Yoga, Dyslexia and the Power of Neurodiversity

I recently watched Jamie’s Dyslexia Revolution, a deeply personal and powerful documentary that follows chef and entrepreneur Jamie Oliver as he explores the impact of dyslexia on his own life, and the lives of young people today. As someone diagnosed with dyslexia at 37, I found myself nodding along with so much of what was shared. The missed signs, the internalised stress, the quiet question of Why does everything feel harder for me?

For me, my dyslexia often shows up in subtle; but impactful, ways. I don’t always struggle with reading or writing, which can lead people (and myself) to overlook it. But my challenges with delayed oral communication, particularly under pressure, have shaped so many professional experiences. In my previous career in complex, fast-paced corporate environments, I often felt overwhelmed, anxious, and exhausted, not because I didn’t care or wasn’t capable, but to put it simply, because my brain processes information differently.

And that difference isn’t a flaw. It’s a form of neurodiversity, a naturally occurring variation in the human brain.

One area that doesn’t get talked about enough is coordination. Many people with dyslexia also experience challenges with motor skills, balance, spatial awareness, and left-right processing. This can affect everything from handwriting to sports to simply following movement sequences. For years, I pushed myself in environments where coordination was expected but never adapted for, leaving me feeling clumsy, self-conscious, or just “a beat behind.”

When I discovered yoga, it felt like coming home to a new way of being in my body. A way that was slower, kinder, and rooted in connection, not comparison. Yoga offered something that traditional exercise never did for me, an invitation to notice, feel, and honour my experience, without needing to ‘perform’ it.

I’ve since gone on to train to become a yoga therapist, and I now see the profound value of yoga in supporting neurodivergent individuals, especially those navigating dyslexia, anxiety, or burnout from constantly trying to keep up in a world designed for neurotypical processing. Yoga meets us where we are. It softens the nervous system, enhances proprioception, and offers a compassionate pathway into the body, even when the mind feels noisy or disjointed.

It’s also a space where we can reframe the story. Dyslexia doesn’t mean you’re not smart. It doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. In fact, many of the world’s most successful, innovative entrepreneurs are dyslexic, not despite their dyslexia, but because of the unique way they think.

Here are some powerful stats shared in Jamie’s Dyslexia Revolution that speak volumes:

• Around 10 to 15 percent of pupils are dyslexic and roughly 25 percent of each class may experience some form of neurodiversity

• An estimated 870,000 children in the UK are dyslexic, many without formal diagnosis

• Dyslexic students are 3.5 times more likely to be expelled from school

• Expelled students are 200 percent more likely to become involved in violent crime

• Around 50 percent of the UK prison population has undiagnosed learning difficulties

• Dyslexia screening is not mandatory in UK schools

• The documentary highlights Jamie’s struggle with reading from an autocue, a moment that felt painfully familiar

To me, these statistics make it clear. The system is still not set up to support neurodivergent learners early on. And yet, despite these challenges, many people with dyslexia grow into incredibly successful lives and careers.

Here are just a few well-known entrepreneurs and changemakers who are dyslexic:

1. Jamie Oliver – Chef, author, and advocate for neurodiverse children

2. Richard Branson – Founder of Virgin Group

3. Steve Jobs – Co-founder of Apple (believed to have been dyslexic)

4. Ingvar Kamprad – Founder of IKEA

5. Tommy Hilfiger – Fashion designer

6. Walt Disney – Creator of Disney (believed to have had dyslexia)

7. Whoopi Goldberg – Actor, comedian, and producer

8. Steven Spielberg – Film director and producer

9. Keira Knightley – Actor

10. Cher – Musician

What many of these people have in common is creativity, tenacity, and the ability to see things from a different angle. Dyslexia often comes with strengths like problem-solving, empathy, big-picture thinking, and entrepreneurial risk-taking.

Yoga gives us the chance to reconnect with those strengths, to feel into our bodies, regulate our nervous systems, and rewrite the internal narrative of “not enough” that so many of us carry.

I love the affirmation "I am enough".

To those who’ve received a late diagnosis like me: be gentle with yourself. You didn’t fail, the system failed to recognise you. But you are here now, and you get to build new ways of being, living, and thriving.

To the world: it’s time we stop asking neurodivergent people to fit into narrow boxes and start creating more expansive, compassionate, and embodied spaces where everyone can flourish.

Naomi Hurst