As an autistic adult I am aware that everyday things drain me. I have built a balanced life but that doesn’t mean imbalance doesn’t have its place too. “What I can cope with is immense. If you could feel it and stay standing you would be in awe of autistic people.”
Category: Positivity
Being an optimist can be hard work
I didn’t grow up an optimist. I don’t think it’s my natural setting. I’m naturally a pragmatist and over-thinker, which can lead to being frozen in time. When you think of every possible permutation of what could happen, you have to think of the catastrophic too. I’m a natural risk assessor. I’m good at ranking … Continue reading Being an optimist can be hard work
Autistic Pride
Today is Autistic Pride day and I am contemplating what that means to me. My journey since discovering I was autistic has been one of ups and downs. I’ve had a lot of rethinking to do, a lot of processing, a ridiculous number of times exclaiming, ‘Oh that’s why I reacted like that; it was … Continue reading Autistic Pride
Autistic Joy
I remember the first time I heard the term Autism actually being applied to someone: I was seventeen, it was 1997, and I was volunteering with a local respite care team during the Summer Holidays. There was a huge group of children with various disabilities and difficulties, and I was there to... well... play with … Continue reading Autistic Joy
Autistic Health and Wellbeing
It’s been a busy few months, but Florence Neville of FlorenceNeville.com and I are so happy to announce a whole new website dedicated to Autistic Health and Wellbeing This is a place run by autistic people for autistic people. It's based on Flo's Masters project which looked into how some autistic people use their focus and … Continue reading Autistic Health and Wellbeing
Autistic Heroes
It’s hard not to watch Greta Thunberg speak without being overcome by two things; the first - and strongest - is admiration, and the second is envy. I don’t envy her the criticism she has had levelled at her. I don’t envy her the comments made by those who have no clue whatsoever about autism. … Continue reading Autistic Heroes
Finding your Polytunnel: Autism
What on Earth has a polytunnel got to do with autism? What even is a polytunnel? What are you talking about? Is this a tangent too far? All fair questions, and all with answers - tangential as they might be. I’m writing this from my polytunnel. It’s a ten metre, steel-framed structure covered in some … Continue reading Finding your Polytunnel: Autism
Mindfulness for the Perpetually Mindful
I had a marvellous time recently at the Welsh Autism Conference run by ASDinfoWales. It was a carefully thought out day run for adult autistic people without additional learning difficulties. Many of the speakers and people running workshops were autistic, and it was my pleasure to have been invited to run a couple of workshops … Continue reading Mindfulness for the Perpetually Mindful
Happy New Year
Ah, the end of year. A time to reflect on what has passed and what is yet to come. A time for change - or at least a time for thinking about change and then deciding against it. When I ponder about how 2018 has changed me, I can’t help but think that 2017 seems … Continue reading Happy New Year
The Power of Empathy
I’m one of those people who uses humour to deflect. When someone compliments me, or says something kind, I usually have a witty quip to help me emotionally duck-under their emotional reaching-out. But here’s the thing, “Many a true word is spoken in jest.” I’ve always thought that only applies to people being mean. I … Continue reading The Power of Empathy
Autism and Expectations 