Sunday 5 May 2013

Answering two questions - First



In my absence from my blog I have had two questions from two different people. I’ll try to answer them as well as I can. Today I’ll answer the first one

What are your strengths that most people without autism don’t have?
Okay, first I want to point out an important word in this sentence: “most”. So if you’re thinking “That’s wrong! I have autism and I can do that too!” Then read that word again.

Autism comes with many strengths actually. I’ve answered most of this in an earlier blogpost: Positive
In this blogpost I’ve posted a list that lists a small portion (not everything) of the positives of autism. I’ll repost this list here:
  •  Factual knowledge
  • Logical thinking
  • Great sense of detail
  • Very honest
  • Live in the moment
  • Passionate
  • Very hard worker
  • Very punctual
  • Hyperfocussing
  • Analyzing skills
In the past few days my sister and I have been arguing over the amount of money we raised for the AutismFund. I was sure it was 643 euros. She claimed it was 648 euros. We both stuck to our version of the amount. Happily, my sister took out the piece of paper on which we wrote the amount after we counted it. It said: “643 euros.” She was big enough of a sport to congratulate me for being right. Then she jokingly said: “You and your autism brain! Your memory is too good!”
After that we joked about autism being a superpower and that now I’ll be named: “AutiGirl”
Of course autism isn’t a superpower, but sometimes it can be very useful!

So that’s one of my strengths. Some things (not everything) I can remember in full detail. I can even remember some things from when I was very young. I even asked my mother one day what my memory about being in a stroller and seeing loads of legs and being with an acquaintance was about. My mum looked surprised and told me that was a memory of an expo that she went to with that acquaintance and that I should’ve been far too young to remember that.

I can also hyperfocus on tasks, especially when I really like the task at hand and/or when I have to really concentrate. This can help me go on for hours (usually on the computer, as my chronic fatigue will just stop me when it’s a physical job) and get a lot of stuff done. (This also makes for such long blogposts… So sorry!)

There is so much more, but most of it has been answered in my other blogpost, Positive, which I have stated before. I’m not sure if this has been answered properly now, I feel like I’m missing a lot on this subject. You know what? A CHALLENGE! I want everyone to comment something positive about autism. There’s bound to be a lot that I’m forgetting, as autism can actually really be a superpower sometimes.
Let the commenting commence!

3 comments:

  1. Maybe being stubborn in a good way?
    Or being to some extent a perfectionist, meaning wanting to do something right and finishing it if you start something.
    And if you see the value in something being very motivated? Although one might see that as more or less connected to hyperfocussing, just like with not being distracted from what you're doing by social things, so one won't soon find one of us chatting/talking with colleagues more than doing actual work.

    Sorry if I said too much haha
    I just get very excited about all things autism related, especially if there might be a possibility it will help others :-)

    Kind regards Rob v/d Wal

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    Replies
    1. There's nothing wrong with being excited. Every comment is valuable and if it's a long comment, it just means more valuable words in my opinion. So keep your comments coming, even if they're longer than my blogposts! :)

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  2. Eeuh...
    Aantal positieve punten die ik ken en veel anderen met autisme waarschijnlijk ook.

    Eerlijk
    Detailgericht
    Analytisch ingesteld
    Goed in observeren
    Precies

    En zo zijn er zeker nog meer ;)
    (Ohw.. de engelse woorden ervoor weet ik niet, haha.)

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