It’s a fact that if we love ourselves first, we can then love others unconditionally. It’s important to love ourselves. Being autistic can be rough. Or having any form of mental health and/or diagnoses for that matter. Yet, it’s up to us to how and what we want to do and achieve in our lives to get to where we want to be. While you may hear negative things about autism, as well as the stereotyping and stigma around this, we need to remember that this isn’t the full picture. This video I will be sharing with you all today will help you come to terms with your autism in three parts and/or methods so you can focus on being the wonderful human being that you are. METHOD ONE OF THREE: SEEING AUTISM DIFFERENTLY What I share in this video as the three-part series is a form of advice as well as sharing some parts as a few my experiences of what I have been through and learnt so far. While autism is a neurological developmental disorder, we all have our own quirks and traits for our autism. Autism does come with strengths and weaknesses and that with our strengths we can do great things in our lives. Learn about autism from autistic people.Too often, non-autistic people write about autism without consulting real autistic people.And, that for sure, can be a no-no and frustrating. They may come up with inaccuracies, laughable misconceptions, or extremely negative viewpoints on differences that don’t hurt anyone. Autistic people can provide you with a more accurate and well-rounded view. The Autistic community often describes autism in a neutral or positive light. This may help you gain a more holistic sense of autism, as opposed to seeing only the negatives. Read about the strengths associated with autism. Autism is a complex neurological condition that comes with several blessings along with its impairments. You may experience some or all of the following:Deeply passionate interests. These can lead to tremendous expertise, and possibly a very successful career or fun hobby. Helpfulness. Autistic people, in general, have a high sense of social responsibility, or the desire to solve problems and help others. Precision. It is often noted that autistic people focus on the small parts, rather than the big picture. This can lead to remarkable detail-oriented work, where a neurotypical person might be unable to focus so clearly on the individual aspects of something. Visual intelligence. Autistic people have tested higher on visual and nonverbal intelligence tests. Sincerity. Autistic people tend to mean what they say, and act as a “voice of reason” without becoming mired in social complexities. Your honesty and genuine spirit can feel refreshing to others. Creativity and a unique perspective. Autistic people can learn in unusual ways. This provides insights that neurotypicals may never realize, and can become a great asset in collaboration. 3. Read about successful autistic people. Plenty of famous people have been diagnosed or thought to be autistic. Strong special interests, focus, and a unique perspective can lead to innovation and creativity. Historically, Einstein, Thomas Jefferson, Emily Dickinson, Mozart and more people were thought to be autistic. Famous autistic people today include Tim Burton, Susan Boyle, Adam Young (from Owl City), Temple Grandin and more. 4. Consider your special interests. Image Reference: https://www.wikihow.com/Accept-Your-Autism Special interests are a clear upside of autism: you have an incredible memory about these facts, intense focus, and the ability to act as a walking encyclopedia of information whenever you want. You also get to have a lot of fun doing the things you love. Most non-autistic people would be jealous of the way you can recall and discuss information. 5. Read about the social model of disability. Image Reference: https://www.wikihow.com/Accept-Your-Autism and artist MissLunaRose The social model holds that disability is not caused by defects in the brain or body, but by society’s failure to accommodate and accept a certain variation. For example, most nearsighted people are not disabled: they are fully accommodated within society (glasses, contacts), and have the same opportunities that non-nearsighted people have. Their body can’t do the same things, but technology makes up for that, so it is not an issue. (I will hope to share more later on about this topic of how it works and if it is accepted in the autistic community) METHOD TWO OF THREE: HELPING YOURSELF I am who I am. I am more than my diagnosis and I believe I can do more things if I was given the chance to do so. Remember that it’s okay to be different Never be ashamed of who you are as an autistic. Never be ashamed to stim in public. You are allowed to stim in public and that you don’t need permission or anyone else to validate your feelings for you. If everyone were just like everyone else, the world would be boring. If we were to be like everyone else, then the world will be just pure black and white. We need to be able to express ourselves and be able to be ourselves and not be able to have permission from others to tell us or dictate to us in how we should speak, act or think. We are all unique. Your quirks are part of what makes you memorable, and you don’t need to censor yourself or try to look “normal.” These days we are all put into a box full of “neurotypical expectations”. We are born to be different and we are born to stand out and not blend in,I believe. It is absolutely okay to be disabled and to look disabled in public. 2. Find therapies and treatments that work for you. Every different therapies and interventions will vary and work for some and not for others so that we need to bear in mind what works for us may not work for the next person and vice versa. Good therapy will leave you better off than you were before, and you will gain skills to help you become more well-adjusted. You can also learn coping mechanisms, alternative