Free Range Thinking - A Neurodiversity Podcast with Sharon Leigh and Alex Kahl

Free Range Thinking - A Neurodiversity Podcast

Your hosts Sharon Leigh and Alex Kahl take Neurodiversity as a starting point for the conversation. And go right off into the weeds and down interesting rabbitholes ;) One of our first goals with the podcast is to find some languaging and words around the whole topic of Neurodiversity. So please send us your feedback, questions, experiences with Neurodiversity or come on the show as a guest! We would love, when you join our Newsletter http://free-range-thinking.com Sharon's LinkedIn is: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-leigh-pp4l/ and you can reach Alex via mail@alex-kahl.de read less
Society & CultureSociety & Culture

Episodes

064 - Breaking Free from the Corporate Calendar | Neurodiversity & Executive Function Challenges
Jan 26 2025
064 - Breaking Free from the Corporate Calendar | Neurodiversity & Executive Function Challenges
This was our last regular Episode of 2024! Sharon Leigh and Alex Kahl discuss how societal constructs like the corporate calendar can clash with neurodivergent rhythms. They share personal stories about managing ADHD, debunk common misconceptions, and brainstorm creative solutions like a "Free Range Office Hour" for neurodivergent freelancers. What you'll hear: Why neurodiversity is like understanding how the internet works. The pressures of the corporate calendar and its impact on executive function. Practical strategies for creating a personalized work-life rhythm. An exciting new coworking concept for neurodivergent individuals. Subscribe to our Newsletter on our website: http://free-range-thinking.com aaaand to our YouTube Channel if you would like to see us as well :-D https://www.youtube.com/@freerangethinkingpodcast 🔑 Join us as we explore how neurodivergents can thrive in a one-size-fits-all world. 👉 Subscribe for more neurodiversity insights! 🎧 Available on your favorite podcast platforms. Video-Chapters 00:00 - Introduction: Skipping the usual intro 00:51 - Explaining neurodiversity outside the bubble 02:09 - Why neurodiversity discussions are still vital 03:05 - Analogies: Brains, cars, and the internet 05:41 - Common ADHD misconceptions 09:40 - End-of-year stress and corporate calendar challenges 12:36 - Personal reflections on arbitrary deadlines 17:54 - Shifting holiday traditions: Winter Solstice celebrations 20:00 - Freelancing without contracts: A unique approach 30:22 - Marketing without selling your soul 37:46 - The power of storytelling in building trust 43:31 - Embracing natural work rhythms 52:04 - Creative solutions for neurodivergent challenges 59:01 - Building better support systems 1:05:47 - The idea of the "Free Range Office Hour"
062 The one where we fight & Sharon calls Alex sounding like a colonizer ;) 
Nov 13 2024
062 The one where we fight & Sharon calls Alex sounding like a colonizer ;)
Join hosts Sharon and Alex as they dive deep into the fascinating world of neurodivergent experiences, creative pursuits, and the intersection of technology and art. We would love to see you signing up for our newsletter here:  http://free-range-thinking.com It is not out yet but you can be one of the first friends to also read from us, as soon as we get it going! :) Inspiration & ResilienceThe conversation opens with reflections on Jon Batiste's Tim Ferriss interview, exploring themes of intrinsic motivation, dealing with external doubt, and maintaining self-trust in creative pursuits. A personal anecdote about experiencing masterfully played music from a landlord's brother illustrates the transformative power of art. Energy & PerceptionThe hosts explore the subjective nature of energy and how different neurodivergent individuals perceive and process experiences uniquely. Sharon's Retreat Experience •⁠ ⁠Breaking free from neuronormative expectations •⁠ ⁠Rediscovering childlike wonder and curiosity •⁠ ⁠Navigating the transition between neurodivergent and neurotypical spaces Alex's Processing MethodsAn interesting discussion about using Amazon book browsing as a post-holiday mental organization tool. Building AI Companions •⁠ ⁠The concept of "The Skeptical Cat" as an AI agent •⁠ ⁠Tool discussion: ChatGPT for agents, Perplexity for bot building •⁠ ⁠Gemini AI Studio for PDF interactions •⁠ ⁠User preferences: typing vs. talking to AI Ethical Considerations •⁠ ⁠Student use of AI tools •⁠ ⁠Copyright implications •⁠ ⁠The impact on artistic integrity The episode culminates in