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Mad About with Maddy Alexander-Grout
Episode: Internalised Ableism, Burnout & Owning Your Soundtrack

💥 What this episode is about

This is a real, honest chat about internalised ableism — what it is, how it shows up, and why so many neurodivergent and disabled people end up pushing themselves to breaking point trying to “keep up.”

Maddy shares what this has looked like in her own life, from burnout and overworking to navigating new health challenges, and why learning your limits is actually where your power starts.

🧠 In this episode, we cover:

• What internalised ableism actually means (and how it sneaks in)
• Why calling yourself “lazy” is complete bullshit
• The pressure to act “normal” in business and life
• Burnout, guilt, and the toxic productivity trap
• Learning your capacity and working with your energy, not against it
• Why rest is not something you need to earn
• The importance of boundaries, even in your business
• How community can help you unlearn ableist thinking
• The reality of advocating for yourself (and why it’s so hard)
• Accepting new diagnoses and evolving health challenges

🔥 Key takeaways

• You are not broken. Your brain just works differently.
• “Should” belongs in the fuck it bucket
• Pushing through burnout is not strength, it’s self-abandonment
• Your worth is not measured by productivity
• You are allowed to do things in a way that actually works for you
• Support is not a weakness, it’s a strategy

🎧 Maddy’s real-life moments in this episode

• Navigating multiple chronic conditions and new diagnoses
• Coaching clients from bed on low-energy days
• Using a walking stick for the first time and dealing with the mindset around it
• Letting her community step in and support her
• Having honest conversations with her kids about her limits

🌈 Big message

Owning your “soundtrack” means accepting every part of you — your brain, your body, your limits, and your strengths.

When you stop trying to fit into a world that wasn’t designed for you, you can finally start building one that is.

🧩 Resources & mentions

• Access to Work (UK) – Government support for disabled people in employment
• The Maddyverse – Free community for neurodivergent and chronically ill humans
• The Core – Paid membership focused on money, life, business, and support

💬 Final thought

You don’t have to prove your worth by burning out.

You get to build a life and business that actually fits you.

📲 Connect with Maddy

• Instagram: Maddy Talks Money
• TikTok: Mad About Money Official
• More: Maddy Alexander-Grout

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