Over the past few years, many people have left my life. I really relied on them being there for a long time. They stayed longer than what I had expected. Some I had plenty of notice, some of it was by a simple text message. Other things that have been a constant in my life have also been difficult to let go. In the end, I learned that autistic people like me struggle with change. Still, there is time to grieve. Eventually, you have to let go, put the past in the past, and move on.

As I earlier stated, change is never easy for an autistic person. The same applies to things when we least expect it. Sometimes there are things that you feel will never be the same. In the same vein, it isn’t often about your needs. Sometimes it is important to let go of things that you don’t realize are helping you. You sometimes want to believe they are going to be there for you. You think they are actually healthy for you. You eventually realize how much better your life is or be when change happens.

There have been many things that have be hard to accept that are no longer in my life. I wanted to be angry about some things. I placed the blame on those behind the changes. I felt this way because I believed they were only thinking about themselves. I also thought they just don’t care about you.

You will see that same person you were led to believe was someone to be avoided. This happens when you least expect it. That same person will be the one you need to have when all other supports are not there. It was hard to accept and give someone a chance. Understanding that each human is different and has their own unique challenges is not a reason to bash them. You must realize how you feel based on your own opinions, not those you are led to believe. This is something that many autistic people, myself included, often struggle to do.

But they say history is just history. Holding on to what was will only continue to hurt you. There have been some things that have taken me a long time to let go of. Eventually, reality set in. I realized that it was not healthy to keep holding on to someone or something that wasn’t coming back. I didn’t realize how unhealthy and sometimes toxic it was in my life.

I’ll admit, it can be hard to let go of things. This is especially true when they have been in your life for a long time. Over time, you will see more of the challenges you have faced. You will recognize what needs to be let go of. Accepting that you are not meant to have things in your life forever can help. Realizing the potential for things to get better is also valuable. While there is time to grieve, you find it hard to imagine life without someone or something initially. Still, starting the process of learning to let go will ultimately feel better. As time moves ahead, things will lessen and ease.

Letting go of the past hasn’t been easy. I’ve held on to things for a very long time. Often, they are stuck in my wonderful brain. I know I must do better at putting the past behind me. I need to move ahead with life the way that it is now. It must be the best it can be. I know my mental health is the top priority. It matters the most, along with having the necessary support to be successful in the world we live in.