Over the last few weeks, I have begun to understand and accept just what being autistic is and accepting that there are things of me that are just because of being autistic. No matter how hard it can be to want to push certain flaws and other necessities because of being autistic, I am seeing that they are just going to be there, and it is better to just accept them for what they are instead of wanting to push them away.

There are just going to be things that are going to be more challenging than what they are for my neurotypical counterparts. I have begun to accept that while in some cases I have the things I need to help me get through them much easier, it is not being ashamed for needing to have what is necessary or may look different for me than others. It is also learning to accept things like thoughts, scripts, and the fact that other things are just more difficult. There is no reason to get bent out of shape because these are just parts of being autistic.

While there can be those aforementioned things, it is also embracing the things that bring good qualities as a part of being autistic and not being frustrated for having them. Indeed, navigating the social landscape can be quite challenging and there can be quite the expectation for connection and relationships for the intention of making me feel better about myself. The truth is that I do feel good about myself most days and just being able to make connections on a deeper level with others is only setting me up for a more challenging situation.

Granted, I agree that there are some things that I need to do in life to better myself, I only know that they will come in time when they are ready to appear in my life when I am mentally ready to conquer them. I also agree that I sometimes need to push outside of my comfort zone and do things that I need to do to make myself feel more independent and ready to conquer the world when there is less of a presence of those that support me because it is more guaranteed that it will happen, but being prepared for when it happens will be key in making the transition go more smoothly.

Life has been challenging for me when I set out to live on my own, but I am now getting the hang of how things are working for the time being. I am proud of myself for having the opportunities that I have, fighting through some pretty tough moments to get out the door to do the things that I do. There is a part of me that realizes that there has been a lot of changes over the past few years and although I have had some setbacks in getting through and accepting them, I have overcome them by being resilient and doing what has been necessary for me to thrive in the world that I need to thrive in.

Iti is about choosing to live the way that I want to. Understanding and Accepting Autism for what it is and not letting it get in my way because I know that I am valuable of great things.