A Journey of Language, Growth, and Autism Perspectives: Stephen’s Evolution

Stephen McHugh
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Step into the extraordinary world of my podcast, where language comes alive through the lens of my autistic perspective. Like the mist of a sunrise gradually revealing the landscape, my journey with language and communication unfolds with clarity and discovery. Join me as I explore idioms, metaphors, and the nuances of expression, weaving them into the story of my lived experiences. Growing up, language felt like a distant mountain range—challenging yet full of potential. Through reflection and perseverance, I’ve come to understand the profound ways language shapes our connections, perspectives, and growth. My podcast invites you to travel across that landscape with me, exploring a blend of personal insights, linguistic discoveries, and shared understanding. Through straightforward narratives, I aim to uncover how my evolving relationship with language has illuminated new possibilities, much like sunlight breaking through mist. Together, we’ll examine how words and phrases reflect the deeper layers of human experience and discuss strategies to embrace communication challenges with creativity and compassion. Tune in to “A Journey of Language, Growth, and Autism Perspectives” to celebrate resilience, embrace individuality, and uncover the beauty of discovery—both in language and in life. Let’s embark on this adventure of empowerment, understanding, and potential together. You can subscribe to my podcast by visiting https://stephensevolution.ck.page/ca4511fa05 to get notified when new episodes are forthcoming and released.

  1. AUG 5

    Stars to Sunrise: Moving to YouTube

    A profound shift is underway as I'm planning to transition from audio podcasting to YouTube. Visual media, I believe, will allow me to share autistic experiences more fully, through body language, facial expression, and presence beyond words. For a few years now, I’ve been “speaking beneath stars in the night sky,” offering quiet reflection through audio. Now, “the sky is brightening — a new day is dawning,” and I’m stepping into the light, where visibility and community will be able to grow and flourish. This is more than just video. More importantly for me, it’s about connections. The YouTube’s comment section may invite conversations, thus creating space for deeper engagements with those who may value metaphor as a bridge between minds. My plan is to launch my channel on September 17th, starting with an intro and a video on why metaphors can matter in neurodivergent storytelling. Until then, I’ll be posting idiom inspired stories on my blog (stephensevolution.com). This can be a playful way to stay connected. Whether you're a long-time listener or just discovering my work, I invite you to join me in this next part of my journey.  Be part of a community where autistic experiences will not only heard, but seen. Send me your comments and questions Thanks for listening. You can find me on my website stephensevolution.com, or on twitter here. You can sign up to receive news of new episodes when they're released here. Artwork produced by Elena Designe Music composed by Nela Ruiz

    5 min

  2. JUL 22

    Running At My Own Pace

    Running alongside others yet fully at peace in my own space—that’s the unexpected gift parkrun has given me as an autistic person. Life on the spectrum often means performing unwritten social scripts that I have found in times go by, drain and overwhelm. But at parkruns, what I found is, they offer a structured routine where participation doesn’t require conversation, explanation, or masking. Just turn up, run or walk, get your barcode scanned at the end. It is simply to be there, and feel part of something on your own terms. What began as exercise became a deeper journey. I’ve improved my time by five minutes over a year. For me, that's five minutes of self-trust, rhythm, and quiet defiance of the old belief that I wasn’t athletic. Even after an Achilles injury, I returned, got my form back, and became stronger and more grounded. Parkrun has become a weekly routine for me. What I see here is, importantly for me is, a metaphor for autistic life where I can move at my own pace, be part of a community, and belong without any pressure. Have you found spaces like that? Share your thoughts via the link below—and subscribe for more metaphors from my autistic world. Ask ChatGPT Send me your comments and questions Thanks for listening. You can find me on my website stephensevolution.com, or on twitter here. You can sign up to receive news of new episodes when they're released here. Artwork produced by Elena Designe Music composed by Nela Ruiz

