As a person with multiple challenges over the years, negative self-talk is something that I have experienced as recently as yesterday. It can be a continual battle to see beyond the challenges that I experience and be proud of all the accomplishments that I have made over the years. It is not that I want to glorify all the good in me, but there are times when I get down on myself and think about the negative. While not nearly as bad as my negative self-talk once was, it still is something that I must battle from time to time.

Often being someone who was in a environment that was not made for me, most often what I had a challenge with or what I could not do was often brought to the forefront of any situation that I was in. Unfortunately, I grew up in a world where I did not receive my final diagnoses until I was 13 and as a result, I was often seen as a problem in the world. It was not that it was manageable, but growing up I always knew I was different and while things did have to be addressed, they were always done in a non-inclusive negative manner that was at times condescending and consequential.

I will admit that those intended to support me or the lack of support that I did have was no one’s fault. They were trying to help me, but no one knew how. Because when I was growing up, Asperger’s Syndrome was not known and even after I was diagnosed, those caring for me did not know how to care for or support for me. Some of those providers that I have had throughout the decades did apologize for not being able to care for me in the best way possible, and I have graciously accepted their apologies.

White there is no resentment for past ways, there was often in all respects of my support and treatment systems more focus on what I could not do or on the issues at hand. While autism is not always sunny, especially with a mix of puberty, things were certainly different for me and as a result, my brain was and is often thinking about what is wrong with me or what I cannot do.

It has had a negative effect on accepting that sometimes my good is just enough. It takes embracing when things don’t go right or there is a struggle with me that it is important to not be hard or put myself down because something is a struggle. As human beings, we all struggle in life in our own different ways but is in no way to be totally miserable or play a pity party for yourself because something is more challenging for me.

It is also embracing what I can do and what happens in that process is good enough for me. It has taken a long time for me to embrace my challenges for what they are even though I and others were in denial. I have been diagnosed by one of the best experts that I know, and I have had to wholeheartedly come to terms with ALL of my challenges, but that doesn’t give me an excuse to throw a pity party or deny facts that I cannot do things that other people do.

It may be in a way that is unorthodox or may not be enough but gets the point done. If it is not enough, then it takes embracing what is and not producing negative self-talk or throwing myself a pity party that I cannot do something. Rather, it is important to embrace what it is for what it is and not denying or downplaying the fact that I have my own unique needs and challenges and accepting them for what they are or accepting the help, assistance or accommodation that is necessary for me to have my needs met for myself as a human being.

Nonetheless, I know that I am an amazing person and I need to embrace myself and be proud of the person that I am and not the person that other people are, We are all made different in this world and as such as humans in general, we should embrace ourselves as we are by not listening to negative self-talk and embracing what is good in our lives, whether it is seen by ourselves or others. We rock!