Living Right Side Out with Andy J. Pizza

69 snips

May 5, 2025

Join Andy J. Pizza, a vibrant podcaster and illustrator, as he shares his journey of embracing ADHD. He dives into the struggles of masking, the costs of conformity, and the importance of authenticity. Andy reflects on how those with ADHD can thrive in creative spaces and the joy of self-acceptance. He also shares tips on productivity and creativity, highlighting the balance between spontaneity and structure. Discover how living 'right side out' can lead to a more fulfilling life.

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ANECDOTE

Pizza Shirt Memorial Masking

Andy once arrived at a memorial wearing his favorite pizza shirt with a skeleton hand holding pizza, which was inappropriate for the event.
He quickly reversed the shirt inside out to avoid offending others, illustrating the concept of masking through a literal example.

INSIGHT

Forgetting Your True Self

Masking can become so habitual that people forget their authentic selves over time.
Living "right side out" means embracing who you truly are rather than constantly hiding parts of yourself.

ANECDOTE

Safe Spaces for Authenticity

Being around other ADHD people creates a safe and celebratory space where you feel more comfortable and authentic.
For Andy, finding such places in theater and art helped him appreciate that difference is what makes you special.

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Hey Team!

This week we’ve got a really fun episode, I’m talking with ANDY J. PIZZA - well that was weird… Let’s try that again - ANDY J. PIZZA - All right, let’s just go with it.

Andy is a podcaster, illustrator, and creative thinker who’s built a career by embracing the parts of himself that used to feel like liabilities. Andy’s the host of Creative Pep Talk, and his Right Side Out podcast series dives into what happens when you stop trying to pass for neurotypical and start living a little more like yourself. Andy was diagnosed in his twenties, and his experience navigating masking, creative burnout, and late-in-life self-acceptance forms the core of what we’re talking about today.

In our conversation, we talk about the costs of masking, the weird middle ground between accommodation and authenticity, and the realization that sometimes we forget who we are because we’ve been trying so hard to be someone else. We also get into creative practice, novelty, and his favorite ADHD-friendly productivity hacks. And of course, we talk about what it means to live “right side out,” and what it really means to show up authentically.

This was definitely one of my favorite episodes I’ve recorded so far this year, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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Listen to the Climbing the Walls podcast here!

If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/221

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This Episode's Top Tips

1. Masking isn’t inherently a bad thing, but it certainly is when we’re doing it all the time and unconsciously. We want to be intentional about when and why we mask, and aim for authenticity when possible.
2. It’s okay to embrace opposing truths. We need structure and flexibility, goals and play. We don’t have to fall into all-or-nothing thinking, and this can help us balance some of these ADHD “contradictions”.
3. Celebrate difference, don’t just tolerate it. Safe spaces are good, but celebration spaces—where your uniqueness is actively valued—are better. Look for relationships or communities where people enjoy your way of being, not just what you can do