Three years ago I received an Autism diagnosis, two years ago I begin this blog and a little over a year ago, I began a Charity for Autistic people. I haven’t been as busy working on my blog as I’d have liked but the Charity has taken a lot of time over the last year!
I was looking back over my three years since diagnosis and was honestly wowed at my own mindset change and growth, particularly around the still-developing sense of Autistic-pride and recently commenced journey into radical self-compassion, the latter of which being a natural progression from the former, no matter how unnatural it feels NOT to beat myself up over things!
My developing sense of Autistic pride sees me advocating better for myself now and the radical compassion (amongst other things) helps me realise my validity and stops me apologising for advocating for myself. For example, just a year ago I could have requested reasonable adjustments at work but would have done so apologetically, however, now I’m able to explain what adjustments I need, politely and informatively but I no longer apologise as if I’m being a problem or as if having an Autistic employee is a problem because I am not a problem and neither, given appropriate adjustments, is hiring an Autistic person!
I’m also thrilled with how far my Charity for Autistic people has come in the last year, from nothing but a pipe dream to being involved in our first peer support group and soon to be running our own first Autistic peer support volunteer training! Autistic people peer supporting other Autistic people, I’m so excited! This is the start of the future for my local neurokin! I get all flappy just thinking about it!
So, although I dislike celebrating my birthday, these three I will go with, happy Autisticday to me, for my own diagnosis, to us on the journey together and to you both my diagnosed Autistic peers and to my neurokin who are yet to properly celebrate your own Autisticday due to inequality in diagnostic service accesses. Happy Autisticday!!
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