On “Energy Budgeting” and Acknowledging Internal Autistic Re

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kitesandtrainsandcats
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28 May 2021, 6:27 pm

Friday, May 28, 2021
On “Energy Budgeting” and Acknowledging Internal Autistic Realities
By Anne Corwin

Quote:
Too many of us (autistic people) grow up knowing only how to run on momentum, and operate in a depleted state much of the time without even realizing it… until we “crash,” leaving us and everyone around us asking, “what happened?!”

Regardless of whether we are put through formal ABA programs as kids—or even whether or not we’re accurately diagnosed as children—autistic folks often end up learning the polar opposite of “energy budgeting.”

This is partly due to a defect in how our society at large operates, of course—but that’s a whole other gigantic discussion beyond the scope of this article. There are still things everyone can do on a more localized scale to help improve autistic people’s lives, and give us the tools to better navigate reality while maintaining a sense of self-respect and autonomy as we grow up.

What I want to cover here is (a) how adults in an autistic child’s life might better equip them to budget their energy going forward, and (b) some of the things I’ve personally found very helpful as an autistic adult myself in this regard.


http://www.thinkingautismguide.com/2021 ... dging.html

and that bit,
Quote:
And if I’m going to work on a hobby project at home, I have learned to ask myself not just “do I feel like working on this thing now?” but “do I have the energy to work on this AND clean up afterward, at least to a degree that won’t leave an overwhelming mess for my future self?”

is doubly true with ME/CFS and other neurological, endocrine, mitochondrial, diseases.


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IsabellaLinton
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28 May 2021, 6:37 pm

Great article! Thank you for posting it!

I know I don't have enough energy to read more than the excerpts you posted, or to skim a bit more from the link. I'm saving it to finish later but it's very insightful.

I'm compounded by ADHD and EF issues.

I particularly like this point:

"For example, whether you’re getting a kid ready for school or taking them on a big family trip to an amusement park (or anything in between), take note of the fact that this entails packing, a car, bus, train, or plane ride, standing in line, etc. One thing non-autistic people are prone to underestimating, in my experience, is the energy cost of just getting places and existing in those places and then getting home again, readjusting to that, and navigating all the transitions in between."

That's my life. A simple outing like walking the dog or buying milk can become exhausting because of all the steps involved, and the blast of sensory input. The idea of major travel is absolutely disabling at present. I'd rather look at photos than summon the energy to actually carry through with a trip away from home.

Thanks again for posting - I can't wait to read this when I have an iota of energy or wherewithal.



Juliette
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28 May 2021, 6:38 pm

Agreed. I think we need to recognise what is beneficial to our “selves” as a whole. An opportunity to create and the benefits that go with that, in my opinion, far outweight any offcuts, paint cleaning, etc if progress made gives us a boost in this life. There is always another opportunity to put things “right” on another day. Making progress artistically has massive benefits to body, spirit and soul. Make peace with the importance of what you can do on any given day, versus what needs doing in the aftermath. It WILL be done, as you are in control here. Precious creative progress ... nothing beats that! :)



Last edited by Juliette on 28 May 2021, 6:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

kitesandtrainsandcats
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28 May 2021, 6:40 pm

IsabellaLinton wrote:
Great article! Thank you for posting it!
I know I don't have enough energy to read more than the excerpts you posted, or to skim a bit more from the link. I'm saving it to finish later but it's very insightful.
I'm compounded by ADHD and EF issues.


Welcome!
It crossed my path on Tumblr, the only social media I still do.
And speaking of things I do, one of them is I do understand from personal experience the not having enough energy to read more.
When a serious ME/CFS flare hits me, a page of print might as well be paint spatters for all my brain can make of it.


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Last edited by kitesandtrainsandcats on 28 May 2021, 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

kitesandtrainsandcats
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28 May 2021, 6:41 pm

Juliette wrote:
Making progress artistically has massive benefits to body, spirit and soul. ... Precious creative progress ... nothing beats that! :)


BINGO! :D


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Juliette
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28 May 2021, 6:44 pm

:lol: :heart:



kitesandtrainsandcats
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28 May 2021, 6:53 pm

And speaking of energy levels and artistic progress,
I haven't been up to using the epoxy putty to sculpt the rest of his hat but I was good for taking a couple minutes today to go ahead and slap some paint on his pants.

Not the progress I was hoping to make but the progress made is far more encouraging than having made no progress.

Image


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Juliette
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28 May 2021, 6:57 pm

So cool! :) Any progress is good progress.

These are the guys I’m working on at the moment ...

Image



kitesandtrainsandcats
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28 May 2021, 7:00 pm

Juliette wrote:
These are the guys I’m working on at the moment ...
Pretty neat.
Gotta say, painting little people is fun. :)


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Juliette
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28 May 2021, 7:10 pm

Sure is :)



kitesandtrainsandcats
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28 May 2021, 7:21 pm

The relationship between where the article mentions the energy to put things away & the diseases I mentioned is why the hobby table looks like this,
(and before taking the photo I took maybe 2 minutes to put some brown paint on the guy's shoes)
(he is going to be the fireman for the locomotive in photo & will be standing on the apron taking a drink)
(am going to paint Preiser's wine bottle to look like a milk bottle since this loco hauls a train of refrigerator cars, 'reefers' for several dairy companies)

Image


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Juliette
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28 May 2021, 7:37 pm

This is a table to be proud of! :lol: Seriously! It’s inspiring in all the right ways. That photo sets my soul on fire! It always amazes me when I hear from people who have zero hobbies. I can’t imagine how that must feel. I live for my creative hobbies and for meaningful connections from others who understand that “I am my work. My work is me”. :)



kitesandtrainsandcats
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28 May 2021, 7:51 pm

Juliette wrote:
This is a table to be proud of! :lol: Seriously! It’s inspiring in all the right ways. That photo sets my soul on fire! It always amazes me when I hear from people who have zero hobbies. I can’t imagine how that must feel. I live for my creative hobbies and for meaningful connections from others who understand that “I am my work. My work is me”. :)


On the overall I get that.

On the specifics, it is difficult to accept the table to be proud of thing, I guess a factor in that is how frustrated I currently am with how much my defective body is getting in the way of making progress these days.

Maybe it wouldn't be so distressing if I couldn't remember the years I could go work 8 to 12 hours any day, every day, then come home and chill out doing hobby stuff for several hours, any day, every day.
And that even with my health less than perfect back then.

Now my health is a lot further down the less than perfect path.

And right now right here today that is really discouraging.


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Juliette
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28 May 2021, 7:56 pm

Yes ... but for everything, there is a time ... we are challenged to appreciate that at different times of our lives we will have strength, at others we will be challenged. Appreciating what we CAN do on any given day, starting afresh each day, takes strength of character. You have huge gifts. Use them when you can. On the days you can’t, take stock and remember that you have already done so much! :)



kitesandtrainsandcats
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28 May 2021, 8:11 pm

Juliette wrote:
Yes ... but for everything, there is a time ... we are challenged to appreciate that at different times of our lives we will have strength, at others we will be challenged. Appreciating what we CAN do on any given day, starting afresh each day, takes strength of character. You have huge gifts. Use them when you can. On the days you can’t, take stock and remember that you have already done so much! :)


Well, ya know, there is a point to that ...


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28 May 2021, 8:15 pm

Yup :P ... I was hoping you might see that :)