Time for a little heart-heart...

 Hey everyone! 😁 a quick update to let you know that I am still pursuing my CDL, and I need to practice tonight now working with the community organization to qualify for funding for my training. Yay! 

A week and a half ago, I was also sold a car (new to me) for a very affordable price, so I now have wheels again. Thank you so much Mindi and Craig Cramer! May God bless you richly! 💖💖💖

Finally, I wanted to take the opportunity to share here what I just posted on my Facebook. Enjoy! 🤗


"In honor of World Autism Awareness Day, I wanted to share something very near and dear to my heart:  5 years ago, I was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism.  At first, I thought my life was over - that every unkind thing anyone had ever said about my personality and mannerisms was true.  It's taken some time, but with the help of God and my loved ones, I'm learning to love myself again.  I'm starting to believe again that the world is a better place because I'm in it.


I am not autistic


I am not weird; I'm unique.

I am not slow: I'm thorough.

I am not anti-social; crowds are overwhelming.

I am not overly sensitive; I'm sensitive enough to care about everyone I meet.

I am not narrow-minded; I have strong convictions.

I am not "extra;" I am just enough.

I'm not stubborn; I'm persistent.

I'm not rigid; I'm methodical.

I may miss what many others see, but you can bet your boots I see what many others miss.

I don't like small talk; I want to hear your heart.

I'm not subtle, but I am honest.

I don't always "have to have things my own way."  I make more adjustments to the world around me and the people in it on a daily basis than most people do in a week.

I'm not "too normal" to be autistic, or "too strange" to be neurotypical.  It's called a spectrum for a reason...

I don't struggle with relationships for no reason; I'm overcoming more than 2 decades of feeling misunderstood ALL.THE.TIME.

I'm not so weak that I need medication and therapy to protect my mental health; I'm strong enough to learn what I need, and ask for it.

I don't need to "just fit in;" I need to be who God created me to be.

I don't want pity; I want consideration, empathy, and respect...just like everyone else.

I'm not "so smart, I'm stupid."  I'm just plain smart.

I'm not "too black and white" about things; I like knowing what my boundaries are, so I can protect myself and others.

I don't always "ask too many questions;" sometimes, you aren't very clear.

I may not have your level of experience, but you've never been me.  Not even for a day.  There is a good chance I know more about what I need than you do.


Here's a freebie: No, everyone is not "just a little OCD."  Either you have it to some varying degree, or you don't.  Period.


I don't overthink things; my brain is constantly making micro-adjustments to assimilate the gray in this world to the precision of my brain.

I try very hard to read between the lines, but please remember, it's hard for me to know what you haven't said.

I may not always understand your non-verbal cues, but I do notice them.  Please don't be offended if I ask about them.

I'm not picky; some food textures literally make me nauseous.

I'm not short-tempered; tapping your pencil off-rhythm, squeaking that potato chip bag for minutes at a time, and randomly making loud noises cause me auditory and physical distress.

I don't think the world revolves around me; I function best when certain accommodations are made.

I'm not really good at hiding my disability; I'm extremely well-adjusted, with excellent coping mechanisms.

I don't have to finish things; it's really hard for me to leave them unfinished.

Just because I don't stim, does not mean I don't have Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Just because "others have it worse," does not mean I do not struggle.

Just because I have unique needs and challenges, does not mean I need to be "managed" in my job.  Btw - I also have unique strengths.

Just because I don't fit your definition, does not mean I'm faking it.


But, if you aren't convinced...fine.  How about this?


I'm not autistic.  I'm autastic (autistically fantastic)."

#WorldAutismAwarenessDay #lightitupblue #autismspeaks #aspiesunite #notdisableduniquelyabled #TheCatIsOutOfTheBag 🥳🐱🥳

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