We recently connected with Lindsay Malkinson and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lindsay thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?

From the girl who used to get her hair cut in a shopping buggy while eating a sucker…
From the girl who hid under her desk during fire drills because the noise and chaos was just too much…
From the girl who used to go to the dentist and have the receptionist come in with me because my anxiety was so high…
To the woman I am today. 💛
✅ I go to the dentist on my own now.

✅ I have my full class 5 driver’s license.
✅ I lead an Instagram community of almost 5,000 people, advocating for autism and sharing hope.
✅ I have completed college. I have my ECEA CERTIFICATION-Early Childhood Education Certification

✅ I am an entrepreneur of a mental health business advocating for others with diverse abilities 🌍✨

✅ I have shared my story on not one, not two but eight podcasts.

✅ I have written a chapter in a collaboration book about my autism.

✅ I work hard, and I accomplish anything I set my mind towards.
I’m so proud of myself.
Every milestone might seem “small” to someone else, but to me, they’re proof that growth is possible—that challenges don’t define you—and that you can create a life you once thought was out of reach.

Lindsay , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I love advocating for others on the autism spectrum because I want others to know they aren’t alone in this world. I love helping others to learn more about autism and navigate life on the autism spectrum. I was diagnosed with autism when I was in Grade,6 when I was 11 years old. I used to be really scared to socialize with others. I have a very difficult time with making and keeping friends because when I find a friend I care about I care too much. My word for 2026 is growth. Growth happens by stepping out of our comfort zones and showing up and doing things even when we are afraid. Life is full of obstacles. I’m not going to lie or sugarcoat it having autism is really hard but through my Amare business I have found the courage to be more outgoing and positive. Having a positive mindset is really important. 1 in 4 people struggle with their mental health which is a staggering number the only way we are going to end the stigma is by talking about it. That’s why I’m so grateful to be apart of Amare because Amare is the mental wellness company, It has helped me to step outside of my comfort zone and I have found I’m a lot more confident and outgoing because I used to hide my autism because I didn’t want anyone to know. I was really afraid of judgement and what others would think of me. And because I have been hurt it took a long time for me to embrace my autism but I’m so proud of how far I’ve come because now I get to inspire others going through similar situations. It helps give others hope for a brighter future.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In my life I’ve actually had to pivot a lot more than I want to admit. That’s the hardest part for me about having autism I have had to pivot from what my life looks like to what it actually looks like. From an early age I had goals, dreams and visions of what I thought my life would look like by a certain age. I thought I’d own a home, get married, have children all by a certain time frame. I’ve learnt that life doesn’t happen the way we want it to for me anyways. I’ve had to work really hard on not playing the comparison game, I use to get really down on myself when I saw how far along my peers were that were my age. It was so hard. Although now I am so proud of how far I’ve come. That’s not to say those things won’t eventually happen one day they just didn’t happen on my time line, I’m so proud though because I have reached milestones and goals and I’m so proud of myself despite the challenges I do face everyday, For instance I have my class 5 drivers license and I have completed college and have my Grade,12 Dogwood Diploma and I earned high academic achievement awards. I have also written a chapter in a collaboration book so I’m a best selling author all of my proceeds from the book went back to a family in Nicaragua to help build the family a home who didn’t have a home of their own. I love giving back when I can.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Something that I think is helpful for succeeding in my field is lived in experiences. I have struggled with my mental health before and I know what it feels like to be so down on yourself that you can’t see the light of day ahead. I am so proud of myself because I know what it feels like to grieve and be so sad that you don’t think things will get better because when you are in that state of mind it’s really difficult to see the light on the other side. Lived in experiences are so important because it helps others to feel heard and like they are not alone in this world. We all have difficult times in life, Everyday might not be great but there’s in fact something to be grateful for everyday.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://amare.com/en-us/g10/globalshop/ca/1477864
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiringessentials?igsh=dXFrbmtrYXh5anVq&utm_source=qr
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