an interesting and kind of emotional discussion about AI's role in art, featuring a memorable moment where Sharon challenges Alex's perspective on AI's impact on creative work. And Alex understands why what he said sounded like a colonizer. Links to Tim Ferriss and Jon Batiste John Batiste at Tim Ferriss - for Sharon especially the second half https://youtu.be/dy6nRYTsKH4?si=7o9g1Z2nm38KcxEl Interpretation of Für ELise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5YRhvH6Uys&pp=ygURYmF0aXN0ZSBmdXIgZWxpc2U%3D American Symphony Trailer https://youtu.be/wKSMsdq8ONs?si=cu12uR7rdremh7jR Netflix Docu https://www.netflix.com/de/title/81728930 Jon Batiste hears Green Day for the first Time at Pianote and plays along to Holiday - AWESOME! With this piece Alex fell in love with his music :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0hSXIuPBwM
S02E27 - Anne-Laure le Cunff - Mindful Productivity, Liminal Minds and Nesslabs
Oct 31 2023
S02E27 - Anne-Laure le Cunff - Mindful Productivity, Liminal Minds and Nesslabs
Greetings Friends! This is a very special Episode for us becaauuuse: Anne-Laure le Cunff and her mindful productivity community nesslabs.com are somehow the reason why this Podcast exists :) So we are talking about: Ripple effects and Anne-Laure's topics NessLabs.com Mindful Productivity - achieve goals without risking you mental health Her Newsletter Her research about ADHD and neurodiverse online learning experience at Kings College Lab in London How she gets evertyhing together in a book for 2024? tbd title: Liminal Minds limimal is the threshold inbetween things like teenage and adulthood, between relationship and breakup, between uncertainty and discomfort teach people to feel better think better live better a node in the network see yourself as a translator do neurodiverse people have more experience with being in this liminal state? mindful productivity vs toxic productivity building overwhelming procrastinating systems in notion or obsidian neurodivere people tend to try to get control happy in swimming in this massive pool of ideas and thinking and creativity and artistic are not the same thing nurture vs nature liminal states and spaces in school conducting scientific expermients **conducting an experiment** 1. a topics you are TOTALLY fascinated by doesnt have to be useul 2. conducting experiments what are deifferent modalities to study this? online class, study group, Workshops, Classes 3. collecting data and reflecting on that **metacognition = thinking about thinking** pattern noticing, take notes, capture obersavtions how was i feeling? engaged? too slow, too fast? people around me distracting or engaging? when teacher said "imagine this" let an AI like chatGPT look for patterns in it - is their corresponding to anything self discovery with chatGPT kids who wish for more silence and retreats in the classroom - psychology of eventmanagement - higher loads of what is asked of us - constantly socially engaged how was Anne-Laure's eductaion? please write us for Anne-Laure: what is your next exxperiment newsletter at https://nesslabs.com Future of Learning School of the future You can find Anne-Laure at: https://nesslabs.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/nesslabs/ https://youtube.com/TellMeMoreAnneLaure https://twitter.com/ness_labs https://instagram.com/ness_labs
S02E26 - Steve Chapman - I am a Curator of Weirdos
Oct 17 2023
S02E26 - Steve Chapman - I am a Curator of Weirdos
aaaand we have another wonderful conversation from summer with Steve Chapman All his art, content, Podcast, talks and wonderful things can be found at: CAN SCORPIONS SMOKE? https://www.canscorpionssmoke.com/innercriticonline/ We start with the question: Why does Steve do the stuff he does? he lost touch with his intrinsic side until around 35 years He doesn't make stuff because of the fun because he cant not do them Example: February Challenge A Project is like a Flower. Start and End of a project is just in our minds everaything is always becoming because of Dyslexia Steve sees himself as a very good improviser Do you think it is possible to start an organization to give people like us a "Job" The projections people put on art self saboteurs Education and Kids 4 philosphies as guidance :) as soon you say 3 things in a talk people get out their pen and papers 1. be fascinated (not only interested!) swim in sharky waters 2. open windows in your world so people can SEE you working fascinated (Andy Matuschak) - interestred papers are interesting 