At the beginning of the year, I have begun to say that anxiety is a thief. It can rob us of our peace and sanity so many times. When it is coupled with being autistic and having thoughts to process, it wants you to believe certain things. It just steals so much of your life. This puts you down and away from what can be things that you can enjoy.

Getting through what we have to get done as autistic people is hard sometimes. We often want the same opportunities as neurotypical people. Yet, the effort it takes and the worry about everything makes us second guess ourselves. We question whether we’re doing it right or if something will go wrong. We worry if we will get in trouble or be reprimanded. This is especially true when navigating socially complex and foreign situations. They are not made in a way that is easy for us as autistic folks.

Sometimes it can burn us out and bring us down. Even during downtime, we have to do things we want to do. Our mind can play games with us. It makes us believe things that are sometimes not true or no longer serve us the way they once did. We need to think about the things that bring us joy. This helps us understand that we hold the power. We must not let our thoughts get to us. We allow ourselves to believe things are true even when they have been proven otherwise. We have done the detective work or been assured it is not true. This can be defeating and makes it hard to understand we are not prisoners to our thoughts. We should not let our anxiety rob us of our time. It is the wrath that makes being autistic sometimes hard to bear.

Without a doubt, there are times we get burned out. We have to do things crucial to our well-being, including sleeping more. Practicing our own version of self-care is important, even if it doesn’t match the standard way of others. It is essential for us to get back on track. We need to live the lives we have to live and go through the things that are difficult for us. It can seem selfish. It is that we don’t want to do one thing over another. Still, sometimes it is crucial to protect our sanity and keep us in line.

In the same vein, we must do things to push through our fear. Not doing so opens the door to thoughts that are hard to keep at bay. Often, fighting through fear can be challenging. Yet, being brave and doing what is needed helps. I know I have the power and capabilities to get through tough situations if I have the right tools. But, not using these tools, especially for things I can and need to do, blocks progress. Realizing there will be times of burnout, resting and self-care become crucial. They help repair what anxiety and burnout have taken from me.

In the past, I was unwilling to understand the need to recognize these two things as part of my life. While things can happen, it is important to get back on track once things are back in place. I do the things that care for myself in the best way I can. I now understand how crucial it is for my well-being to be on the same path as much as possible. Although burnout, autism, and anxiety together are difficult to bear, I have the power to get through them.