Change the words, change the world | Hannah Johnson Toyne | TEDxArden University Manchester

Key wellness strategies, self-care techniques, and productivity tips

Reframe “what’s wrong”

• Shift from self-blame (“something is wrong with me”) to an environment-and-fit perspective: (“the world I’m trying to function in may not be designed for my mind”).

• Practice the belief: “I’m not broken. I process the world differently.”

Sensory regulation (reduce overstimulation)

• Use noise-reducing earplugs when sound becomes overwhelming (e.g., crowded train environments).
• Manage light sensitivity by keeping sunglasses on hand—even on cloudy days—since light can be overstimulating.

Support focus with movement

• Use fidget tools or walking to help concentrate.
• Avoid prolonged sitting if it doesn’t work for you—sitting still may worsen overwhelm and reduce focus.

Task execution via better communication

• Ask for clear, written instructions. A small adjustment like this can greatly improve task success.

Design your environment to prevent burnout

• Adapt your surroundings to your needs. The notes suggest that when the environment “works with you,” burnout and depression periods decreased.
• Treat it as a fit/compatibility issue rather than a personal failure.

Strength-based identity and motivation

• Recognize and leverage neurodivergent strengths, including:
  • Deep connection (to ideas, people, and surroundings)
  • Deep feeling/empathetic care
  • Pattern recognition, creative problem-solving, and thinking outside the box
  • Special interests that enable intense learning, mastery, creation, and innovation
• Reinterpret traits often seen as problems:
  • High energy, impulsivity, risk-taking can become engines for achievement in the right environment.

Language and stigma reduction (culture change)

• Use neutral or strength-based language in academic, medical, and workplace settings to reduce stigma.
• Challenge deficit framing:
  • Instead of “attention deficit,” consider difference, since hyperfocus can occur when interested.
  • Be cautious with terms like “hyperactivity” that can imply negativity.
• Aim to create spaces where all minds can thrive, not to “label away” difference.

Presenters / sources mentioned

• Hannah Johnson Toyne (TEDx talk speaker)
• Dr. Jen Waling (neuropsychologist quoted in the talk)