have a look at how emotional well-being could make or break you when your thoughts’s wired in a different way. Spoiler: it’s not about powering by—it’s about powering up with self-care.
The Dyslexia-ADHD Double Whammy
Akyia’s life is a whirlwind—company tech by day, volunteering on the Euros and Commonwealth Video games by, nicely, every time she’s not sleeping (which isn’t usually). Recognized in Could 2023 after fighting cloud computing exams, she realized her childhood “dreamer” label—staring out home windows, fidgeting—wasn’t laziness however dyslexia and ADHD. “I’d revise onerous, however the phrases wouldn’t stick,” she says. Mother and father, sound acquainted? That child zoning out won’t be slacking—they could possibly be wrestling a mind that wants a distinct playbook.
When Burnout Hits Onerous
Put up-diagnosis, Akyia confronted a brutal combo: examination strain, lengthy COVID mind fog, and a relentless “sure” behavior. “I saved piling issues on,” she admits, till her physique screamed cease. Twice, she labored by COVID, crashing onerous after. “My supervisor disabled my account—‘Why are you even working?’” she laughs. It’s a wake-up name for any guardian: pushing previous limits doesn’t win medals—it dangers meltdowns. Emotional well-being isn’t non-obligatory; it’s oxygen for a neurodiverse thoughts.
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“Self-care’s how you’re taking your energy again—it’s not egocentric.” — Akyia Oppong
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Progress Mindset: Rewiring Resilience
Key Takeaways:
Dyslexia and ADHD can swamp emotional well-being with out self-care.
Akyia’s Progress Mindset turned prognosis into triumph with good instruments.
Saying “no” and journaling beat burnout for a thriving life.
Self-Care: The Final Hack
How does Akyia maintain her sanity? “Say no,” she urges, carving out Fridays for guilt-free indulgence—candles, baths, cheat meals. “If you happen to’re burned out, you’re no good to anybody,” she warns. Her toolkit? Journaling gratitude, leaning on the Japanese “ikigai” (discovering objective), and Thoughts’s 5 well-being steps: join, transfer, discover, be taught, give. Mother and father, mannequin this—your dyslexic child must see self-care isn’t egocentric, it’s power.
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“I’d revise onerous, however the phrases wouldn’t stick… one thing wasn’t proper.” — Akyia Oppong
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Smashing the Burnout Villain
