EP 173: Every Expert Said She Would Fail. She Made Dean's List Anyway with Michelle Steiner

<p>What do you do when the people who are supposed to guide you keep pointing you toward a life that doesn&#39;t feel like yours? Michelle Steiner was diagnosed with a learning disability in kindergarten, and from that moment forward, she heard a steady stream of voices telling her what she couldn&#39;t do, where she couldn&#39;t go, and what kind of future she should settle for. </p><p><br></p><p>From the teacher who pushed trade school to the professor who called disability accommodations cheating, Michelle&#39;s path to a bachelor&#39;s degree, a published writing career, and a 30-year writing community was anything but straightforward. What carried her through wasn&#39;t blind optimism - it was a quiet, stubborn decision to try without needing to know the outcome first.</p><p><br></p><p>In this conversation, Michelle opens up about navigating a learning disability in a system that wasn&#39;t built for her, the moment a second-grade dinosaur story changed how she saw herself, and why reclaiming the narrative of her own life became the most powerful thing she ever did. She also shares what it&#39;s like to now work alongside students with disabilities, helping them find their voice and advocate for the support they need - sometimes by walking them to the teacher&#39;s desk herself. Michelle&#39;s story is a reminder that the chapters you never planned are often the ones that teach you the most about who you actually are.</p><p>🔗 CONNECT WITH MICHELLE STEINER</p><p>Website: https://www.michellesmission.com/</p><p>Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steiner7250/</p><p>Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.steiner.493966/</p><p>🎙 CONNECT WITH INTO THE UNKNOWN</p><p>Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4n2uAZM9TVx5lRJSwTdHAT</p><p>Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/into-the-unknown/id1696159081</p><p>Website: https://www.swickmedia.com/podcast.htmlInstagram: https://instagram.com/pod.intotheunkonwnTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theaveragehistorianFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pod.intotheunknown</p><p>If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it - and subscribe so you never miss a story.</p>