Friday, October 30, 2015

Between Spectrums

Stop Resisting


Yesterday my mother sent me a video about a couple of guys with Aspergers. Danny Raede was diagnosed when he was twelve. Hayden Mears on the hand, was diagnosed when he was five but wasn't told till he twelve. Each wanted a better life than the ones they were living. So with much perseverance, they each made their lives better and together they developed Aspergers Experts. It's a website that helps those with Aspergers with strategies, and mechanisms that can help them deal with their struggles. They write blogs, develop workshops, and make videos, just about anything they can do to help. From personal experience, they know how to inspire and help a lot of people like them. 

So getting back to the video. Here's Raede and Mears talking about they need to not resist your emotional sensations.


I can relate to that. When I was told that I was labeled autistic, I didn't want to let it to be true cause I was born normal. Even when I was filling out my mission papers I put that nothing was wrong with my mental capacity. But after reviewing them before I submit them, my Dad basically put down that I have some form of autism. I didn't want that cause I wanted to serve an actual mission instead of a service mission. But after talking to my parents and letting it process, I just let it out and cried. Sounds petty right? It can be depending on how you look at it. But for me it was realizing that I'm different and I resisted it for a while cause I wanted to be like everyone else. But after that experience, I now know that I have some autistic and some Asperger traits and knowing these traits allowed me to study more about autism. Not only to help myself overcome them but help others as much as I can. So my advice, like what Raede and Mears said, don't resist just let the appropriate feelings flow and see what you can learn from them.

Thank you for your time
Tay Gallagher

For more info and see other videos go to aspergerexperts.com

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Between Spectrums

Becoming Limitless


Normally I would tell you a story about a person or people with autism or did something to help those who are autistic. But let me tell you something that is pretty remarkable.

So as I woke up this morning I look at Facebook and I noticed that a friend of mine posted a video. In the video we see that it looks like a "So You Think You Can Dance" competition at another country.   Just when you think it was just gonna be a couple who can dance well and get applause, the guy comes out with the girl and we see that the guy has only one leg and has to go around with crutches. Now that may had surprise the judges and the audience and perhaps wondered if that was going to work. But when the crutches were taken away and the music played, the coupled danced with no problems. The guy, though one legged, performed with skill. They're performing was impressive and so inspiring that the judges and audiences gave them a standing ovation.

Just like how the guy dancer didn't let his limitation stop him from achieving his goals and dreams. Those with autism should not let they're limitations stop them from achieving what they hope to accomplish. Like what I said before we can become limitless. I personally plan to become limitless. I have always been asking people for rides to place. But now I'm taking practice tests to get a drivers license. I also want to be become a writer but I must work on the things I've been working on, like my books and script. What gives me the motivation to get a license and become a writer? Simple I'm wanting to become limitless. Autism can be tough but as you continue to follow your goals you become limitless. People with autism continue to be limitless because the choose to be so. May I encourage you to become limitless. Whatever you think you struggle with, work on it and you will see how much you improve. The possibilities are endless as you rise above your limitations and become limitless. 

Thank you for your time
Tay Gallagher

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Between Spectrums

Speaking Without Words

"Not speaking is not the same as not thinking."
Ido Kedar

Ido is a 17 year old boy with autism. And even though he can't speak to communicate he still continues to be an advocate for those who are severely autistic. How is it possible? Well let's take a look at his life for a bit. For the first seven years of his life, he wasn't able to communicate with others and his behavior was erratic, which lead people to think that he doesn't understand the world around him. But around age seven, his mother mother Tracy knew that he can spell words and gave him a letter board. With it he was finally able to communicate and say the thoughts and feelings that have been trapped inside of him. After that he made it his mission to help other severe autistic people be free from misunderstanding and solitude. He currently has a blog and has written a book with essays about his thoughts and experiences. He plans to go to college and continue to talk about autism and help the non-verbal unlock their potential. 

