With the increasing pain levels I will have to adjust and reduce my workload, focusing on the priority areas of the campaign. That is the human rights side, media and creating Au-thentic online. I try to give my all to everything I do. Unfortunately that’s why I have been stressing about the winter months and expected pain levels, what it's going to take to keep going. All I can do is adjust so that the most important aspects of the New Life Autistic campaign are still in motion.
I made a promise to myself that if I was diagnosed as autistic I would do everything I could to support the community. That I would push myself, mentally and physically for 2 years.
That the community comes first.
I was diagnosed on the 14th of September 2020, so not quite 2 years but I know I need to adjust to be able to continue. I have been working up to 20 hour days and only taking time off for meltdowns or burnout, not the wisest move granted. However the foundations of mylifeautistic have been built. I probably need to reduce that to about 4/5 hour days and 5/6 days a week to be able to balance working and pain levels.
I found myself doing this, absolutely and an incredible partner with a heart of gold in Jeni Curtis. I am going to be more careful, I have had a year of PTSD episodes, meltdowns and panic attacks. A year where my memories lurked and ambushed.
That said I wouldn’t change a single thing, I am so proud to be a human rights activist for the autistic and neurodivergent community. I would do this every single day for the rest of my life. The pain isn’t going to make that an option so I will be more careful, rest a lot more and focus on the future.
We will continue posting but probably won’t be taking on any additional projects until next year. However, that said... watch this space because I get that feeling that next year we will build on the mylifeautistic foundations and take the New Life Autistic campaign to even greater heights.
All my best and love
Ross
Words – Ross A Fraser
Graphic Design App – canva
Things will slow down a bit, I won’t be working on social media as much but I will be working in the background. I am going to take a long weekend to rest up and manage pain. I hope you all have a relaxed weekend, see you next week. Take care everyone, and as always... be kind to your mind.