Mr. Maxwell

I am taking what may be a permanent break from the podcast.

I struggle with depression, and I am currently in a depressive episode. Instead of hiding this, I wanted to be vulnerable, to talk about depression, and share five strategies that I am using to help me get through it. Trigger warning: discussion of suicide and suicidal thoughts. If you are dealing with suicidal thoughts please call or text 988 to speak to someone with the suicide prevention hotline. You are not alone.

2023 has been a year of constant change, I have not had a normal day since January. When my life feels like too much is going on I can get very overwhelmed, and I begin looking for ways to ground myself. To do that I have been going over my journals, and re-exploring ideas that brought me to where I am and that will help me find my way going forward. One of those is the concept of Ikigai. Ikigai is a Japanese term that has gained popularity in recent years for its powerful insights into finding purpose and living a fulfilling life. Since I am reviewing it for myself, I thought I would share my notes with you.

Light is a wonderful part of our world, but for some it is also a source of pain and discomfort. Today I am sharing what I’ve learned from researching how light affects me as an autistic adult with an autoimmune disease. My sources are: Decreasing exposure to ultraviolet light, Lupus.org, https://www.lupus.org/resources/decreasing-uv-exposure-from-fluorescent-lights UV exposure: What you need to know, lupus.org, https://www.lupus.org/resources/uv-exposure-what-you-need-to-know Ludlum, Kerry, Lupus Photosensitivity and UV Light, WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/lupus/lupus-photosensitivity-uv Digre, Kathleen B., MD, What is Photophobia and Can It Be Treated? https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/what-is-photophobia/#:~:text=Photophobia%2C%20or%20extreme%20light%20sensitivity,daily%2C%20disabling%20sensitivity%20to%20light. Tips for Managing Sensitivity to Light, lupus.org https://www.lupus.org/resources/tips-for-managing-sensitivity-to-light

Time is a funny thing, something that many struggle with, some more than others. Today I am sharing what I learned about Dyschronometria, and how I manage time in my own life as a person with a career, family, and multiple creative pursuits. Here are some of the sources I used while researching this topic: NPR, All Things Considered: “A Woman With Dyschronometria Shares Her Experience Of Losing Track Of Time”, May 18, 2020, https://www.npr.org/2020/05/18/858236566/a-woman-with-dyschronometria-shares-her-experience-of-losing-track-of-time Weissenberger S, Schonova K, Büttiker P, Fazio R, Vnukova M, Stefano GB, Ptacek R. Time Perception is a Focal Symptom of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults. Med Sci Monit. 2021 Jul 17;27:e933766. doi: 10.12659/MSM.933766. PMID: 34272353; PMCID: PMC8293837. Maynard, S. (2022, July 1). "we don't see time; we feel it". ADDitude. Retrieved April 5, 2023, from https://www.additudemag.com/does-anyone-know-what-time-it-is/

Last week I didn’t post an episode because I was dealing with a busy work week, and I was dealing with a lupus flare. Today I’m reflecting on last week and how I can apply the concept of situational awareness to my physical and mental health.

I am beginning to realize that when I hide my goals, hobbies and who I am, I risk missing opportunities to do new things and find new ways to connect with people. My fear of rejection leads to a lack of connection.

Today I’m rambling a bit as I process ideas around my desire to help others like me.

Today I’m reading some more poems from my new (first) book of poetry Words From My Brain vol. 2. Please grab yourself a cup of tea, coffee or whatever you prefer.

Today I’m reading some poems to you from my new (first) book of poetry Words From My Brain, vol. 1. Please grab yourself a cup of coffee or tea (or whatever beverage you prefer) and enjoy a bit of poetry.

It’s been a minute since I’ve done a life update, so here is a life update.

The other day I was having breakfast with a friend of mine, and she mentioned that she was learning about dyslexia. Her son is dyslexic, and she is starting to realize that she might be as well. During the conversation I realized that I know nothing about dyslexia, other than that it affects a person’s reading ability. I have had dyslexic students in my classroom, and so far the only thing I know is that dyslexia is not the same for everyone. So, now that I am seeking to remedy my ignorance and learn more about this form of neurodiversity. I don’t know if this is right or not, while I will use the term disability, I am going to intentionally try and avoid using the word disorder while talking about dyslexia. Grab some tea or coffee (or whatever it is that you drink) and join me as I learn about this form of neurodiversity.

Rest is part of my productivity strategy.

Today I want to share my five philosophies for life. I do not believe that everyone needs to follow my philosophies, but I do think that it is important for everyone to develop their philosophies for their own lives. These philosophies should not explain how you are already living, but I think that they should be based on who you want to be. That being said, my five philosophies are: 1-Life is hard, 2-You are important, beware of self-importance, 3-Your life is not only about you, 4-You are not always in control, 5-You are going to die, so live well.

Let’s talk about the medical condition where you get dizzy

“When children have opportunities to develop executive function and self-regulation skills, individuals and society experience lifelong benefits.” -Harvard Center on the Developing Child. In the course of two episodes, I want to talk about 8 different forms of Executive Function that I learned through my research into this topic. I will cover forms 5-8 today. Sources: -7 Executive Functioning Skills Your Child Should Have, Hill Center https://www.hillcenter.org/7-executive-functioning-skills-your-child-should-have/ -Executive Function and Self-Regulation, Harvard University Center on the Developing Child https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/executive-function/ -Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2011). Building the Brain’s “Air Traffic Control” System: How Early Experiences Shape the Development of Executive Function: Working Paper No. 11. http://www.developing child.harvard.edu -What is Executive Dysfunction?, by Kati Morton https://youtu.be/LQ5coA0tTJU

“When children have opportunities to develop executive function and self-regulation skills, individuals and society experience lifelong benefits.” -Harvard Center on the Developing Child. In the course of two episodes, I want to talk about 8 different forms of Executive Function that I learned through my research into this topic. I will cover forms 1-4 today. Sources: -7 Executive Functioning Skills Your Child Should Have, Hill Center https://www.hillcenter.org/7-executive-functioning-skills-your-child-should-have/ -Executive Function and Self-Regulation, Harvard University Center on the Developing Child https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/executive-function/ -Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2011). Building the Brain’s “Air Traffic Control” System: How Early Experiences Shape the Development of Executive Function: Working Paper No. 11. http://www.developing child.harvard.edu -What is Executive Dysfunction?, by Kati Morton https://youtu.be/LQ5coA0tTJU

(Quick note: Even though this episode and the previous one is titled Autism and Friendship, I believe that some, if not all of these reasons affect people of other neurotypes.) I found an article on the Ambitious About Autism website called 10 reasons people with autism struggle with friendships. https://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/blog/10-reasons-people-autism-struggle-friendships Isn’t it funny how often writers like to imagine that they have distilled a problem down to a precise number of reasons? I am sure that is not the intent of the writer, but when I read that I take it to literally mean that there are only ten reasons, but they are probably just discussing the ten reasons they are aware of when it comes to the problems that autistic people have with friendships. Today I am going to go through reasons 6-10.

When facing the death of dream, we have a choice, to view it as the end, or a chance for new beginnings.

I can’t believe that we are starting season 3 of the Mr. Maxwell podcast! Today I am taking some time to reflect on the past year, and look ahead to the new year.