The Benefits of Being Broken - TED X Doncaster 2019
Justine Rutherford Gaubert, TED X Doncaster 2019. How my autism diagnosis could change how you feel about politcs
This year I was lucky enough to do a TED X talk at the Doncaster TED X 2019 ‘Beyond Expectations.’ The talk was about my recent autism diagnosis and the healing powers of curiosity. Getting curious about my difficulties helped me re-write my old shameful stories through a lens of curiosity and learning, which led me towards a place of healing. Following a bust up in my local pub over Brexit, I went back to have the conversation again, but from a place of curiosity and learning to see if it could remove some of the toxicity for both of us.
The talk concludes that if we want to put our world back together, we need to start getting curious about EACH OTHER, and our fractured world is the perfect time to do it.
TED summary of the talk
“Three years ago, Justine received a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Aspergers). She is now enjoying harnessing her creativity to take us beyond our traditional expectations of autism, to challenge stereotypes and raise awareness of female neuro-diversity and its benefits.
Justine takes us on her journey of how getting curious about her ‘broken bits’, led to an autism diagnosis in later life, and how this helped create a gap for self-compassion and reconciliation.
She then challenges us to go beyond our expectation that simply being curious about ourselves is enough. She passionately believes that if we are to heal the wounds of Brexit and divisive politics, we need to get curious about each other’, and she suggests how our recently shattered world is a unique opportunity to put it back together...with powdered gold.”
You can watch a recording of the event below. The organisers had a problem with the audio sadly, but you get used to if you stick with it! You can also download a transcript of it: Justine Gaubert Ted x talk transcript.
If you enjoy the talk, please click on the video to the YouTube/Ted.com page and ‘like it’ or leave a comment on the YouTube page. Cheers!
What the talk covers
The benefits of being broken.
Autism and literal thinking (‘watch the toast’).
Late diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Female neuro-diversity.
The creative superpowers of autism and the benefits of being an alien.
Why autistic people can make great consultants - Simon Sinek’s the Why Question.
Example of how autism and dyslexia helps my creative thought process - example of brain activity on the tram home. Dun Works branding project for South Yorkshire Housing Association.
The healing powers of Curiosity, and how getting curious can move us towards a place of self-compassion and healing.
How Brexit, Trump and political shifts the world over have made the world fractured and make NOW the perfect time to explore each others’ broken pieces.
The Japanese art form ‘Kintsugi’ and how we should not paper over the cracks and our ‘shameful pieces’. It was papering over the cracks of our shameful pieces that has caused our world to fracture in the first place.
The Get Curious Challenge - go out and have ONE conversation with ONE person from outside of your echo chamber - only do it from a place of curiosity and learning, rather than one of rage and blame. Could this move our society towards a place of healing?
Leonard Cohen: Ring the bells that can still ring. Forget your perfect offering. There’s a crack in everything. It’s how the light gets in.
Watch my TED talk: How my autism diagnosis could help how you feel about Brexit’ and then take up the #GetCurious challenge.
Let’s start putting our world back together by listening from a place of curiosity, one person at a time… I guarantee that getting curious will help you get unstuck!