3. learn to live without your means - it is not gonna happen 4. hang out with weirdos and outsiders - self taughts The Book - It sounds like a lot of micro burning mans weirdos meet and sparks mor inspiration and fascination creative resilience talk the community of outsiders Popup Radio Station the portsmouth symphonia - a Talk Also sprach Zarathustra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpJ6anurfuw Inexpert conference the Inexpert Conference a structure steve coached the speaker get as much into a place of not knowing on stage https://www.canscorpionssmoke.com/inexpert/ Sound of Silence the dyslexic monkey mind brought out the podcast 2 minutes of recorded silence with special guests 100 episodes The paradox of not knowing you cannot get good at it because then you would be knowing "You cant sepnd anytime in nature without being surrounded by death and decay." Who trains our muscles of stopping or walking away the quality of the compost the more it gets a familiar discomfort... existential philosophy ernest becker denying death "humans fear impermancne and insignificance" - everything is an immortality project Book - Rooted - Lyanda Lee Haupt on a scale of 1 to 10 what is your fear of death experiment in B2B: find a team that is open to doing stuff differently - introduce a agenda item "2 minutes and contemplate in which order they would die" philosophize THIS Steves Childhood and school writing stories the tea group - 4 days for 10 hours with 16 people and 2 fascilitators what are some signs of the discomfort feeling like being musunderstood and no logic will help Zen Monk - Psychotherapist 3 zen monk trades - bare witness - not knowing - compassionate action the obstacle becomes the path Sharons Mom: Raised with the concept of honorable witnessing Imagine you are the finished article be inspirable and retain a childlike level of openness not wanting to die is kind of Ego-based The great pause and its opportunities Imagine the world without humans for 60 seconds calm the distrubed and disturbed the calms pandemic was the invitaiotn to do ANYTHING Keith Johnson -. dont try to be celver - your job is just to be obvious creative adventures with the inner critic Steve's TED Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnf-Ka3ZmOM This talk isn't very good. Dancing with my inner critic at TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWells I AM A CURATOR OF WEIRDOS
S02E25 - Perry Knoppert and we have a wonderful weird conversation
Oct 15 2023
S02E25 - Perry Knoppert and we have a wonderful weird conversation
// NEURODIVERSITY AT WORK UPDATE: The last upload didn't work correctly. Know you have the FULL 90 minutes :-) // Greetings Friends! We are back from our Summer Hiatus and we are back with a BANG! In this EPisode we talk with Perry - Dr. Octopus - Knoppert the founder of the global Octopus Movement and what a blast we had with Perry. A wonderful and weird conversation about: Dyslexia, ADHD, just different How Perry did a hard reset Awesomeness of the atypical thinker Multipotentialite, Scanner, Zebras Or ALL the curious misfits as Perry calls them a different brain solves everything Octopus Documentary Octopus Movement has 5000 members already Occupy - Apple Pie - Octopy ASML semiconductor company in Eindhoven When Perry tried to get a Philips MRI Machine to see how we are wired? Meeting Temple Grandin HSP People what would be the first thing you would do with an MRI machine? a system from the think tank a digital whiteboard workshop rethinking intelligence whitepaper was made in 2 hours time companies can access the octopus global nonlinear brain nobodoy studio - creating 100 companis in 5 years the solution to climate change is not a technical solution but a people solution ⁠The Art of Life YouTube Documentary ⁠ Captain Kirk and Captain Picard Dialogue in Star Trek Generations The power of asking for weird strange things the linearity in society BOOKS Erich Fromm - Fear of Freedom Sand Talk - How indeginous Thinking can save the World Nomads - with Anotony Satin nomadic DNA linked to ADHD Nomads are Generalist intellectual nomad ⁠Brain Lunch comversation with Anthony Sattin about his Book Nomads ⁠ the balance is too much towards linearity Invitation to the Life Lab the catalyst that brought us together: Anne-Laure le Cunff ⁠Perry's Pickmybrain Profile⁠ and ⁠Alex started one as well⁠ :-D aaaand the new service ⁠Pick my Neurodiverse Brain⁠ The wonder of Postcards and phyiscal things Send us your addresses if you want a postcard from Sharon ⁠Dr Octopus drinking coffee with guest
