In this email:

1. A few thoughts on rest and anxiety
2. ND-positive kids summer camps ebook
3. Next free workshop
4. 3 Latest Videos
5. Recent popular Tweet
6. Feature article: Reflection Prompts on Rest

Hi Reader,

I'm off on vacation now, practicing what I preach about taking time off and actually resting. It's hard for me, as it means a dip in income, and I'm struggling a bit with the anxiety around that, and what if someone needs something while I'm away, and what if people get mad at me for not answering, and and and...

The thing is, that the voices of anxiety won't actually be calmed by doing what they want. They won't get less anxious (or only briefly) by staying here and answering every email and replying to every social media reply, and pleasing everyone, because not everyone is actually pleased by that.

No matter how much I try, it won't make everyone happy.

Because I'm part of everyone, and I would not be happy in that situation. (I know, I've been there, I wasn't.)

And everyone else isn't entirely happy either. Because there's the people who will say that I need to take better care of myself. And there are people who will take and take and take, no matter how much I give, and never be satisfied.

So I'm using my anti-anxiety tools, and reminding myself of what's true.

Do you also struggle with taking time off to rest? Beyond the practicalities of it, with allowing yourself? With people pleasing? With trusting that you can make up the money, or make do with less for a while (if that's true, sometimes it isn't, I've been there).

There are a bunch of painful stories that come up around the topic of rest. I've provided a few prompts below to reflect on which of them might be coming up for you, if you're interested.

Wishing you a neurorestful day,
Heather

P.S. I'll be back Monday, April 15th, and will start answering emails and whatnot then.

P.P.S. If you're interested in very mild, gentle sensory prompts delivered to you by email daily, check out Sensory Moments.

Autism-Friendly Camps Guide

How To Pick Neurodivergent-Affirming Camps Your Kid Will Love

Are you tired of wasting time scouring the internet for summer camps, or after school activities, or therapists, who are actually going to be accepting and affirming of your kid's (or your own) neurodiversity?

Are you frustrated trying to tell if they really mean it, or are just using the latest buzz words?

That's why I put together this guide, on how to screen out, reject, and identify autism- and ND-affirming programs.

This isn't just for summer camps. The principles here apply to any and every kind of activity, after school program, treatment, therapeutic provider, caretaker for hire, event, group, etc.

In fact, I've been using these principles for several years to pick out groups that I want to be a part of, and people I want to work with.

It's really about how to tell if someone or some group is actually accepting or if they just say that they are.

26 pages
​Dozens of hours saved
$15

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Next Free Public Workshop

What to Expect in the Later Identified Autism Journey

Are you figuring out as an adult that you’re Autistic, not broken, weird (in a bad way), or wrong after all?

Are you working on figuring out what that means for your future, and reframing your past with this new info?

Are you feeling lost and found, happy and angry, confused and clear, questioning and hopeful?

And wondering a lot what to do next, what comes next in the process, and how to make this new understanding of yourself benefit you and hopefully make things better?

That’s what we’re going to be talking about in this workshop.

Based on my own experience and having accompanied dozens of others through the process, here’s an overview of what to expect and some practical tips for each phase of the unfolding Journey.

Tuesday, May 14th
12 PM PT - 3 PM ET - 8 PM BST

3 Latest Videos

Links to transcripts are in the video descriptions.
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​Awkward around people? Here’s the missing piece.​

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​I want to be a bigger failure​

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​Don't Look For New Friends Until You Do This​

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Recent Popular Tweet​
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Heather Cook 🦓🖖Autistic Life Coach @hmm_cook Your people issues (discomfort, social anxiety, avoidance, etc.) took years to develop, and aren’t going to disappear in a few weeks. Or when you decide you're ready. 1/2 #ActuallyAutistic #AuDHD #Anxiety #healthycommunication #healthyrelationships 9:17 AM • Mar 17, 2024 0 Retweets 23 Likes Read 2 replies

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Reflection Prompts On Rest

​Read this on my website here​

Here are a few prompts to reflect on what messages you were taught about rest, and how you would like to engage with it in the future.

The idea

Do you find journaling, or reflecting in other ways, helps you process and understand yourself, others, and the world better?

Here are a few journal prompts around the idea of rest that may spark some ideas.

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The prompts

• Are you open to examining your own perceptions of rest, leisure, and vacation?
• What did you learn about rest growing up?
• Were you encouraged to take time off, to play, or hide away in your room with a creative project? Or were you accused of frittering away time or pushed into a rigorous enrichment schedule?
• Did your family take vacations? How were they spent?
• How did your family view others who took time to rest and play?
• What do you think of when you consider rest time, play time, and idle time? Then? Now?
• How do you feel when you see other people engage in rest?
• How would your wiser, best self like to engage with rest or relaxation? What’s keeping that from happening?
• What would you like to say to the anxious parts of yourself about rest or relaxation?

I hope these spark some interesting thoughts.

Feel free to share any reflections in the blog post comments, with others you trust, or to keep them to yourself.

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About Heather
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Hi, I’m Heather. I’m Autistic, ADHD, disabled, and building a life I love.

I coach Autistic and other neurodivergent humans on creating their own neurowonderful lives.

Want personalized support in making your life more autism-friendly? See if 1:1 coaching is a good fit for you.
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