When it comes to doing new things, autistic people often struggle the most. This is often caused by overwhelming anxiety that something can and will go wrong. The hardest part of doing new or unfamiliar things is taking those first steps when doing something new or unfamiliar. It can be very difficult initially. Yet, once we are warmed up, we feel much more relief. Over time, it becomes easier.

There can be a great sense of fear when we do not know what to expect in the outside world. Often there is a perception of what can happen. Even though it is very unlikely that something bad will happen, it is often on my mind. This fear can hold me back. I do know that I need to do certain things to exist in this world. But initiating them can be the hardest. Oftentimes it is the anxiety mixed in with the social skills complexes that make things difficult. We often see barriers. These barriers seem trivial to others. They are not as big as we perceive them as autistic folks.

As hard as it can be to do what we have to do, we eventually do it. But it is those in those moments before that are the hardest. I often want to run away from the issues. I fear that facing them will not work out. It can be especially hard when I have to step outside of my comfort zone. Doing things that seem uncomfortable to me adds to the challenge. But there are times when we must meet expectations. We have to put our fears to the side and push through.

Feeling anxiety is one of the worst feelings ever. Especially when there is ruminating thoughts involved. It can be hard to focus on the things that bring you joy. Your mind is preoccupied with the issues you have to deal with. Instead, you think about running away from them. But it takes fighting the anxiety, no matter how hard it is. Do what you know you can. Start to feel comfortable doing them.

For many years I would avoid doing the things that produced added anxiety. I was capable of doing what was asked of me. Yet, I feared that something bad would happen to me. This fear would result in an issue arising. My social skills have improved greatly over the years. Still, there is a sense of something not going in my favor. I worry about getting in trouble for doing what was needed. As autistic people, we often second guess ourselves. We do this if we believe something is going to happen or if we sense something is out of line. This in turn makes it even more difficult for us to handle unfamiliar situations. It includes taking the first steps in the tasks at hand.

I know it’s important to take those first steps. It can be hard to face things that are uncomfortable to me. In the beginning, it can seem like the worst thing to do. Still, over time, it can become easier for me to get acclimated to what I need to do.