After nearly three years and more than 250 episodes, Jordan and I have made the decision to put The Neurodivergent Experience on indefinite hiatus.
In this episode, it's just me, Simon, explaining where we've been, why we've made this decision and what the future might hold.
When Jordan and I started this podcast, we wanted to create something that we wished had existed when we were first learning about our own neurodivergence. Something that would have helped us feel understood, accepted and a little less alone in the world. And somehow, along the way, we did exactly that.
What started as two friends sharing their experiences became one of the most important things we've ever done. We've laughed, cried, challenged each other, shared some incredibly personal moments and grown so much as people. If you go back to our earliest episodes, you can hear just how far we've both come in our journeys towards self-understanding, healing and acceptance.
But life has changed.
Between work, family, relationships, grief, burnout and everything else life throws at us, keeping the podcast going has become increasingly difficult. We've both reached a point where we need to take a break, look after ourselves and give ourselves permission to put something down, even when we love it.
The truth is, we're tired. And that's okay!
I never imagined that people across the world would listen to our conversations, connect with our experiences or find comfort in the things we've shared, and I will always be incredibly proud of what we've built together.
I want to thank Jordan, who has become like a brother to me. Our friendship is one of the greatest things this podcast has given me, and I'm so grateful for everything we've experienced together.
Thank you to Ashley, Sophie, Sylvia, every guest who trusted us with their stories, and everyone who has supported the show over the years.
Whether you've listened since the beginning, discovered us through a particular episode or joined us somewhere along the way, thank you for giving us your time, sharing your experiences and allowing us to be part of your lives.
I don't know whether The Neurodivergent Experience will return. Right now, we both need some time away, and I don't want to make promises about what comes next.
But I do know that we've created something special. The episodes will still be here for anyone who needs them, especially those people who are just beginning to understand their own neurodivergence, just as we were three years ago.
This podcast has changed my life, and I hope that, in some small way, it's made a difference to yours too.
As I said in the episode, I am enough, I've done enough, and I have enough.
Thank you for everything.
Be kind, be safe, look out for each other, and nighty bye for now.
Simon ❤️
Keep Listening & Stay Connected:
🧘♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Mindful Mondays: Ashley will continue her work on her own podcast feed - https://mindfulmondayswithashleydupuy.buzzsprout.com/2660136/episodes
🤝 Sophie James – Neurodivergent Mentoring: sophiejamesndmentoring.com
🎙️ This Week in Autistic Culture: You can still hear Simon on the Autistic Culture Podcast Network until May.
🎧 The Neurodivergent Experience: Our archive remains available wherever you get your podcasts
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