149 [S11 E4] Going away to come home: From outward success to an authentic autistic life

For years Emily Nyrop lived what looked on the outside like a 'perfect' life; after graduating from Harvard University, she spent over a decade in high-powered roles. But underneath her outward success she was quietly burning out, as she built a life and career inside systems that weren't built for her.

Then Emily hit breaking point. Feeling like she was falling apart, she decided to rip open her life and do something completely different. In 2023 she gave up her apartment in the US, packed a suitcase and booked a one-way ticket to Cape Town, for what turned into nearly a year of solo travel through Africa and the Middle East. During this journey she began to understand that the way she moves through the world isn't broken: it's autistic.

Now 38, Emily has relocated to Porto in Portugal, where she works as a Leadership Coach for ambitious, high-performing women, especially those in STEM fields, and those who are queer, neurodivergent, or navigating systems not built for them.

In this conversation Emily shares her story and her reflections on both her journey across the world and her journey of self-discovery, and how solo travel allowed her to peel back the layers of herself, discover her autism, come out as queer, and ultimately build a life that actually fits her.

Squarepeg is a podcast in which I talk to other late identified autistic women and nonbinary people about their lives, their autism journeys, and what they've learned along the way.

I'm Amy Richards, and I was diagnosed autistic in 2016, when I was 37. I've been sharing my conversations with other autistic adults since 2020.

I hope you'll find these conversations inspiring and thought provoking, and that they'll help you feel more connected to a worldwide community of people with similar experiences.

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EPISODE LINKS:

Emily's website: www.elevaleaders.com

Her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-nyrop/

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