There have been times when I want things to go as they should go. As an autistic person, I want things to go according to the plan that I think they should go. But as time progresses, I am learning there is more of a need to be flexible as there can be many factors that make things not go as expected.

In the past two decades I have been more flexible. But there have been times that I have not allowed myself to be flexible when things change suddenly and all I want to do is finish what I am undergoing. It can be frustrating when there is something that causes what I have expected to happen to not go according to plan.

Recently I have discovered that there can be a lot of variables in the way I get to and from work and day services that there can be stops added, taken off or destinations added that I do not expect are part of the daily milieu. When it has already been a long day, all that I want to do is go home, but that process is further delayed by variables being thrown in the mix of my return home, hence making it difficult for me to be able to be satisfied.

However, it is important to remain calm about the situation to not only make the ride go smoothly but also the fact that many of my peers look up to me for being the one that they respect and can get through the same challenges that they are also experiencing. It is also important to remember to keep my composure to meet the transit system’s expectations and not be suspended from much needed services for any amount of time.

Of course, I have a right to be frustrated when things do not go as expected. But it is Important to not react because I mentioned in the above paragraph. There could be other reasons, but those are mine. There can be various reasons in any situation when things could have variables thrown at them. It is important overall to remember that it is perfectly acceptable when things do not go according to plan and that the best thing that can be done is to always remain calm no matter what.

There may be a desire to take out your frustrations at others and there can be constructive ways to do so in a dignified way  that ensures quiet and calm conversations, but certainly not when you are frustrated and can only think about what is at the top of your head. You may not fully understand what is going on or see that there was a reason behind the variables that were put in place or why something was put in place.

There may be a time for dialogue later, but in the end, is what you are facing going to matter later or is it going to be that something that is going to only be temporary for the time being that will go away when it is all said and done? It is important to always think about what you are going to say before you act and whether it is going to matter in the grand scheme of things or whether you just need to sit back and learn to be flexible.

Indeed, not everything is going to go as expected. There are going to be hiccups during whatever actions you are going to experience, but most importantly what matters is how you respond to things when everything is not going as planned. Be the person that can be the shining example of who other people look to be. Be the person that you know  that you can be when it necessary to keep your composure together when things do not go as expected.