    16 min

  3. JUL 8

    New Discoveries with Unexpected Changes

    Sometimes things in life, we will inevitably find that things don’t always go to plan. At first, I understand personally how disruptive that can feel. However, looking back, one thing I learned over time was, how unexpected moments like these can often carry something meaningful in ways I couldn’t have initially anticipated. In this quiet follow-up to my last episode, I reflect on change, trust, and what it means to find clarity in your own time, especially as an autistic person when it comes to trying to learn and make peace with life’s bends and detours. Send me your comments and questions Thanks for listening. You can find me on my website stephensevolution.com, or on twitter here. You can sign up to receive news of new episodes when they're released here. Artwork produced by Elena Designe Music composed by Nela Ruiz

    11 min

  4. JUN 24

    Flowing Along Life's Unexpected Turns

    A short and personal birthday reflection - on changing plans, making wiser choices, and going along with life's unexpected turns. Inspired by a Saturday parkrun that didn't quite go according to plan, I decided to do a solo run alongside a local canal. The aim of this episode is to explore how adaptability can feel less like compromise, and more like 'reading the river'. Send me your comments and questions Thanks for listening. You can find me on my website stephensevolution.com, or on twitter here. You can sign up to receive news of new episodes when they're released here. Artwork produced by Elena Designe Music composed by Nela Ruiz

    11 min

  5. JUN 10

    Clearing space outside reflecting change happening within us

    A slightly shorter episode on this occasion, where I reflect on what it means to clear space. It was inspired by clearing an overgrown hedge trimmed in my garden, and what it taught me about confidence, growth, and making space for myself. Because sometimes, growth, I believe, can start with pulling out what’s in the way.   It was also where I started noticing some unexpected parallels with my own confidence and self-worth. Sometimes the outside work mirrors the inside work. Send me your comments and questions Thanks for listening. You can find me on my website stephensevolution.com, or on twitter here. You can sign up to receive news of new episodes when they're released here. Artwork produced by Elena Designe Music composed by Nela Ruiz

    12 min

  6. MAY 27

    Finding Wonder in Unusual and Unexplored Places

    Most people expect vehicles to stick to tarmac and concrete roads. However, for as long as I can remember, I've been drawn to those moments when tyres press into softer ground, sometimes leaving their marks behind. What others dismissed as an unusual obsession actually opened doorways to understanding soil mechanics, physics principles, and even linguistic connections.  "Interests are like tyre marks on grass. Unexpected but full of meaning, while others stick to the tarmac. Some of us explore softer ground."  For me, this metaphor captures something which I see interesting about my autistic experience. It's to do with finding meaning and beauty in unexpected places that others might otherwise overlook. Through personal stories about school memories, park run parking dilemmas, and scientific observations, I share how this fascination helped me understand not just the physical world, but more about my own neurodivergent mind. My journey explores how seemingly quirky interests should be seen as pathways to deeper understanding and unique perspectives. When I notice the different sounds of driving on varied surfaces or observe how heavy vehicles leave different marks on clay versus sandy soil, I'm engaging with the world in a different way, a way that's unique to me. These explorations off the beaten path – metaphorically stepping off the tarmac, from what I now understand, can lead to one developing innovative thinking, problem-solving skills, and perhaps even contributions that benefit everyone. They were, in the words of my diagnostician in a letter to my primary school headteacher one time, "major preoccupations of a psychological nature which will not go away with bullying". Send me your comments and questions Thanks for listening. You can find me on my website stephensevolution.com, or on twitter here. You can sign up to receive news of new episodes when they're released here. Artwork produced by Elena Designe Music composed by Nela Ruiz

