I've long had a hard relationship with the idea of "my strengths". Others praised me for certain strengths when I was young. But because I was struggling so much at the time, the praise felt empty, beside the point, or even cruel. My strengths, if I had any, didn't seem to be getting me where I needed to be. I felt a sense of contradiction that confused my sense of self and self-esteem.

As an adult who knows I'm autistic, this internal conflict is starting to change. Daily life is slowly but surely becoming less of a crisis. Meanwhile, my strengths are still here. Some of them are even there because of my autism. Working on my sense of self and self-esteem in other ways is letting me feel a new, more genuine appreciation for my talents and skills.

Share questions:

• Has learning about autism changed the way you view your own strengths? 
• Has working on your self-esteem and sense of self helped you engage with your strengths in a healthier way?
• What are some of your strengths? 
• What strengths do you have that might specifically arise from being autistic? 
• In the past, did you ever feel bad when someone praised you for one of your strengths? What happened? And how do you feel about that strength now? 
• Are there any ways that your strengths make your life easier, pleasanter, happier, and/or less complicated? If yes, please describe. If no, do you think it's possible that they hypothetically could? How?
  
• Do you think your emotional reaction to your strengths is different from other people's reactions to theirs? Please describe.
• Any resources, tools, or strategies that helped you? 
• Anything else to add?