Your Dark Side Can Also Shine

Employee Spotlight Profile
 

Ángela Castro, Senior Digital Editor, Modern Machine Shop México and Plastics Technology México

  

It was my first day attending the master's I won a scholarship for in Spain. As you can tell, I was excited to be there.

Have you felt that you said something improper or out of context without meaning it? Have you experienced social awkwardness? Most of us endure that at some point in our lives, but what happens when all those isolated situations end in a possible diagnosis that makes you question yourself and your life? It happened to me and led me on a self-discovery journey that gave me more reasons to embrace myself and be thankful for ending up working in a place that encourages people "to bring your authentic self to work."

I am Angela Castro, I am 38, and until early this year, I thought I had defined all the labels I would carry for the rest of my life. I was wrong. It all started when connecting the dots. I have always felt social anxiety, have always been a loner and a bit grumpy, struggling to connect with others' emotions and to express mine. But it is nothing serious, nothing too strenuous to carry. You are what you are and do what you do; it was good enough for me. However, earlier this year, I started feeling embarrassed, which I had never experienced, so I decided to investigate if there was anything out of place in myself. I needed answers.

I Googled a list of "symptoms" (don't do it) and ended up in an online Asperger’s test. I found myself nodding on each question and shaking when reading the results: “An 80% probability that you are on the autism spectrum.” Of course, I wasn't expecting that outcome.

While going through some medical appointments and interviews to figure out what was happening, I started investigating the condition. Like most of us, I first focused on the characteristics that made me uncomfortable: First-person focus, social difficulties, obsessions, etc. Fortunately, the research also showed me the shine, the bright side, and the peculiarities that make me a good person and a good employee, with or without Asperger's (a diagnosis that wasn’t yet confirmed).

I didn't have many friends in college, and I wasn't really a source of fun. Still, I got my bachelor's degree in Journalism with a Summa Cum Laude distinction and a scholarship for outstanding performance. Years later, I won a scholarship for a master's degree in journalism from a Spain-based organization, and I spent a year studying and working in one of the most renowned press agencies for Spanish-speaking countries. I achieved it all while experiencing social awkwardness, and now that I think about it, somehow, I learned how to deal with and own the issue.

I have solid and particular interests, common in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). I am passionate about learning new things by myself, and once I find something I want to know about, it is tough for me to move on until I feel I've mastered it.

Recording interviews or editing them is where mostly you will see me at a trade show. Credit: Hainbuch.

I also enjoy spending a long time reading, writing, or working on a project that often starts with the idea of learning something new and then finding ways to apply it to my job. As a Digital Editor for GBM's Mexican brands, there is plenty of space to innovate and find new resources to meet our readers' and clients' expectations. Somehow, I've found the formula to make my "weirdness" beneficial to the business.

For example, I heard about a data visualization tool that sounded interesting to explore. I spent nights and weekends learning how to use it, and then came up with dozens of templates to monitor and manage the statistics of Gardner Business Media's Mexican websites. No one was asking me to do so; no one knew I was working on it; I just felt the need and found the space to use it.

Fortunately, I ended up working in a place where "what you contribute is what matters" and that it's true, not a corporate slogan. I always have something in my mind I want to do, and I've always found ears open to listen and the encouragement to keep going. This company does love ideas and creativity and gives us the tools and the time to do things better or learn from mistakes.

I also love writing, and although my title and daily tasks don't allow too much space for it, I've managed to keep doing it so far. I can propose topics or work on things on my own, and there is always someone open to teaching, offering you guidance, and helping you reach your goals. I was beyond happy when I got my first cover story on MMS, and it was not only because it was mine but also because it was the evidence that this is a place in which what I can do is not limited by the title on my business card, but by the boundaries I put on myself.

Eduardo Tovar, editor-in-chief of Modern Machine Shop México, and Natalia Ortega, editor-in-chief of Plastics Technology México have always supported me while working for their brands and are great role models for the entire editorial team.

I can keep listing everything I love doing until it's too much for others. So, I've answered this question many times: When is it enough for you? The inquiry always comes from a place of grace and empathy, and although I don't always have the correct answer, it is comforting knowing that your coworkers care.

I thought my journey of self-discovery ended with the psychologist's answer: “There is no need to label who you are; just embrace it.” Technically speaking, I do not meet all the criteria for the autism spectrum. I am somewhere in the middle. One middle I can live with.

However, just a few weeks after finishing my own psychologist's appointments, my son was sent to a neuropsychologist for outstanding school performance. Later, he was diagnosed as a gifted child, and as a family we started a new mental journey to realize that discovering yourself is never over; it's an endless road.

My conclusion: love, care, and be compassionate with the oddity that lives in yourself.

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Ángela Castro, Senior Digital Editor
Modern Machine Shop México and Plastics Technology México
Gardner Business Media, Inc.
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About the Author

Ángela Castro

Ángela Castro is the Senior Digital Editor of Modern Machine Shop México and Plastics Technology México. She is a Cum Laude journalist with a master's degree in agency journalism and advanced studies in digital journalism and copyediting. She has more than 15 years of experience researching, writing, and producing journalistic texts in different formats for B2B publications focused on manufacturing and business. She joined Gardner Business Media in 2019.