It can be hard to imagine as an autistic adult that I have been living on my own for many years now. Despite my struggles, I have overcome them and am realizing the need to take care of myself better as it is a signifier of being more stable and able to be well.

Not being able to care for oneself is one of the tale-tale signs that one’s mental health is declining. It is not to say that autism does it part to get in the way of making it uncomfortable to do what is necessary to care for myself, there is just a reality that things just need to be done and doing them will make me feel good, no matter how hard the struggle is.

I know when I do not do what I know I will make me feel better only sets me up for not being motivated to have a good day. It can lead to being unmotivated and willing to do what is needed to make the day successful. Not doing what needs to be done only sets me back further from where I had previously intended to be done because there is no motivation to do what is needed to be done even if it is something small, it matters.

Doing the simple things like being able to take care of myself is one of the best things that I can do to set my day off on the right foot and not resonate on what cannot be done by not getting motivated to do what needs to be done. If there is not an initiative taken, then it will take longer to get the things that need to be done completed, no matter how small they may be. Doing something simple as taking care of myself can go a long way in getting the momentum going for a better day ahead.

It is also a fact that by taking care of myself by making myself more presentable will not cause others to be deterred by a negative reaction to my presence of not caring for myself. There is still a part of me that wants to take pride in how I look when I present myself whether it is in front of the camera or outside of my home, even if it is taking my trash out or going to the mailbox, I constantly fear of what others would think of me if I did not look presentable in the outside world.

It is known that it is good for me to take care of myself in the way that I need to so I can live a well life and be there for the people who need me as there are many who look up to me for the resources and support, I give to many. It takes realizing that I need to keep going and part of that is realizing that it is taking care of myself so that I am able to be presentable when doing what is necessary because it not only makes me feel good, but also desires me to be my best because that is what is expected of the quality of the person that I am.

In essence, it is knowing that caring for myself is an essential part of life that cannot be missed as things will go awry if it is not done in the way that it needs to be done so that the day can be as successful as it needs to be for the challenges that I must endure in my life and have a positive mindset throughout the day, no matter what comes across my path.