Recently in life, I have discovered as an autistic person that I struggle with dealing with transitions. This is the act of moving from one activity to the next. Being independent makes the ability to transition from one thing to the next on my own more of a necessity as it is necessary for me to make a living and do the things that I am counted on to do in my life.

While I had never seemed to have a struggle with this when I was living with my parents, it has seemed to have been something because they have always been there to prompt me along the way and their firmness made sure that those things were always done, because if they were not done, there were consequences to be had and I made it a point not to experience them.

However, in independent life, there are things that must be done. I must go to work and make a living, there are things that my family wants me to be doing like church, day service and support groups, and if they are not done, questions will arise about my caring. This takes a lot of skill and time on my part to make sure that my day goes smoothly.

Now adays it takes a lot to do that because of the effects of how transportation involved and how it is necessary to be ready upon its arrival as they will only wait their allotted amount of time and there is a “no show” system that I do not want to be a part of, so I make it a point to be ready not only for these moments, but all instance where it is required for me to transition from one thing to the next, especially when it requires someone transporting me.

In my home there are many clocks that are set to remind me of how much time I have before I must transition to the next activity or when something is ready to be processed. Setting alarms is another terrific way of ensuring that this can be achieved. It has not always been easy for me to realize that I need to move to the next thing but then there is a reality that things need to be done and that there are consequences if connections are not made that make things happen.

 I am grateful for those that are patient in those days when things do not go according to plan, and I am not ready. It takes a lot out of me to get moving at times, even starting my day several hours in advance of when it is time to leave the house. This can result in needing earlier bedtimes because of the need to get the necessary sleep to start the day off on the right foot.

In the end, it takes a lot for me to deal with transitions and manage the challenges that life brings along the way, yet there is a necessity that things must be done and that is what makes me forge through the challenges to transition from one thing to the next.