Despite the challenges that I faced or have faced as an autistic man, I am now realizing that I need to have a sense of pride and be proud of myself for fighting the challenges and being proud of how far I have come over the decades of my life.

There are many times in my life that I always want to see the bad or the challenges in my life and not look at the positivity in the present moment. It is seeing that I am looked as a role model for bouncing back through adversity and continuing to do so when challenges are thrown my way. I guess I would attribute the fact that I have spent years in outpatient therapy and in fact that and many other services like psych rehab services have helped me see the real life scenarios of what is expected of me in a world that is just not made for me or many autistic people.

It is fighting the stigma and doing what is needed to accomplish the tasks at hand, even if they seem difficult. It is understanding the expectations in life and knowing that it just has to be the way it is, at least for now and that I have to make the best of it. That it is perfectly fine to be this way and that people see me as the role model even in the current moment, even if it is hard for me to see it as that way.

It is proving the doubters and realizing that I am still fighting the fight and it is better to do that than to give up because there are so many people who see me as an inspiration for the challenges that I have overcome throughout my life and there was always doubt that I would do things like graduate high school, get a job, graduate trade school and community college, live on my own or drive a car, all of those things I have done in one capacity or another and for that I am seen as a role model in many realms including the autistic community, especially other autistic individuals who need that spark of hope to so sometimes get through the day.

It does not mean that I am putting myself on a pedestal, but in fact that is the reality and is the way that I need to sometimes remember that I need to keep myself living in that manner for not only that reason but many others. I have shared a few weeks ago with how autistic people often see the end as the solution when compounded with challenges and in fact I have to always remind myself of how people would see me and by far that is not the solution to the challenges I face in life, even if they may seem difficult, they will get better in the end.

I just push through life because it is something that I know I need to do and prove to the doubters that I can do anything that I put my mind to. It is not allowing that negative energy to enter my brain and divert me to the negativity mindset because it is just wasted time and it just takes so much more time to get back on track from the challenges that I face, It is not having toxic positivity, but understanding the reality and knowing that I have to get through the situations that I face in life the best way that i can.

Yes, I have setbacks, nor I am perfect, but there are many good qualities in my life and seeing them is what gets me through the day and knowing that many others see them too brightens me up and gives me the energy to get through the day and sometimes the hour at times. Always remember that there is a reason to live no matter how challenging the situation.