Into the unknown
For the most, when we first get a diagnosis, one of the first questions likely to arise is "what does the future look like?". The outlook can be accompanied by mixed feelings ranging from, limiting beliefs constructed by society, to optimism, and determination to not let it be a defining factor. Regardless of where your response falls in the range, the one thing that most have in common is that they have a clear outcome.
Stepping away from Outcome Driven Mindset
Given my background as a project manager, I was no stranger to using maps to organize tasks according to their priority, highlight high-level details of the project and timelines and keep the project on track to meet deadlines and deliverables. So, I started with what I knew and while admittedly, there were some benefits to this approach, if I look back, I wish I wouldn't have chosen such an analytical approach.
Here is exactly why...
Project management usually focuses on solving a problem or delivering a specific outcome and while issues arise along the way, the process itself is pretty linear once you set a structure. This is the biggest drawback to this approach because the journey of Neurodivergent individuals is far from linear. As a fellow caregiver, this is something I really want caregivers to prepare for.
“I learn things late-and only the hard way.”
And while this was true for me, I do not want that for you. Let me be clear, the road will be hard and unique to your journey, but you do not have to learn every lesson the hard way. Well, at least not if I can help it! This post is just prefacing of a series of short posts to come in which we will share some of them with the goal of serving as a roadmap, well more like a point of interest map. I like to think of it as a "visitors' guide map", you know the ones not to scale, but a great place to start your self-guided tour.
All that to say...
Along the way and after many different approaches, I've learned to take what serves me well and leave what doesn't. I've learned to eliminate strict outcome-driven goals and focus on goals driven by enhancing the quality of our lives. If I can only share one piece of advice it would be to stop focusing on the destination and just prepare for the journey.
Till next time, J
Quote IB @blume.wellness
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