The last few years have been uncertain; there is no doubt about that. 2026 has brought on the unexpected and the unimaginable. Winter storms with warnings days in advance were one of the biggest things about them. Being autistic, dealing with uncertainty can be one of the biggest challenges. Having routines disrupted is also difficult. This is especially true when disruptions or changes occur without warning or prior knowledge.

One of the things I didn’t like about life at times was the “wait and see” approach to things. As I got older, I realized that predictions or forecasts were not always true. Patience hasn’t always been my strong suit. I got better at letting it become a part of my life out of necessity. The challenges I faced in life required patience. I had to work to find the perfect balance of calm needed to navigate uncertainty. Much of the world acted cautiously. Yet, there were parts of my life that did not. It required patience to see what actually happened, rather than what was projected.

I made my own judgment on how to fill my time with other activities. Sometimes, I did this with or without the support of others. I also knew when the decision had to be made and what actions to take. I also took protective steps to distance my thoughts from the hype. I avoided the worry that the media would project about things. Instead of rushing to judgement, I practiced patience and observed what happened. Part of me also knew that in some situations, it was wise to wait. I watched to see if things would happen on their end. I avoided acting out of sheer anxiety. This occurred when I became consumed by the thought. I believed I should follow the course of others without needing proven evidence.

Don’t get me wrong. I still have many moments of anxiety. This happens when I have to go and do the things that I need to do. I just do better at managing that anxiety. I know that once I am on the way to where I need to be, things get better for me. When I head home from moments that I do not feel like I am in control, things also improve. I often let anxiety override the whole situation. I should have let things play out. It was more hurtful for me than if I had been patient. In the end, I realized that things were going to turn out as they would. If I felt it was too much for me, I would take action. I made a decision to respectfully decline what I wanted or needed to do.

But now, I focus on coping with the anxiety I experience. I do not allow myself to believe I need to avoid things just because others aren’t doing them. There is no evidence that something has happened or will be bad. I need to prove it would be unsafe and cause issues other than my anxiety. We don’t have answers for everything. That’s OK. Still, we can manage our feelings rather than the issue itself.