A completely ordinary flight got me thinking about all the ways anxiety could have hijacked the morning, and what actually made it hard for me as an autistic person. Because anxiety and autistic needs can look similar from the outside, but they don’t always need the same response.

Rest isn’t one size fits all.

Some days your nervous system might want something completely mindless. Other days it might want movement, noise, connection or even a little adventure. The goal isn’t to find The One Correct Resting Activity and do it forever, it’s to build yourself a whole menu.

Because your capacity isn’t the same every day, and your rest shouldn’t have to be either.