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| This is not relevant to this article, but it was one of the earliest images that popped up when I googled the title of this post looking for a good image. And I really do love xkcd, and I didn't come up with a better image for this, and I prefer to have images in my posts, so I am sticking with it. Because it's always good to have a bit of fun in there. |
I've been struggling a lot lately, with prelims and lab choosing and moving and a million pieces of life (which is why I haven't written much in August). Errands and jobs and tasks that require communication and planning and new skill sets. There is the constant low level anxiety about being in a new place right now, which uses up spoons just existing until I get adjusted into life here.
And I've been trying to keep up with graduate school and doing my best and trying to make a good impression so that people like me and let me into programs. And maybe I have been trying my hardest and maybe what I have been is good enough.
Or maybe it isn't. I sort of think that I should be trying harder. Trying to improve myself and be better. There are always things I need to work on.
Today I read this (emphasis mine):
"I feel as though many of our autistic kids can never escape from this idea that they must always be being corrected; must always be being taught; must always be building on skills; must always be attending therapies and classes; must always be being “consistently disciplined”; must always remember every second of every day that they are autistic and that they have so much to learn, so far to go, so much more that they need to be."
~"Are We Trying To Hard To Teach Our Autistic Children", Suburban Autistics (Also read the rest of the article, it's great!)
There are so many things I need to work on. I identify a new area where I struggle when talking with boyfriend and he says "ok, we can work on that". But if we add up all the things that "we can work on" then I don't know how I have any time in the day to actual get my work done*. I can't always be working on not panicking or working on not hiding my face or working on one of the million other things I struggle with that are things that need to be done to be professional and successful and effective at communicating and get things done.
And then I get overwhelmed by the amount of things I have to do and it is a horrible positive feedback loop that just spirals out of control.** And that is no help at all and does not lead to more things getting done.
I have to remember I am the one who is creating the standards for my behavior. I can make them reasonable.
As long as I get by, I am doing ok.
I need to eat. I need to do reasonably well in grad school so that I don't get kicked out. I need to pay bills and pay rent. I should try and avoid going into debt. As long as I stick to that, I am doing ok. It is fine if I watch a lot of tv. Or if I hide in my room and don't talk to people. Or if I do talk to people. Or if I don't exercise. It is all ok. I am surviving.
On days I remember that, I am fine. I am more productive. I am happy. Of course, determining what "reasonably well" means is a whole issue on itself...
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*They are usually things that I do need to work on, like being able to make appointments or go to the doctor or go to a meeting or such things.
**I really want to say a negative feedback loop, but that is wrong. A negative feedback loop will turn itself off or regulate levels, because it negatively effects itself. A positive feedback loop builds on itself and increases and increases. One biological example of a positive feedback loop is peeing.
Labels: adventures in apartment living, autism, being safe is ok, disability, executive function, fitting in, me, my brain, ramblings, Random, socializing, this blog
