World autism observances are going to focus on the contributions of autistic people. In honor of celebrating strengths, check out this list of the 30 most inspiring people on the autism spectrum.
World Autism Awareness Day is observed this year on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, and the entire month of April is focused on autism acceptance.
Creating a plan on how to adapt can help one feel more capable to embrace and bounce back from changes and/or challenges. When recognizing how one has navigated these in the past, a greater sense of ability may arise.
Amidst the day-to-day rhythm of life, it is common for people to feel like they are living from the shoulders up, being tuned into thoughts and worries more than the body.
To put it simply, boundaries are a way to understand how we relate to ourselves and other people. Individuals can have boundaries that range from rigid, to healthy, to porous, and oftentimes someone’s boundaries can be different depending on the context. For example, someone with healthy boundaries around their time may have rigid emotional boundaries. MyTherapistAid.com offers a comprehensive overview of the characteristics of each boundary type.
Remembering Important Dates: Acknowledging the important dates in loved ones’ lives can help you strengthen your relationships by showing them that you care about them. Important dates can include birthdays, anniversaries, difficult milestones, big job interviews, or a medical appointment. There are a lot of different ways to keep track of these dates, and finding a system that works for you can help you stay on top of important dates. Some ideas include using an online or paper calendar, creating reminders on one (or more) of your devices, or post-it notes around your house. It may also be helpful to think about how you want to acknowledge the date (e.g., sending a text, giving a gift, etc).
This year, holiday celebrations are likely different than in past years. In addition to acknowledging whatever emotions come up for you during the holidays this year, another helpful thing can be practicing gratitude. A growing body of research has shown that people who engage in gratitude practices (even during the COVID-19 pandemic) have higher wellbeing and vitality than those who do not. To get you started, the following website has a great list of ideas about ways to practice gratitude individually or with loved ones: https://daringtolivefully.com/gratitude-exercises
This activity uses getting quiet and posing a question to oneself, “How can I be more balanced?” as well as using the imagery of balancing on a tree branch to create an embodied experience of balance.
