Different, Not Less: A neurodivergent's guide to embracing your true self and finding your happily ever after

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Chlo Hayden is an award-winning actor and disability advocate, motivational speaker and social media influencer whose story of being 'different, not less' has attracted a worldwide following. Ableism is so ingrained in society and this book is here to challenge all those attitudes that people hold about us, even the ones that are so deeply embedded that we internalise the idea that we are less than. That's not me shaming anyone for what they love - I just *don't* relate to the genie from Aladdin in a very significant way, nor do I necessarily agree that Rafiki in The Lion King is coded as having ADHD. Facebook sets this cookie to show relevant advertisements to users by tracking user behaviour across the web, on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin. Whether you're neurodivergent or supporting those who are, Different, Not Less will inspire you to create a more inclusive world where everyone feels like they belong.

When a life-changing group of allies showed her that different did not mean less, she learned to celebrate her true voice and find her happily ever after. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.This book is written by a Disney person and for me, the constant references to Disney characters as a tool for illustrating points about neurodivergent experience - was beyond jarring. And it feels a bit like this book is a speech asking for change and man, I fully agree but I already knew this. Taryn Brumfitt, Founder of The Body Image Movement and Director of Embrace and Embrace Kids'Chlo's heartfelt and powerful writing had me glued to my seat and turning the pages, which is no easy feat for this ADHD-er . This book, like the author themselves, radiates a fierce, unapologetic and joyous Disability Pride that makes it impossible to put down .

She deep dives into her painful childhood journey finding a diagnosis, tackles the changing landscape of autism labels and really focuses on the extreme mental health tendencies neurodivergent people are prone to (approx. While I really enjoyed Chloé Hayden’s story I just couldn’t get over how all over the place “Different Not Less” felt to me. The chapters are short and full of references to Disney movies and things like finding your ‘eye sparkle’.As a adult woman with autism I found this a joy to read, and it is definitely something I recommend to young neurodivergent people to serve as a reminder (like the title indicates) that you may be different but that doesn’t make you less. While the continuous Disney references don’t resonate with me personally I definitely see how that would also be a huge win for a lot of people. This is a memoir about growing up with autism and ADHD and is a first hand insight into what it means to be neurodivergent (having a brain that isn’t typical).

Excellent book, aimed at young autistic people (especially valuable for girls) by a young autistic woman (with some advice for parents of autistic children thrown in too). She shares often overlooked signs of autism and ADHD; the basics of stimming, meltdowns and sensory overload; tips for finding nurturing communities and overcoming common challenges in relationships and workplaces; and more.I feel like this book is for other autistic people, whether you learn something new about (your) autism or just want to hear another story that might be similar to yours, “Different Not Less” is an interesting read, but I personally wouldn’t recommend it to my friends and family to be honest, because it’s just not coherent enough. Autistic and other neurodiverse people regardless are age are taught that we don't deserve to be our most authentic selves or feel comfortable. This book reminds me that I should be able to do that without fear of being judged or other reprocussions and that I DESERVE to feel comfortable. As someone navigating parenting as a neurodivergent adult in her mid 30s for example, I found that there was a lot in here that just didn't work for me, and that's OK, because I wouldn't want someone over a decade younger than me with no children giving me parenting advice.