In a world where many are experiencing COVID fatigue as we are in the third year of it, many don’t want to hear about it. In reality, because of the early unknowns and the preventative actions of government leaders as they are, they were only trying what was best with what little information they had at their disposal at the time, and were only trying to make sound decisions to protect us at the time.
I and many had to learn to reprogram ourselves from the setbacks we experienced as a result of our routines being halted at the onset abruptly for what was then an uncertain amount of time. The systems that serve us along with those that supported us had little answers as many in the world did not. Living in a world where we very much couldn’t see into what we were supposed to do with the time that we had earmarked on a routine basis was a struggle for sure.
I personally experienced the triple whammy of issues at the onset of the pandemic. A month before we were ordered to remain home, I had to leave my first home suddenly and live temporarily with my parents. When those two things blended together with a mix of not taking care of myself mentally was a recipe for disaster that through the lack of necessary support that didn’t result in breakdown.
However, within a few months of closing the door on my first apartment the door opened on my current home and we seemed to make advances all amid managing the pandemic to repair the damage of the first living experience and the setbacks from living with my parents. Eventually things started to open back up again so things could be more enjoyable outside what was the only things I knew for over a year, but some things had resulted as it did in many autistics.
While I was lucky to have things somewhat gradually improve as the pandemic moved forward over the last few years, I had to re-establish many things and this gave the opportunity for setting new ways of doing things and improving the things that I know were not working for me in the first experience. Some personal growth had to be done to learn just what did I need to regain through all the changes I experienced from all the student changes including two moves within the span of 5 months and finally accepting that things in the present one needed to be accepted as what they are and to be grateful for the opportunity provided to me that was just by pure luck.
As a new normal was established as the pandemic continued it had been discover that some of the coping skills I had acquired prior to being set back at the onset of the pandemic had went away although knowing that if I had chose to not return to things and remain the same way that may had not been the case, in fact they could have worsen as it has among autists. While I had lost some of the skills necessary to live life and go through the motions and be able to manage them as I once did, I have hope that I will get things back in rhythm again and be able to get back to where I want to continue my journey.
Although, it isn’t easy to accept the fact that I have to work on the skills that I once had again, but maybe it will result in better outcomes and a better outlook on life and not be stuck in the same traps that I can never seem to find my way out of that keeps the behaviors that I experience cycling. I don’t like the behaviors that I experience as it keeps me from doing the things that I enjoy and living the life I deserve. We will get there, Rome wasn’t built in a day and I have to remember all the stuff that happened before and during the pandemic that set me back that I am stronger and that I am resilient and will continue to be.
Dustin's Dynasty 