In a way Ido was like me. I wasn't able to talk when I was a little kid. All I did was talk gibberish and that could of been an indication of why some people thought I was autistic. But by the time I was seven my mother told me that I should talk more slowly and that's when I started to talk more clearly. And to this day I'm still talking clearly. Now it wasn't that I didn't understand it was that my mind goes fast and I need to slow down and form out my words and thoughts. Sometimes I have to repeat what I said cause people didn't understand the first time and I have to think on what I want to say before I said it. I wish I can just say what I want to say without thinking it over and that I can speak in front of people without getting nervous. But like other things in life we work on our skills till they are easy to do. In the meantime I found a way to express my thoughts, ideas, and stories through writing.

I can talk and communicate with people. Ido can't really talk but he powerfully communicates through his writing. Autistic, Severely Autistic, Autistic traits, you have the potential to speak your minds in any form of communication and what you say can inspire people around you. That I'm sure of it.

Thank you for your time
Tay Gallagher

For more info about Ido please go to www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2013/06/06/heart-autism-17-year-old-advocates-others-severe-autism

And to go to his blog go to idoinautismland.com

You can also buy his book, Ido In Autismland, at Amazon.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Between Spectrums

Out of the Comfort Zone


Have you ever been the kind of person that likes to stay in your comfort zone? Jennifer Lovy was that kind of person till her son Evan, who has autism, inspired her to come out. 

When Evan was diagnosed, she became his advocate to people that either works with him or knows him. When she gets in front of people she would panic. But when she thinks about Evan and what he goes through when placed in uncomfortable situations. Though he has fears he challenges himself to face them, which inspires his mother. One of his fears is fire. At the time he would only watch YouTube videos of fire so he can feel safe. But later on he would slowly overcome his fear. From having only candles to enjoying camping with a camp fire, He's not entirely comfortable around fire but he steps out of his comfort zone to try new things. His example inspires Jennifer to speak in front of school boards and to write down her experiences as an advocate.

Coming out the comfort zone is not that easy. I had to come out of mine to serve a two year mission to Kentucky, to work with troubled youth and young adults in the woods of southern Utah, to go to college to receive a degree in creating writing, even to start a blog to help inspire those with and without autism. Readers, your loved ones with autism are walking examples of getting out of the comfort zone. True it's hard for them to do things out of routine, but they are doing the best that they can. And if they are coming out of theirs you should come out of yours and show that autism is not what the textbooks say. It may not be easy but as you get used to doing things you wouldn't normally do, you and your loved autism can accomplish many things when you're out of the comfort zone.

Thank you for your time
Tay Gallagher

For more info but Jennifer and what she's doing for Evan. Go to http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/8238572 

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Between Spectrums

Reading Up Instead of Down


Here's a poem I would like you to read.

Today was the absolute worst day ever
And don't try to convince me that
There's something good in every day
Because, when you take a closer look,
This world is pretty evil place
Even if
Some goodness does shine through once in a while
Satisfaction and happiness don't last
And it's not true that
It's all in the mind and heart
Because 
True happiness can be obtained
Only if one's surroundings are good
It's not true that good exists
I'm sure you can agree that
The reality
Creates
My attitude
It's all beyond my control
And you'll never in a million years hear me say that 
Today is a good day

Sounds depressing right? Sounds like there is no hope in this world. But wait! Let's see what it says backwards.

Today is a good day
And you'll never in a million years hear me say that
It's beyond my control
My attitude
Creates 
The reality
I'm sure you can agree that
It's not true that good exists
Only if one's surrounding are good
True happiness can be obtained
Because 
It's all in the mind and heart
And it's not true that
Satisfaction and happiness don't last
Some goodness does shine through once in a while
Even if
This world is a pretty evil place
Because, when you take a closer look,
There's something good in every day
And don't try to convince me that 
Today was the absolute worst day ever

Who ever the fourteen year old writer is, this poem gives us a unique look on life. Like choosing to read the poem up or down, we can choose to be happy or we can choose to be sad. Living with autism, Aspergers, or just having traits of either can be tough and there will be times when you just want to give up but you can continue to press forward with confidence and faith that things get better. Autism is nothing to feel bad about. You can look at it as something that makes you awesome. I mean how many regular people can do what you can do? You may not be what other's consider normal but in reality, there is no such thing as normal because we all act different. So don't ever think that autism is what makes your life miserable but look to the bright side of things and be sure that your life is the poem going up instead of down.

Thank you for you time
Tay Gallagher