Throughout my life, there has been such a push for me to go to the next step in life development. But sometimes I just have to accept reality. Even though things seem possible, deep down inside they are just too much for me. Accepting life for what it is becomes essential. It’s perfectly fine to live life a little differently. Doing things differently is necessary to exist in this world.

It does not mean that it does not come with its own grief. There are moments when it seems like what you want is done. This is true if you had the control to do something. But there is also the reality. It is not only about me. At times, there are far too many other factors to consider. Life be different and not the way you think it should be. Even so, I choose to accept it for what it is. I learn how to live life the best it can be. This is a moment requiring me to manage things differently. These ways are often harder for autistic people compared to our neurotypical peers.

It can be frustrating to have to do things that have a little more effort to it. Especially when you see that other people can do it in other ways. Here I am, having to wait for someone to do the same thing. I just have to live life like a neurotypical peer. The extra steps or the longer wait to do something because you need special assistance can seem frustrating. It also feels unfair because of your situation. You see how others do things that seem to be easier than what you experience. I have had to learn to accept things for what they are and tailor my life appropriately.

It can be hard to accept when things have to happen in certain ways. We expect them to be different because of having different needs compared to the expectations. Though, it is also about learning to live with things as they are. Sometimes, it is better to do things the way they have to be done. This is preferable to doing things that make our lives even more challenging. It sometimes seems unfair that I and other autistic people have to do things differently. We understand that things can be different. Still, it is important to remember that they don’t make us feel less than who we are.

We have to do things differently to exist in this world. This does not mean we need to be hard on ourselves. We should not think that we are less than. It can sometimes cause us as autistic people to become angry, frustrated, or upset in other ways. Things have to be different for us. They can sometimes bring on their own challenges. Yet it also takes being thankful for the things you get to help you. Knowing that they are never guaranteed to be there for our life is important. Most importantly, we must understand that we don’t need to view ourselves as less. We are not different just because we live life differently.