There Is No “Normal”: Late-Diagnosed Autism, Neurodivergence & Identity (Part 1)

Getting Older, Friends Who Feel Like Family & Learning to Feel "Heard"

What happens as we get older, reconnect with people who’ve known us forever? 🤍 We start with a funny birthday story, the movie "The Fifth Element" and the idea that humanity can feel both beautiful and painfully unkind at the same time. Reconnecting with childhood friends and reflecting on the comfort of being fully known by people who have witnessed every version of you — like Russian nesting dolls with layer after layer of shared history. We talk about: • how friendship can survive even through dark periods and addiction • why mothers often struggle to sleep when their kids are out late • the difference between loving everyone and actually liking everyone • what we would tell our 80-year-old selves • and why the simple word “heard” might change the way we communicate with the people we love This episode is about aging, perspective, radical acceptance, and the deep human need to feel understood. #friendship #aging #personalgrowth #relationships #nostalgia #emotionalhealth #wellnesspodcast #chiminginpodcast #heard

Why Vulnerability Feels So Intimate: Showing Up Without Armor

What happens when we stop protecting ourselves and allow ourselves to be fully seen? 🤍 In this episode, we take a deep dive into vulnerability as one of the most intimate and transformative experiences we can share with another person. We talk about the (perhaps unnecessary) armor we wear to protect ourselves and why it can feel so risky to take it off. True connection  begins the moment we start showing up dressed in nothing but  authenticity. https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/love-on-the-spectrum-u-s #vulnerability #emotionalintimacy #personalgrowth #relationships #authenticity #selfawareness #wellnesspodcast #chiminginpodcast #loveonthespectrum

Why Life’s Milestones Feel So Crazy & Emotional — Even When We See Them Coming

Graduation. Mother’s Day. Big moments that somehow sneak up on us no matter how much we prepare 🎓🤍 In this episode, we talk about the emotional whiplash of milestones — how quickly time moves, how surreal it can feel watching our children grow, and why these transitions can leave us asking, “Wait… how did this happen so fast?” We reflect on the beauty, grief, pride, and disbelief that often live side by side during life’s biggest moments, and how easy it is to get swept up in planning and expectations while forgetting the simple things that matter most. The conversation ultimately comes back to connection: the reminder that we don’t actually need a holiday, milestone, or special occasion to tell people what they mean to us. This is a conversation about time, love, family, and learning to say the important things while we’re living them. https://open.substack.com/pub/elysewendy/p/wtf-and-yay?r=2jb6rt&utm_medium=ios #graduationseason #mothersday #familylife #personalgrowth #parenting #lifemilestones #wellnesspodcast #chiminginpodcast

Signs from the Universe: Finding Meaning, Connection & Comfort on the Road

Do the people we love ever send us signs — even when they’re not physically here? ✨ In this episode, we share stories from a recent road trip that took us through six hotels in ten days — reconnecting with family, stepping out of our comfort zones, and finding unexpected moments of connection along the way 🚗 As we moved from place to place, we began noticing something deeper: the feeling of being guided, seen, and supported — through people, timing, and small moments that felt like more than coincidence. We talk about what it means to feel “at home” even when you’re constantly moving, and how being fully yourself can open the door to the kind of connection that doesn’t fade with time. #spiritualgrowth #signsfromtheuniverse #personalgrowth #travelstories #connection #mindfulness #wellnesspodcast #chiminginpodcast #everettguitars #stauntonva

“Normal” Does Not Exist (Part 2)

What does it actually feel like to experience the world differently? 🤍 In Part 2 of the “Normal does not exist” conversation, we move beyond the idea of what’s normal and into the lived experience of being neurodivergent — including autism, masking, high sensitivity, and the unique ways people navigate everyday life. Elyse reflects on how her mind works — from extraordinary pattern recognition and emotional awareness to the ways some things have been extra challenging. We also explore: • Masking — what it is and why it can be exhausting • Sensory sensitivities (light, noise, environment) • Stimming and self-soothing behaviors • The gap between strengths and challenges • Why some abilities don’t feel “special” from the inside The conversation expands into something bigger — the idea that neurodivergence is not a disorder to fix, but a different way of being. A different way of sensing, connecting, and moving through the world. We also touch on the emotional impact of seeing representation, the importance of safe and accepting environments, and how many people have spent years hiding parts of themselves just to fit in. This is a conversation about awareness, acceptance, and what becomes possible when we stop forcing ourselves into a definition of “normal.” Part 2 of 2. #neurodivergent #autismawareness #masking #highlysensitiveperson #mentalhealthawareness #personalgrowth #identity #chiminginpodcast