Life can be hard. When you are autistic like me, it can be even harder. The brain can cause you to think differently about many things. These can shift your priorities. There have been many times when my priorities were not right. Close friends and family had to help me get them back in place. Ultimately, I had to realize that it was my responsibility to do what was right. I needed to have the mindset to do what I need to do. This would make changes for the better.

Granted, until last year, things were not always perfect. I was in no way making the right decisions for my mental health. This would be passed down onto others by making them feel miserable and me being irritated and frustrated with things. I did not realize until late last year that taking care of my mental health was crucial. It helped me become my optimal self. As a result, I am capable of doing what I need to do to be a better person.

I continued to build myself better. I began to see that I needed to be the driving force behind making changes. These changes were for the betterment of not only myself but also those in my presence. I realized that not taking care of my mental health was hurting me. It was not just me that I was hurting. I was also hurting the things to which I was connected. I had to start to see that it was important to care for myself each day. No matter how hard it was, self-care mattered the most. This care gave me the capacity to make the changes needed to better myself.

I let go of the flawed thoughts about thinking life was better when it was not. I realized how miserable I was making others around me. I was unwilling to do what was right to make changes for the better. If I was not willing to make changes for the better, I would not improve my life. I needed to use my learned skills and make the right decisions. I needed to focus on my mental health and improving myself. This included how I acted around others and how I perceived things.

I saw the harm that I was doing. I became tired of living the same old way. I was being verbally abusive and terrorizing towards others. I had to be patient and understanding with myself during that process. I took some time, so I did not have to focus on things that were hard on me. This allowed me to relax my way into a routine that worked for me. I began to see that what I was doing was pointless, destructive and harmful.

I had to move on with my life. Part of that was accepting that I knew I can do what I put my mind to. It was up to me to do what was right for me. I needed to make the change to continue learning and growing from my mistakes. While doing this, I worked on finding what the next destination would be beyond where I was presently. I was finally putting those skills into practice. I have been working on them for the right reasons once and for all.