Tenishia Vanderpool

The tone for November has felt a lot like slowing down, breathing deeper, and reconnecting with myself as we transition into the holiday season and a new year. It’s a season for gentleness, gratitude, and tending to what’s already growing beneath the surface. November is my reminder:

N — Nurture your natural rhythm

Growth doesn’t come from forcing yourself to fit a mold. It begins by honoring the pace and process that actually work for your mind and body — honoring what feels natural and safe for you.

O — Own your process

Your path may not look linear — and that’s okay. Progress for neurodivergent minds (and neurotypical minds alike) often looks like spirals, pauses, and creative detours. You aren’t doing it wrong; your journey just looks different.

V — Validate your experience

You don’t have to earn rest, support, or understanding. Your experience is real and worthy — exactly as it is. You are real and worthy, exactly as you are.

E — Engage with curiosity

Replace self-judgment with gentle curiosity. Ask, “What does my brain or body need right now?” instead of, “What’s wrong with me?”

M — Make meaning your way

When traditional goal-setting and motivation models don’t work, redefine success in ways that align with your values, energy, and strengths. (You can read more here: tenishiavanderpool.com/2025/10/27/honoring-your-rhythm-a-neurodiverse-guide-to-goal-setting/)

B — Build in flexibility

Rigid systems can lead to burnout. Flexible structures — routines with room to breathe — create sustainability, ease, and self-trust.

E — Embrace interdependence

Accountability and autonomy can coexist. Let safe relationships and community help you regulate, reflect, and rise.

R — Reflect and root

Reflection isn’t about fixing yourself — it’s about rooting deeper into self-awareness. For me, shower time is when I reflect. I think back through my day, notice how I responded to certain situations, imagine how I could have handled things differently, and give myself credit for what I’m doing well. In doing so, I strengthen my roots so my growth can be solid.

So here’s to November. A month that lets us breathe, reflect, and grow in the ways that feel true. May we root deeply, rise gently and honor the rhythm that carries us forward.