NeurobeautifulA Thanksgiving Blessing:
May you find safe and happy corners in the midst of any crowd, full of interesting conversation on your favorite topics.
May you find ways that are comfortable for you to be helpful in the kitchen, with straightforward and precise instructions.
May you find, among the feast spread before you, food whose …
I can’t think of any situation where it’s helpful to use the word “obvious.”
The problem is that it implies universal understanding. If I happen to not understand a thing that someone else says is “obvious,” it can feel very disheartening.
Instead of “This fact is obvious,” I prefer to hear, “I can tell that …
This week, two different people sent me long audio clips (over 30 minutes) and asked my opinion on them.
In the past, I would have procrastinated for weeks before finally listening to each thing, and even then I’d have split the task across several days.
But now I understand my brain better, including why I …
“It won’t hurt you!”
For someone with sensory sensitivity, who takes things literally, this is confusing and unhelpful to hear.
Before I found out that I take in more sensory data than most people, I wasn’t able to explain that water is physically painful for me. I didn’t “know” that rain hurts my skin, because …
“What is one piece of advice that you wish you could give all autistics? How about all non-autistics?”
Someone asked me these two questions today, and my answers were more alike than I expected.
For autistics, I said: Never stop looking for ways to make hard things easier, from social interaction to sensory overload. You …
I try to make brave choices, because bravery seems like a worthwhile trait to cultivate. And I have frequent opportunities to do so, because so many “normal” things are difficult or uncomfortable for me.
I met a new friend for brunch, and afterwards she suggested we rent electric scooters and ride them around the block. …
Someone asked me what I like most about myself.
It took me awhile to answer, because the things that came to mind first weren’t things I observe about myself, which I assume was the intent of the question.
Rather, taking it literally, I started thinking of things I enjoy experiencing about myself from the inside …
“How are you doing?” I asked, curious how she was feeling about new responsibilities at work.
She flapped her arms in classic autistic fashion, her face looking overwhelmed but full of hopeful determination, like a baby bird trying to make it out of the nest, or a fish trying to swim upstream.
“Staying afloat,” she …