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

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Gulla, Emily (14 September 2022). "Heartbreak High viewers are all praising the show for one important reason". Cosmopolitan . Retrieved 28 May 2023. In November 2021, she was cast as Quinn "Quinni" Gallagher-Jones in the Netflix reboot of Heartbreak High. Her character is autistic and was written with her input. [12] This makes Hayden one of the first autistic actors to portray an autistic main character. Hayden herself says that she loves playing an autistic character as she can freely stim. [6] Please be aware that the delivery time frame may vary according to the area of delivery - the approximate delivery time is usually between 1-2 business days. This is a moving, at times funny story of how it feels to be neurodivergent as well as a practical guide, with advice for living with meltdowns and shutdowns, tips for finding supportive communities and much more. Boland, Bray (24 April 2023). "Chloé Hayden launches Boldly Me podcast". Radio Today Australia . Retrieved 28 May 2023.

Winners Announced for the 2022 AACTA Awards". Australian Film Institute | Australian Academy Cinema Television Arts . Retrieved 28 May 2023. My mind is absolutely magical. I don’t see the world the way a typical person does, and I think that’s brilliant. Autistic people are the makers, the do’ers, the creators. If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about how non-Autistic people understand autism, what would it be? Additionally I noticed that Hayden tries to use Disney fairytales as an analogy and stylistic device throughout the book but she’s not very consistent with it.

Geelong Youth Awards 2020". City of Greater Geelong. 29 July 2020 . Retrieved 28 May 2023– via YouTube. Now, Chloé is a power house in advocacy and a worldwide known name, with platforms of half a million followers and nearly half a billion views, in-person presentations at seminars, conferences, schools and her own tours in three continents to over a hundred thousand people, as well as starring as one of the worlds first autistic characters, Quinni in Netflix’s Heartbreak High. Also, I'm not a Disney person. Not like, in a big way, like some people are Disney people. 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. 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.

I personally believe that anyone - be it teachers, partners, parents, friends - who shares their life with an autistic person should at least read Chapter 3: Sensory Issues, Stimming, Meltdowns, Shutdown and Burnout. As I found this chapter not only incredibly informative (ya girl loves statistics), but so eloquently presented in its portrayal and explanation of the different (and somewhat more intense) aspects of autism. I thought that was good for me at the time, at least. Now, I struggle with crippling identity crises every other day and I still have a lingering fear that someone is looking over my shoulder on the train and judging me for whatever I’m doing. For years my stims were physically harmful because I couldn’t stim the way I wanted to – slapping or punching my thighs is still something I struggle to deal with. I don’t know where Tiana begins and where she ends. Is she the well-mannered and attentive girl who is ‘oh so mature’? Or is she the silent girl who looks like she’s zoning out every two seconds and mentally dying inside, but somehow manages to pull it together when the situation calls for it? This book reminds me that I deserve to feel comfortable in society. Neurodiverse and ‘different’ people are taught that you need to grow up or get out. We’re told that educational and employment institutions don’t have room for us. We’re given the impression that there is something fundamentally wrong with us for simply existing as we are, so we need to hide anything that screams being abnormal. It’s not fair. Hayden’s view of the world is crafted beautifully. On the surface, her writing doesn’t appear to be all that technical until you inspect it closer. There’s something captivating about the way Hayden writes about her experiences of feeling like she doesn’t belong. They’re absolutely heartbreaking and harrowing, but there’s something about her writing that made me unable to put the book down. Her writing is full of life and the sensorial experience that neurodiverse people are subjected to. It’s not the emotionless and metallic ‘autistic perspective’ force-fed to us in books like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time where an allistic author writes an autistic character as though they are a robot incapable of empathy (a common stereotype). Her writing is overflowing with personality and an autistic perspective that can only be expressed by someone who is autistic. In a way, it’s so endearing to see someone able to unabashedly express themselves, their needs and advocate for others without a voice (or surrounded by people who aren’t listening).It was a collaborative decision between my publishing team and myself. I wanted to make sure the things that were important were highlighted, that people could easily find and access the parts of the book they needed to read… And, as an ADHD’er, having things broken up is immensely beneficial! What’s your favourite part about being Autistic?

Chloé Hayden is an award winning motivational speaker, actor, performer, author, influencer, content creator and disability rights activist and advocate, the heart of which these all intersect being her passion for creating change, celebrating diversity, and pushing towards a better future. Delivery with Standard Australia Post usually happens within 2-10 business days from time of dispatch. Please be aware that the delivery time frame may vary according to the area of delivery and due to various reasons, the delivery may take longer than the original estimated timeframe. 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. a b "See Chloé Hayden's Moving Acceptance Speech At Marie Claire's Women Of The Year Awards". Marie Claire. 10 November 2022 . Retrieved 28 May 2023. Your Happily Ever After is coming- I promise you. No fairytale can exist without a Once Upon A Time, without dragons to fight… And, likewise, no fairytale will close without a Happily Ever After. You’re going to be okay, I promise you. Your book is structured with lots of headings, pull-out quotes, and even an index –What made you decide to format it this way?

An empowering lived-experience guide to celebrating and supporting neurodivergence from 24-year-old actor, social media star and advocate Chloé Hayden. Different, Not Less is a moving, at times funny story of how it feels to be neurodivergent as well as a practical guide, with insights on how autism and ADHD present differently in females, advice for living with meltdowns and shutdowns, tips for finding supportive relationships, communities and workplaces and much more. Writing it was immensely difficult- I was filming Heartbreak High at the same time! There was lots of tears, lots of “I can’t do this”, but never once did I feel like giving up. I waited my whole life to see a book like this, and I’m not letting another child go through what I did. I want to make sure that people have resources, they have hope, they have the knowledge that they’re going to be okay… And I hope this book is a remedy for that. In your book, you talk about life in the context of three fundamental stages, which we are taught through fairy tales: Once Upon a Time stage, Adventure stage, and Happily Ever After stage –What advice would you give to those who are currently in their Once Upon a Time and Adventure stages? Watson, Meg (28 February 2023). "Marvel Stadium announces changes after alleged ableism at Harry Styles show". The Age . Retrieved 28 May 2023. Eloise, Marianne (30 October 2022). "I Didn't Expect To See Real Autistic Representation On Screen. I Was Wrong". HuffPost UK . Retrieved 28 May 2023.