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What I Wish I Had Known Earlier
Life isn’t linear. Autism brings challenges and insights. It’s okay to make mistakes, take your time, and find your own way.
When I think about what I wish I had known earlier, I see a complex web of experiences. It often felt as if others navigated life effortlessly, while I frequently found myself stuck in details and unwritten rules. Not always — there were moments of clarity and connection — but often enough to make me wonder what I was missing.
My reality is far more nuanced than simply “being different.” Sometimes, I adapted to societal norms because it was necessary to function and florish; other times because I genuinely wanted to. It is a delicate balance between authenticity and adjustment, with no inherently right or wrong choices.
The overstimulation I struggle with varies in intensity. Some days, I can handle more than others, and what feels overwhelming to me on a Monday afternoon might be manageable by Thursday evening. It took me time to accept that this fluctuating tolerance is normal and that taking a step back is not a sign of failure.
Writing and advocacy has helped me make sense of all this — not as a simple black-and-white narrative but as a nuanced exploration of what it means to live with autism. It has…