    23 min

  7. MAY 13

    A New World Coming Into Focus

    Have you ever wondered what it feels like to experience the world through a different lens? In this personal episode, I take you beneath the surface of autism, sharing my journey through powerful metaphors that illuminate the lived experience of neurodivergence. The metaphor of ‘A New World Coming Into Focus’,reveals how my differences in language processing, social interaction, and perception gradually became clearer. It was not just for me, but for everyone connected to me. I recount my early school experiences, from the initial struggles of “wandering around the classroom" to the transformative moment when educators began to recognise my unique strengths rather than focusing solely on challenges. You'll hear how a supportive primary school environment created the conditions for my growth by embracing flexibility and celebrating my musical talents. This acceptance opened doors to meaningful friendships, social invitations, and a sense of belonging that proved crucial to my development. The episode explores how recognition of my abilities, including piano playing and mental arithmetic, offered a powerful shift in perspective - one that asked "What's this telling us?" rather than "What's wrong?" This episode, for me, highlights the potential of changing our lens when viewing neurodiversity. By identifying what may seem to be different or unusual can actually become meaningful and valuable, we change our understanding of autism. My journey continues to unfold and evolve, but the message remains clear. It is, to take the time to understand differences. For me, this may reveal a richer, more understanding world. Join me in exploring how shifting our perspective can help us all see strengths where others might only see challenges. Send me your comments and questions Thanks for listening. You can find me on my website stephensevolution.com, or on twitter here. You can sign up to receive news of new episodes when they're released here. Artwork produced by Elena Designe Music composed by Nela Ruiz

    17 min

  8. APR 15

    Navigating Quiet Currents of Autism in My Education

    What happens when autism presents without obvious signs? When differences are subtle enough to be noticed but difficult to define? In this personal episode, I aim to explore the concept of "quiet currents beneath the waves". For me, these were the subtle signs of autism that shaped my educational journey without dramatically setting me apart. From early school observations of language repetition and fixations to my preference for solitude and concrete thinking, teachers recognised I processed the world differently but were unsure exactly how. My case was likened to "being in the Pacific Ocean, but within safe reach of the seashore" . They were different enough to notice, but not requiring dramatic intervention. These gentle currents nudged me in different directions, creating challenges with language processing, social interaction, and understanding others' perspectives, while simultaneously highlighting strengths in memory, music, and mathematical calculation. The power of early diagnosis allowed appropriate support to be implemented, including observations by therapists to support me, to teachers who adapted their methods to my visual learning style.  My mainstream education was successful in its own right, not only because of my underlying improvements, but because subtle accommodations made space for my differences. A former headteacher later admitted they’d learned plenty from my case. This episode invites listeners to consider the quietly different people in their lives, and even how small adjustments can make profound differences in helping neurodivergent individuals thrive. Have you ever felt quietly different or known someone who processes the world just a little differently? Share your experiences and join our growing conversation about the full spectrum of neurodiversity. Please note: This episode is the last one before I take a 4 week break from podcasting for Easter. Send me your comments and questions Thanks for listening. You can find me on my website stephensevolution.com, or on twitter here. You can sign up to receive news of new episodes when they're released here. Artwork produced by Elena Designe Music composed by Nela Ruiz

    21 min
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About

Step into the extraordinary world of my podcast, where language comes alive through the lens of my autistic perspective. Like the mist of a sunrise gradually revealing the landscape, my journey with language and communication unfolds with clarity and discovery. Join me as I explore idioms, metaphors, and the nuances of expression, weaving them into the story of my lived experiences. Growing up, language felt like a distant mountain range—challenging yet full of potential. Through reflection and perseverance, I’ve come to understand the profound ways language shapes our connections, perspectives, and growth. My podcast invites you to travel across that landscape with me, exploring a blend of personal insights, linguistic discoveries, and shared understanding. Through straightforward narratives, I aim to uncover how my evolving relationship with language has illuminated new possibilities, much like sunlight breaking through mist. Together, we’ll examine how words and phrases reflect the deeper layers of human experience and discuss strategies to embrace communication challenges with creativity and compassion. Tune in to “A Journey of Language, Growth, and Autism Perspectives” to celebrate resilience, embrace individuality, and uncover the beauty of discovery—both in language and in life. Let’s embark on this adventure of empowerment, understanding, and potential together. You can subscribe to my podcast by visiting https://stephensevolution.ck.page/ca4511fa05 to get notified when new episodes are forthcoming and released.

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