When I was growing up, I always thought of myself as a person who would 'fly by the seat of their pants'. Anything that changed was new and exciting for me. On some accounts, that still holds true today because I do like new things; new music, new movies, new games, etc. There are even cases where I really hope others will change and my situation as well because I hate having a talent that I'm really good in, but it can't feed my family. (That really sucks!) I will have to say that as I've gotten older, a routine is not necessarily a bad thing. It's been helpful to the point that it helps me remember certain things on a daily or weekly basis. I remember asking my students if a routine is bad and most said yes; but when I asked them how it could be beneficial, they didn't really know. I think we forget that routines can help prepare us for the day so when we have to tackle certain obstacles, we'll be ready for it. As an adult with Asperger’s, I've noticed that any real break in my routine can become really irritating; especially if it's a critical routine. An example might be when I get ready in the morning before work; there are certain things I do in order to make sure I'm completely prepared. If anything interrupts the process then I might forget something, like my school keys or a medication. (Which yes, I have forgotten in the past and paid dearly for it!)
The funny part is when a major crisis happens, I'm better at adjusting than a small routine that gets interrupted. I think the bigger the problem, the more focused I am on finding a solution rather than beating myself up over a small error. As I mentioned a couple of blogs ago, when my mother-in-law passed away, I had to 'man up' and figure a solution that would help everyone deal with the loss and keep things running at home. I still remember Jaimee asking me what should we do after the Oklahoma City bombing and I told her we might as well head home because it was just too dangerous and we really needed to head back to Kansas City. I have to give a lot of credit to my wife, especially when it came to moving from one house to another. She really had an excellent system of getting particular items organized, packed and ready for each move. (I'm not so good...nope; so don't ask me to help you move!)
When I lost my job, I remember my psychiatrist had emphasized the importance of me still having a routine and she helped me with some ideas at the time. I'm noticing that as I get older how important this has become in my life. As I have always said, change is difficult. However, a routine keeps me efficient and organized, but I also see it as a slight weakness in my eyes. I guess in some ways, I harken back to my days as a kid when anything different was an adventure.
The Song of Inspiration [Check it out on iTunes!]:
Song: “The Motions”
Artist: Matthew West
Album: Something to Say
Here's the music video to the selected song...REALLY WORTH WATCHING!
This wasn't the picture I really wanted, but as God as my witness, I will find the REAL picture I really wanted to show. Anyway, this is me at Halloween in my "Frogger" costume. I loved the video game Frogger. (I think partly because I was really good at it.) Again, I'm harking back to the days of my youth.
The funny part is when a major crisis happens, I'm better at adjusting than a small routine that gets interrupted. I think the bigger the problem, the more focused I am on finding a solution rather than beating myself up over a small error. As I mentioned a couple of blogs ago, when my mother-in-law passed away, I had to 'man up' and figure a solution that would help everyone deal with the loss and keep things running at home. I still remember Jaimee asking me what should we do after the Oklahoma City bombing and I told her we might as well head home because it was just too dangerous and we really needed to head back to Kansas City. I have to give a lot of credit to my wife, especially when it came to moving from one house to another. She really had an excellent system of getting particular items organized, packed and ready for each move. (I'm not so good...nope; so don't ask me to help you move!)
When I lost my job, I remember my psychiatrist had emphasized the importance of me still having a routine and she helped me with some ideas at the time. I'm noticing that as I get older how important this has become in my life. As I have always said, change is difficult. However, a routine keeps me efficient and organized, but I also see it as a slight weakness in my eyes. I guess in some ways, I harken back to my days as a kid when anything different was an adventure.
The Song of Inspiration [Check it out on iTunes!]:
Song: “The Motions”
Artist: Matthew West
Album: Something to Say
Here's the music video to the selected song...REALLY WORTH WATCHING!