032 Resources for Neurodiversity
Jul 11 2023
032 Resources for Neurodiversity
Don't take anything as gospel! Analogy: Neurodiversities as Flavors paté de canada with corn chips and sour cherry keep your mind open - you know you! you GET TO know you! ADD/ADS without the Hyperactivity back off from diagnosis self assessment get to know yourself don't be too serious about it self-diagnosing bashing mac gyvering your way through life ask on reddit: what neurodiversities do you have that are lesser known? sharon's mom knew SO much AND was SO competent in using that knowledge  NEVER tell them they are stupid but find out how they understand the world in a different way so since most people haven't won the life lottery like sharon with her mom we have more tips: Sharon's sister: "You are two-faced" and meet yourself for the first time if a teacher tells you "you cant do it" you can answer "maybe you are just not the right teacher for me" https://concreteplayground.com/brisbane/arts-entertainment/hannah-gadsby-body-of-work-netflix-special IMPORTANT: think about your expectations for example: what do you usually do... imagine yourself at home, at work, at a party and what would you do 8 times out of 10? Do you like to be in a ballpark, in a swimming pool or on a race track? you need the permission to call bullshit let out who you are is helpful for example to find out HOW to deal with it, how people might react to that, how you can use it search ADHD on instagram and go down the other hashtags watch youtube videos and find people you like and can relate to there is NO one size fits all laboratory of US the world is much more aware and you have unlimited ways of discovering and finding your preferred way of communication Sharon's Calendar Moca what is useful / works for you? Thrive and not just survive if something doesn't feel right: question it! Wanting - Luke Burgis Range - David Epstein Interviews with Richard Branson Ed Catmull from Pixar - Aphantasia get into communitiesa TON of informationwhat does MINE feel like?be your own scientistbe curious and find out what fitswhere would you look to find out more about which Neurodiverse-Attribute could beAlex Tipsin Kids:think back your childhood (and life) if there is a pattern when people said something about youchoose your teachersHannah Gadsby Body of Work is a great resourceMBTI Test - with a grain of saltthe journey is precious and important!advice from the pregnancyWhy don't you just use...You have to be careful with lists, experts, therapists, research!Resources
031 - Shame, Reward and Punishment
Jun 28 2023
031 - Shame, Reward and Punishment
Shame  Hackupy Scham CO2 Fußabdruck Seth Godin "What did I do to deserve this?" Reward and Punishment instead of WOW this is amazing positivity vs negativity churches and religion the bible is like Tarot Cards Tools pass along cultural norms there  the problem when you are really good at pattern recognition and contradiction and what is NOT working anymore and what is a blatant lie exclusion back then help the less fortunate together we are faster and better than alone From the Church as a Shame Machine we get to How people project things on neuro diverse people Writing down all Ideas to talk to Sharon about in a HEY SHARON file :) all people Sharon talks to in the last weeks are ALL neurodivergent Label / language yourself it gives indescribable freedom  Labeling is something powerful Being labeled by others is great for Alex then he learns about himself giving the labels an AMAZING meaning projecting something on others example: not being self confident people don't show the inner work being on the spectrum and having the luxury of being able to develop a sense of self naturally self identity ideology teachers in montessori empathy in medical studies Sharon's Mom: council for extraordinary children THE HORSE! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCfndagI_k4 running forward or backward creativity Test and Measure Creativity George Land - NASA  retain creative capacity cultural punishment factors and losing the pathways in the brain how can we help other people to reconnect - meditation - sport - taking time and being in nature reconnect with childhood creativity behavior modification bracelet BONUS: Shame and Church
S02e22 - Ideas for Workshops, a Platform for Neurodivergents and: You can send us messages!
Jun 20 2023
S02e22 - Ideas for Workshops, a Platform for Neurodivergents and: You can send us messages!
