A letter to my younger self

It was ok when you refused to speak; you were not being rude but instead, were suffering with anxiety.

It was ok when you left your own party and went upstairs; you were feeling overloaded and exhausted.

It was ok when you made plans with friends and then cancelled them; they were too much to cope with that day.

It was ok when you shouted at your parents when they tried to cuddle you; the physical contact had been unexpected.

Everything was always ok; you were just being you.

Everything will be ok; just continue to be you.

We can often be extremely hard on ourselves, not just in the present moment but when we look back at things in our pasts. It’s easy to be self-critical but less easy to be self-accepting. Sometimes, we need to remember to be kind to ourselves.

Author: Autistic Teacher World

Being recently diagnosed with autism as an adult has meant re-evaluating everything about my life: recognising that my view of the world may be different to that of many others; identifying emotional triggers in order to learn to respond in a more helpful way; accepting that this is just part of who I am and that it is ok to be me. View all posts by Autistic Teacher World