Special interests, my safe foods, the books, films, and TV I watch over and over, and more... things things have always been important to me, but now that I know I'm autistic, they mean even more. Before, some of these felt like guilty pleasures. Learning I'm autistic has allowed me to move towards the things I love. They're necessities, not concessions. I also have a new appreciation for good things I didn't know the full value of before, like people who understand autism, sensory-friendly environments, and how much better my life can be when I get enough rest. What about you--post-identification, have any longtime pleasures gotten even better? Have you identified any new ones?

• Has learning about autism helped you move towards things you enjoy? 
• Identify new good things you hadn't noticed before? Please describe. 
• Do you feel more confident "owning" your pleasures now? Why might that be? 
• Are there any pleasures you still feel private, protective, or perhaps embarrassed about? Please describe. 
• Any tools, strategies, or resources that helped you? 
• Anything else to add?