Don't Wait for the Word

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February 4, 2026

Don’t Wait for the Word

Trust your gut- no matter what Norm thinks

In reviewing the last year through a positive lens, I had a lot to reflect on-  

so, I chose two things I thought were worth sharing.  I have one of those for you today.  A lot of people choose a word for the year.  But as I was reflecting,

I thought, “You know, a word chose me.” 

So, like most things, I flipped the script.  Kinda like most people say,

“Adventure is out there!” I say, “Adventure finds us!”

And it absolutely does…but I digress! 

SO, the word that chose me was:

AUTODIDACTIC

Self-directed learning driven by curiosity and internal motivation, reflecting a preference for how one learns best rather than reliance on formal instruction.

So why this word?  Why did this word matter so much to me?   

Because it describes Drew’s learning style. 

I always knew this is how he learns best.

But I didn’t know there was a technical term for it.

So, I really leaned into this word, researched it, sat with it, and then used that information to serve us.  I shared my research with Drew, and we both came out of that with a new appreciation for what we’ve experienced…and I think he came away feeling more understood and validated- and with a few things he should watch for and consider with this type of learning style.

But really- why was this word such a big deal for me, though? 

I always knew Drew was smart.

But (there’s always a bit but, and it’s usually mine)

it scared me when he didn’t learn in the way the world expected him to-

when he didn’t respond to “the way everyone else is doing it.”

And there were times I would panic and think, “He’s not teachable!” “He’s going to struggle in life!”  “This is so not good!” And I can thank Norm for that.  You know Norm- societal expectations, comparisons, the unspoken rules about how things are

supposed to be.

And thanks to good ole’ Norm, we tend to freak out and beat ourselves up-

especially when we don’t fit neatly into boxes or meet certain criteria or expectations.

So, I’ve always been pretty much OK with being different, doing it my way, and letting others think I’m weird.

But as a parent, sometimes doing it differently translates into guilt.  Was I making it harder for Drew?  Was I doing the right thing by doing it our own way and not caring what Norm thinks?  There were times I found myself feeling guilty for raising my kid not only to think outside the box- but to exist outside of it. 

I believe that different is good. 

But the truth is, different is also hard. 

Dr. Suess said, “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” 

And I think people look at that quote and think it’s so lovely. 

But reality shows up in the looks, the whispers, the backdoor questions and

the not-so-subtle comments…in a world where everyone thinks their opinion is

THE right one…of course you’re going to question yourself. 

I’m here to say- DON’T.

TRUST YOURSELF.

Those little swirls in your stomach, the organic thoughts that float into your mind,

those feelings that say, “I don’t know how I know-  I just know.”

Don’t ignore those. 

Because trusting your gut doesn’t mean you’re never going to have doubts…

or that you’re never gonna freak out. 

It means you keep going and follow your instincts anyway.

For the most part, I trusted those whispers with Drew- even when it was hard.   

Because I noticed how much less he struggled, how much more he retained, and how much he truly excelled when he was allowed to learn in ways that worked best for him.  Regardless of what others thought.  Forget Norm! 

I still nudged Drew to step outside his comfort zone, because there’s really good stuff there too.  Some might even argue that’s where the best stuff lives.

But that’s a discussion for another day. 

So why was the discovery of one little word such a big deal for me?   

Because every time things didn’t look the way I knew Norm thought they should…

I got scared.  I worried that Drew would be judged- or that I would be.

And I questioned myself.   

So, when “autodidactic” presented itself to me, by way of a friend, it was as if the Universe said, “See?”

Normal is subjective.

And there is no such thing as perfect. 

But, if you trust your gut, your instincts, those organic thoughts that flutter into your mind, about whatever it is, I’m willing to bet you’re doing it right…for you…

no matter what Norm says.

And as my Grandad always used to say,

“Now there’s some sense to that.”

Until next time, wishing you much love and laughter,