From a young age, I have always known that I was different. I struggled with connecting with people. Yet, I worked my hardest to be normal. Even through the school years, I encountered a myriad of diagnoses that were many acronyms. Even when I landed where I was in the late-1990s, there was no concrete way to help me back then. I just had to learn as I went. I attempted to fit in. I sought help in the best ways available at that time.

The world has become more aware of the challenges individuals face. We are more included than we were in the past. I began to pick up on the things that had become available to me. I am still learning. There is still so much to learn out there. Over time, I am getting better at seeing who I am. I am also improving at doing things that were once challenging for me. But I am autistic and have many mental health challenges. These challenges mean I need extra help with things. I have learned that there is no shame in needing to do things differently. There is also no shame in needing extra help that is there for me.

I have been reluctant to accept help with things throughout most of my adult life. I have also avoided having things that made life easier for me. I successfully completed community college without any extra help. The only assistance I received was getting to and from the school itself when I needed to. But I realize now that I have done some things better if I had had some help.

I am grateful to be in environments where people understand me and make things easier for me. They push me to do things when they know they can. They also give me extra help when I need it. Sometimes, they offer things that make doing what I need to do easier for me. They too, like many in my natural life, have not given up on me. They even had those candid conversations about needing to care for myself when I was not seeing it. Their willingness to never give up and understand that things happen in our lives is nothing short of a miracle. Programs for autistic people are very hard to find. Also, employment opportunities for those with other challenges are scarce.

Now I am seeing that being autistic is more accepted. There are far more people who are aware and educated on ways to help us be our best selves. This is crucial for navigating the outside world. Often, the outside world is not set up to meet our needs. When others are more aware and welcoming, it helps us with the challenges we face. When others understand that we often see the world differently, they realize we can be an asset. Having what we need makes us more capable of contributing.