I've always liked the idea of living my values, but pre-identification, I had some frustrating experiences I couldn't explain. Why did I feel bad at Pride marches? How come I never wanted to show up for phone banking? Why was it challenging to talk about things I believed in, even among friends who shared my beliefs? These situations hurt my self-esteem--although I also had many positive experiences where I was proud of what I'd contributed.

Post-identification, I know that my autism profile makes some ways of living my values more sustainable than others, and I've assembled a range of ways I can participate without getting overwhelmed. Life still isn't free of contradictions, and some values are hard to live due to my disability. But I'm also coming to value my own well-being, which means accepting accommodations when they make my activities more sustainable.

Share questions:

• In what ways do you live your values? 
• Have any of those ways changed since you learned you are autistic? How and why? 
• Do you ever experience a conflict between your values and the realities of living them? What is it like, and how to you deal with it?
• Can you recommend any life hacks about dealing with sensory, social, executive, or other challenges while living your values?
• Do you use any accommodations when pursing your values to keep your activities sustainable?
• Have you discovered any new personal values after learning you are autistic? In what ways are they expressed in your everyday life?
• Any tools, resources, or strategies to share?
• Anything else to add?