Before the challenges and the associated lifehacks, you will receive an all-round toolbox with five recommendations that can help you with many different challenges. Talk to others about your challenges Are you facing a challenge that is causing you stress, making you insecure or giving you the feeling that you are failing? Then talk about it with people around you that you trust. Others probably do not always see that something is difficult or hard for you: they do not have autism themselves. And also: no one can look directly into someone else's life and therefore does not know what they are experiencing. Others may find it difficult to understand you if they do not know what is difficult for you and how much. So talk about it. Moreover, two heads are always better than one, and together you may come up with more and better solutions. Visualize the agreements with yourself The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Chances are: many of the tips in this book will appeal to you, you will feel like using them. But good intentions often do not get further than 'This is what I want to do!'. To prevent them from fizzling out, it is best to convert the tips you want to try out into concrete agreements with yourself. What are you going to do when, where, how, how often and for how long? An example: 'After a busy day at work, I will sit in the living room and listen to five songs from my Spotify relaxation list.' Because we often tend to forget even the best intentions (after that busy day, it does not occur to you to open your song list), it is useful to create reminders that you can literally see. Move Mens sana in corpore sano. The Romans already knew this in the first century AD. Physical exercise is not only good for your physical health but also for your mental resilience. Exercise not only helps to clear your head, it also makes your brain stronger. It makes you mentally fitter and fresher. Emotion regulation becomes a lot easier. So plan regular exercise activities. Excerpted from 100+ Lifehacks for Young Autistic Adults for a Simpler Life with Autism by Peter Vermeulen All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
