What is dyslexia?

I was in my late 30s when I was finally diagnosed with dyslexia. Until that point, I had been told—far too many times—that I was "stupid." At school, at home, even in my early career. But I wasn’t stupid at all—I just processed the world differently from what’s considered "neurotypical."

Truthfully, I don’t love the term "neurotypical" because I believe we are all unique, with our own strengths and challenges. But it is fair to say that those of us who are neurodivergent often find ourselves navigating a world designed for the majority, and that comes with its difficulties.

For me, discovering I was dyslexic was both a relief and a revelation. It wasn’t that I wasn’t capable—it was that my brain worked in a different way. I had always found exams challenging, struggled to recall lists or numbers, and felt exhausted trying to keep up with a world that seemed to expect things to come more easily. But at the same time, I had a strong ability to see patterns, to think creatively, and to approach problems from angles others might not consider.

I would invite you to look at this word, below and think about what it means to you? What words come to mind?

Dyslexia, like so many aspects of being human, is complex. It has its frustrations, but it also has its gifts. It shaped my path, from a struggling school student to someone who graduated near the top of my postgraduate Cognitive Therapy course at King’s College London. (It was actually King’s College that spotted the signs and sent me for assessment, for which I’ll always be grateful.)

So why am I sharing this? Because I know first-hand how these struggles can impact self-esteem. When you’re repeatedly told you’re not good enough, that belief can take hold. It can shape how you see yourself and how you move through the world.

But here’s the thing: You are not defined by what others have said about you. You are not defined by the struggles you face. Self-esteem is something we can rebuild, and I have spent years helping people do just that.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t quite fit in, like your brain works differently, or like you’re constantly having to prove yourself—know that you are not alone.

I’d love to invite you to explore more about self-esteem, confidence, and embracing who you truly are. And if this resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts—because no matter how our brains work, connection and understanding are what truly matter.

Many well known people, such as, Richard Branson have really helped the understanding around dyslexia, he said:

"We are all effected uniquely in the ways our brains work, whether or not we have a ‘label’. I am all for embracing and understanding difference in each other. I find people genuinely fascinating. It makes me sad to see how afraid of difference we can be. Our difference, is what makes us human and makes great teams of humans, drawing on each others strengths. Curiosity about each other can be a magical thing as it opens our eyes to the human in the front of us".

The purpose of this article was just to raise some awareness and maybe a different way of thinking about the enigma that is Dyslexia. To encourage curiosity, not just about dyslexia but just the human in front of us, label or not.

I would like to invite you to sign up to my Self-Esteem Hub here

There are regular articles, podcasts about everything to do with Self-Esteem, anxiety and the art of being human! You can chat to me as well using the chat facility.

Thank you for reading.

Telephone : 07754 368541

email: mail@janewatkinscbt.co.uk

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