Greetings Friends! You can send us Voice Messages on the Spotify Page! Pleeeaaase try it out! And you MIGHT end up in one of our episodes :) What Sharon threw off guard this week. And how other people reacted to it aaaand sharon observed herself during it Saskia and Sharon as Guiney Pigs for a training. Drama and emotional intelligence Navy SEAL Team of Coaches Emotional Intelligence Let's build a Platform for Neurodivergent Coaches and Trainers Getting support in recognizing some really shitty family dynamics :) What is normal and from what power structure does it come from? Pathfinder Mindset and the level of discomfort Homework for Alex :) - when do I put myself in a wandering situation Difference between searching and wandering Alex found his style of wandering The ones that got away THE cello musicians for Sharon an dALex https://www.zoekeating.com https://www.apocalyptica.com It plays into what I observed last week: ADHD Ripoffs cheap Notion Planners little ebooks that seem really put together very unmotivated Especially when it is REALLY expensive Navy SEAL Team of Coaches IDEA Workshop Emotional Intelligence What is Emotional Intelligence? A Workshop as a Emotional Intelligence Gym Self Permission instead of Self Sabotage Perspective and distancing not taking things personal How could you advertize that to a company? IDEA: Let's build a Platform for Neurodivergent Coaches and Trainers Idee und Technology von Creare Pausa Train them to do coaching and workshops with neurotypicals I offer the Platform my help to make the EXCEL Sheet into a Google or EXCEL Form A database of neurodivergent Coaches - for neurodivergent coachees - and for neurotypical company people
030 - What are DAOs and are they interesting for Neurodivergent working at one
Jun 19 2023
030 - What are DAOs and are they interesting for Neurodivergent working at one
Greetings Friends and welcome to this technical sounding Episode of FRT! But: It is not that technical as you might think :) Sharon and Alex talk about Dezentralized Autonomous Organizations - short: DAOs Are they communities Is it a forum? Or a company? Or a univserity? something for learning? some are VERY loosely structured can be frustrating and slow for some people concentric circle - is there a blueprint for DAO? housekeeping and decision making by a coregroup can be smoother - when there is enough emotional intelligence - understand to work with peopleFuture of WorkSharon'S tkae: a group of really smart people Is it more about the people or the technology it is more about building a community to solve problems its not about the tools come up with challenges and problems the want to solve contact the DAO Group and get into a meeting DAO sounds a bit like a German "Verein" - Club Alex comparison to the Montessori Club in his town Jeremy was hired to talk at DAOs how to get started with their structure The Shopping List of DAOs DAOs ask: "How do you think to fit in here?" Tiny House Bielefeld eV  You need Patience The passion of the DAOs... you can move humanity forward only globally otherwise its colonization  Culture and Borders of the Group Living Documents how do you work?what gets on your nerves?what makes you progress? what is the visionwhat are the ruleswhy are we doing this and thathow did we get to this point? some DAOs recommended by Sharon what are DAOs?What differentiates DAOs from a website or Forum?Example: Fashion Design around Ballroom DancingAlex Voice Message StoryDocument and tell your story consistentlyWhere to go from here
s02e21 - Chris Marshall talks with us about Gin, the Science of uncertainty and how he helps people to be optimistic about change and the future
Jun 13 2023
s02e21 - Chris Marshall talks with us about Gin, the Science of uncertainty and how he helps people to be optimistic about change and the future
Greetings Friends! Meet Chris Marshall: A behavioral and uncertainty scientist with an endlessly curious Oldschool Aspie personality. Find more about Chris Marshall on His Website, on his own Podcast Transitional Matters, his Book DECODING CHANGE or on LinkedIn. And of course on the Forager Distillery Website where he works as a Master Distiller. ;) - Discover his passion for brewing and distilling Gin, including a memorable moment in a Belgian bar where he asked for the bartender's favorite drink. - Hyperfocusing on gin and the creation of Foragers Gin, inspired by juniper bushes along the M25. - Embracing uncertainty as the fundamental skill for navigating the Age of Awareness. - Exploring the layers of the world and the impact of slow updates versus fast updates. - The influence of artificial stress, suspense, and fear in various aspects of life. - Delve into the concept of uncertainty as unlimited potential and the what influenced Chris's thinking. - Understanding the stress response and the importance of becoming the master of your own stress response. - Introducing the Pause, Pause, Move framework as a physical and mental tool for stress regulation. - The significance of awareness, radical self-truth, and reframing procrastination as a white lie. - Reflecting on the Stone Age and the need to reduce overload and complexity in modern life. - The relationship between state of mind and environment for optimal thinking. - The Tolerance of Uncertainty Quiz and the role of self-awareness in managing uncertainty. - Practical tips for accessing your best thinking, such as taking important questions with you to the shower or car. - Exploring the Pathfinder Mindset, resilience, and the pillars for successfully navigating change. - The synthesis of the Pause, Pause, Move model and the role of joy in decision-making. - Contrasting joy and happiness, with joy being the magic formula to returning to a default state of well-being.
