As an autism/neurodiversity self-advocate and public speaker, I am committed to serving an active role in the community whether it would be through virtual or in person public appearances. And while I will confess that I can’t be everywhere at once, I will confess that the more time I sit idle and not have face to face interactions with my friends and colleagues, the more I go bananas and impatient.
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Yesterday, I was at a junior board meeting for the Unicorn Children’s Foundation and all I could think to myself was “what if?” What if I could be down there in person helping out with events like fundraising events leading up to our gala on March 26th? What if I could do more for the community than just be sitting in front of a computer screen? Clearly, that’s not who I am as a self-advocate and public speaker.
Sure, I write blogs for “Going the Distance,” I do interviews and podcasts for “Going the Distance,” and most importantly, I’ve built connections within the community. But what if that is not enough? In recent years, I am trying to be more open on a social standpoint.
Growing up, I’ve maintained sporadic connections and had one friendship that has lasted since 2004 but has frozen due to the fact that we both grew up and things changed in our friendship. One thing is that we have come to realize that we both have different interests: for me, it was Disney and “My Little Pony” and for my friend, it was “Power Rangers.”
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The fact is that while I am mostly introverted (keeping to myself, being more private on social media, etc.), being in the autism/neurodiversity community requires me to be extroverted and I have been trying to do just that.
The problem is that many of my connections within the community live in many parts of the country and it is impossible to see them all every week of the year in person and with COVID, that makes it ten times more difficult for me. While being virtual is beneficial and inclusive, it can NEVER replace in person interactions and events.
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Case in point? Part of the reason why I promote speaking engagements and services is not just on behalf of “Going the Distance,” but I am around people who want to take in what I have to say and offer to them whether through my speaking or my volunteer services. If certain events and organizations want me to share my story with them and their attendees, I will be more than happy to do that whether it’s paid gig or pro bono.
Yes, I have to pick and choose certain events because again, I can’t do everything for the sake of overloading my mental health and going bankrupt. Plus, with my company financial plan of staying within a $1500-$2500 range, this can be possible for those that share a mutual interest with me.
One of the benefits of trip planning my speaking engagements is that I can book a flight one week, make up the deficit and then reserve a hotel room and not have to be charged until I get to the destination when the time comes.
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If you recall in Blog #51 where I talk about finances, this is one of the requirements that I put in for something like “Going the Distance” because as I quoted at the end of the blog that money is like staple where it is required and not to be foolishly wasted.
Furthermore, as I am writing this blog, I am also trying to come up with multiple avenues to financially sustain “Going the Distance” whether it would be finding a way to monetize this blog or offering paid services through my speaking.
Clearly, my weekly paychecks from my day job aren’t enough and if “Going the Distance” is going to grow for years to come, then the money needs to come from multiple directions. And part of the reason why I am looking for a remote job is to go where I am needed virtually or in person to serve the autism/neurodiversity community.
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The fact is that I know I can do more for “Going the Distance” and just the simple fact of being patient and waiting for that next opportunity to come along can drive me absolutely nuts at times.
So, when I promote my services to come and speak at virtual or in person events like conferences or conventions, please do not be afraid to reach out to me. I will confess that trying to reach out to organizations and events takes a lot out of me and through my promotions, so I am trying to get events and organizations to reach out to me.
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Now, I apologize if this blog feels like I’m venting while also trying to be professional, but I’m just really frustrated with the lack of balance between being both virtual and in person with the community. I know I can do better and I’m not going to do it by just sitting around and doing nothing!!
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Catch you all later!!
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