Autism and navigating the world:

There’s so much people don’t see when they look at someone who’s autistic. They see the outside, the bits that maybe don’t fit into what they expect. But what they don’t see is the daily battles, the exhausting effort it takes to exist in a world that often wasn’t built with people like us in mind.

I’ve had to overcome so many obstacles just to feel like I’m allowed to exist, to breathe, to be myself without judgement. From the constant misunderstandings to the pressure to mask who I really am just to make others feel comfortable. That mask is heavy, and it costs you more than people realise.

Some of us live in constant sensory overload, others struggle to communicate in ways that people understand or accept. Some of us don’t show emotion the way others expect, but that doesn’t mean we don’t feel. We feel deeply, sometimes too deeply. And we carry those feelings for a long time.

I’ve been made to feel like I’m too much or not enough, sometimes both at the same time, and I’ve had to work hard to remind myself that my brain isn’t broken. It’s wired differently. That’s not a flaw. That’s not a problem. That’s just who I am. I’ve had to fight to own that truth and protect it, because people will try to take it from you, mould you, silence you.

People who don’t even try to understand will always think they know better. They’ll try to fix you when you were never broken. But I don’t need fixing. I need space to be exactly as I am, because I’m enough.

I’ve turned my struggles into strengths. The things I was made to feel ashamed of are the things I now celebrate. My focus, my honesty, the way I see the world, it’s unique and it’s powerful. I’ve used that power to heal, to grow, and to help others who might still be trying to find their voice.

I’ve faced judgment, exclusion, and outright cruelty for simply existing differently. But I’ve also faced that down and chosen to rise anyway. Every time someone tried to silence me, I spoke louder. Every time I was shut out, I built my own doors. And I won’t apologise for it.

I’m not here to make anyone else comfortable anymore, plenty never cared about MY comfort. I’m here to live truthfully, safely, and with pride in who I am. I don’t mask for people who wouldn’t meet me halfway, and I don’t force myself into spaces that don’t accept all of me.

I’m working on finding spaces that are safe, supportive, and genuine, because I’ve spent too long in ones that weren’t. I’ve had to heal from harm caused by people who claimed to be allies, who weaponised their power and then called it “help”. But I know now: real support doesn’t require you to shrink. Support should never become abuse, ostracisation, harassment, manipulation or mass influencing of others to be pitted against you under false pretences.

I still have hard days, days when everything feels too loud, too heavy, too much. But I get through them. I keep going. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone anymore. Just surviving some days is enough, and thriving on others is a bonus.

Being autistic isn’t the problem. The problem is a world that doesn’t understand or accommodate differences. But I’m done twisting myself to fit. The world can bend this time, because I’ve done more than my share.

I deserve support. I deserve understanding. I deserve to be exactly who I am without fear or shame. And I won’t stop building a life that makes space for all of that.

I’m autistic. And I’m proud of how far I’ve come. We're all different but we need to embrace that more, even when it’s lonely.

Because at least now, I’m safe from those who tried to make me feel like I wasn’t enough.

And I’ll never stop speaking up for others who feel like they’re not enough either, because it's not our fault we can't be seen for who and how we actually are. 

We were always worthy.

Sarah. ❤️

#autismawareness #autismacceptance