Continuing the journey with yesterday’s adulting special, I shared how I crumbled to rock bottom over the past three years and built myself back to near where I was. While I do admit that I am in no way perfect, I am continuing to make progress as time progresses. As the weather has resulted in me being home more than not, I have been surprised that I have been able to stay mentally well.
I am at a place now where I am more content and can learn from experience. Compared to even a few months ago when you could see small signs by me masking when I wasn’t doing what I needed to do, there has been an improvement and many of my supporters can see a difference.
Much of that can be contributed to being regimented to a routine that at times can have some flexibility to it as necessary. Change is never easy, but at times it is a necessary evil. With the multiple snow events in Western Pennsylvania it has shown me the resilience that I may need to change my schedule with short notice and being able to follow my regimented routines can aid that process to some degree, with modification as necessary so that my needs and the needs of others can be met..
I have more clarity than I did even some months ago when I was continuing to flirt with sleep, medicine, etc. Until around the first of this year, I struggled a bit with it before finally being on a longer stretch practicing more wellness and mindfulness techniques. Keeping occupied helps in this arena by not occupying my brain with ruminating thoughts of future events which I have little control of.
It can be hard to hear changes to one’s routine, especially if one is autistic. We see things in a all or nothing method many times and are unwilling to wiggle and make changes. 2022, especially with the events of winter has made necessary the changes to not think of just me and my needs, but the needs of the bottom line. While I may feel that is the necessary or liked move, it is not my place to answer what needs to be done. I may need to modify my schedule and being well can help me adapt to the sudden changes in my schedule if that becomes necessary.
As stated throughout my blog writing, 2022 has opened the door to becoming more flexible and experiencing things that I hadn’t before. Being well is a facet that must be adhered to and part of that is understanding the need to get sleep when necessary. Although at times our brain is energized with thoughts and the world is shutting down for the night, it is a double-edge sword that I must know that has to be adhered to in order to be well.
This facet of being well is something that is just as important of the many other factors of wellness that must be adhered to and I can continue to see an improvement as time goes on. I have to continue to try my best so that I can be ready to adapt to necessary changes as they come down the pike and be able to change gears on a whim which I know many autistics struggle in. I have the tools in my wellness toolbox to be able to meet the unpleasantness mudder past it and make the great out of a changing situation that I may not prefer. I have overcome so many obstacles in my life, this is minimal compared to the big picture.
Dustin's Dynasty 