029 Unlocking sustainability and circular economy through Neurodiversity
Jun 12 2023
029 Unlocking sustainability and circular economy through Neurodiversity
Greetings Friiieeeends! :) This Episode holds for you: Rewriting the LinkedIn Bio with a focus on company culture and living documents - Importance of making the story repeatable for sustainability, neurodiversity, and circular economy - Need for diverse thinking from people on the margins of norms and around the corners - Critical role of creativity and faster thinking for the future - Sharon's Flow State and balancing coaching and artwork for a surf startup - Exploring the use of NFTs and meeting deadlines with AD(H)D - Pressure and motivation: self-imposed or from others in the context of company romance (CoMance) - Understanding DAOs, power dynamics, and relationship dynamics - Avoiding sneaking knowledge through the side door - Delegating culture through awareness, biases, norms, boundaries, and trust levels - Developing a common language to facilitate communication between neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals - Building awareness and non-judgmental attitudes for trust and group dynamics - Confidence-building techniques and overcoming overpreparedness - Increasing awareness of personal superpowers through listening, reading, watching, and engaging in conversations with neurodivergent circles - Recommendations for communities and resources on LinkedIn, NeuroQueer, YouTubers, NessLabs, and Reddit - Evolving communication and interaction in the digital age - Empowering individuals to ask for what they want and work in ways that suit them best
s02e020 - How to find Collaboration Partners
Jun 7 2023
s02e020 - How to find Collaboration Partners
Greetings Friends! Our podacst guest got caught up on a mountain top :) So we had to freewing this episode and talked about: How NOT to find a Collaboration Partners - and how to do it in a good way. Know thyself what do you - need - want - is fun for you The Operating Manual of Me Editing is OK for me but STARTING the editing process ist REALLY hard Tim Ferriss Five Bullet Friday Great for Sharon Too structured can equal boring for Alex Live Collaborating :-D Sharon is the right person for podcasting for Alex too Alex would be not curious enough on its own and too concerned that a topic is not interesting enough. Sharon is naturally great at getting a conversation started Some things you CAN do alone but they are better with a partner: Like sparring or playing tennis Sharons widsom podcast Wizecracking Sharon's filter of everthing: 2 choices to start a project with this or with this person with which person you would like to be stranded for 8 hours in a shady airport in? Alex story when he did travelling around the world in 80 hours in germany. Do you feel save saying no? Does the person has a sense of humor about themselves? Being adapt plug-pullers With all that is in our heads: How do we get these things out? [[FRT BOOK WRITING SUMMER CAMP 2023]] the Tucker Max - Book in a Box Workshop and Sharons Happy Meal of Meatball Sundae Why it is hard to collaborate for Alex in real life researching, learning, throwing legobricks of content on the floor and build a space station Montessori Methods in agile companies Sharons TV-series Recommendation: Ted Lasso 4th principle **We Don't know** We have a Book Title there! :-D Back to how to find a collabortive partner? Where to find one? - LinkedIn and put it out in the universe and see what you get back - Start your own movement - WhatApp Story / Status and ask if somebody knows somebody - that is a bit more private - Write a DM to people on LinkedIn or other contacts and ask them if the would collaborate with you - join a community like NESS LABS (free or low priced) or cohort courses (often expensive) like altMBA from Seth Godin or the Book in a Box course or Youtuber Academy by Ali Abdaal - Discord Servers or Reddit Groups - Start a Working out Loud Circle Sharons closing question about the opposite thing of Death by a thousand papercuts Freudensprung Glücksmoment Alex and the ONE word nothing rimes to in german is APFEL