Do things to help people!
Volunteer, donate your time or your money, but be active in making the world a better place. Decrease world suck! Why?
Well, because the world needs it, but also because by helping people you increase your self-esteem and people love that!
People genuinely love other people who are confident and have high self-esteem. I can vouch for that. Someone who is so self-conscious that they don't do anything isn't someone I want to spend my time with, but people who are confident in themselves on the other hand... those are people who I try to get to know.
Helping people is a great way to improve self-esteem. I mean, you don't even have to do anything all that major. Just by doing little things you can make a difference, and that matters.
I did some volunteering with a local institution to help people with disabilities, and it made me feel so good to have been able to help people.
Really, if you're interested in bettering yourself, this is something you need to do. You can also do stuff online too. Sign up for forums or online volunteering projects, but do something!
This is Jordan from teenaspergers.blogspot.com signing off!
Sunday, February 3
Go be social!
Get out there and talk to people! Make friends, be social. I know it's hard - I struggle with it myself. I get incredibly anxious when I talk to people I don't know very well, or when I try to do things with people, but trust me, it's worth it.
I do want to say though, that as anxious as I get when being social, succeeding in that area is very rewarding. Being lonely sucks, and the only way to stop being lonely is to take steps in making friends. Here are some things that I remember when I'm being social:
1 - Things are not inherently awkward!
Even if somethings feels uncomfortable, chances are you can change that. Whether it's your fault or not, being confident, even if it's not much can really help. If you have some sort of relationship with the people you're talking to, they're not going to just write you off. You're someone they know! They'll give you a chance if you ask for one. And if you don't know them, chances are that even if you screw-up somehow, it won't matter.
2 - Don't make things into a big deal.
Suppose someone you know invites you over, but they stutter or they say something weird? Would you judge them and make fun of them? No? Well then why would they, if the roles were reversed? Unless they're the kind of people who are shallow enough to get caught up on something like that, there's nothing you have to worry about. If they are people like that, then missing out on a friendship with them isn't worth very much. Realize that people are not hunting for ways to hurt you and go with the flow. If you don't get hung up on something, chances are, they won't either.
3 - Take small steps if you have to, but take those steps!
Practice makes perfect. I know that's cliche, but it's true. And not just because you get better at. By taking steps to be social, you desensitize yourself to the ordeal of making friends. By taking small steps you also ease into being closer friends with people.
4 - Compliments.
It's always a good idea to toss around a few compliments! People like people who like them - I think I heard that somewhere. If you want people to like you (and isn't that the point of being social?) then show some interest in their lives and interests, but keep in mind, you don't have to be terribly deep with your compliments - do you like their t-shirt? Something they said? Something they did? Just make sure you sincerely believe in what you're saying and you'll be good.
5 - Expand your horizons.
Being a varied person is wonderful when making friends. It lets you relate to more people in more ways, and it causes people to respect you more because you have broad interests. Whether they're interested in the same things as you are, they'll appreciate that you have the drive to explore new things.
6 - Don't limit yourself to "being yourself".
Be the best person you can be, don't stick with what you already are. Unless you've spent years shaping your personality and physique to be stellar (and even if you have) there's going to be room to improve yourself. Be the kind of person people like spending time with. Now, don't try to please everyone, but be a genuinely high-quality person and people will respond to that.
I do want to say though, that as anxious as I get when being social, succeeding in that area is very rewarding. Being lonely sucks, and the only way to stop being lonely is to take steps in making friends. Here are some things that I remember when I'm being social:
1 - Things are not inherently awkward!
Even if somethings feels uncomfortable, chances are you can change that. Whether it's your fault or not, being confident, even if it's not much can really help. If you have some sort of relationship with the people you're talking to, they're not going to just write you off. You're someone they know! They'll give you a chance if you ask for one. And if you don't know them, chances are that even if you screw-up somehow, it won't matter.
2 - Don't make things into a big deal.
Suppose someone you know invites you over, but they stutter or they say something weird? Would you judge them and make fun of them? No? Well then why would they, if the roles were reversed? Unless they're the kind of people who are shallow enough to get caught up on something like that, there's nothing you have to worry about. If they are people like that, then missing out on a friendship with them isn't worth very much. Realize that people are not hunting for ways to hurt you and go with the flow. If you don't get hung up on something, chances are, they won't either.
3 - Take small steps if you have to, but take those steps!
Practice makes perfect. I know that's cliche, but it's true. And not just because you get better at. By taking steps to be social, you desensitize yourself to the ordeal of making friends. By taking small steps you also ease into being closer friends with people.
4 - Compliments.
It's always a good idea to toss around a few compliments! People like people who like them - I think I heard that somewhere. If you want people to like you (and isn't that the point of being social?) then show some interest in their lives and interests, but keep in mind, you don't have to be terribly deep with your compliments - do you like their t-shirt? Something they said? Something they did? Just make sure you sincerely believe in what you're saying and you'll be good.
5 - Expand your horizons.
Being a varied person is wonderful when making friends. It lets you relate to more people in more ways, and it causes people to respect you more because you have broad interests. Whether they're interested in the same things as you are, they'll appreciate that you have the drive to explore new things.
6 - Don't limit yourself to "being yourself".
Be the best person you can be, don't stick with what you already are. Unless you've spent years shaping your personality and physique to be stellar (and even if you have) there's going to be room to improve yourself. Be the kind of person people like spending time with. Now, don't try to please everyone, but be a genuinely high-quality person and people will respond to that.
Saturday, February 2
High-Top Sneakers
Here's a tip I found after years of rage every time I went shoe shopping; look for high-top sneakers. Oh my god, this helped me so much! I apologize if this tip doesn't help, but it literally revolutionized my experience when shopping for shoes and I think everyone should at least know about it. Try it and see if it works for you - either way, let me know in the comments how it went.
This is Jordan from teenaspergers.blogspot.com signing off!
This is Jordan from teenaspergers.blogspot.com signing off!
Weight LIfting
Weight Lifting:
I'm no body builder, but I can tell you that exercise is really an awesome thing. I know that some people like running and sports and the like, but personally, I can't stand those things. They're exhausting, difficult, take lots of time and effort. To me, they're also rather boring. However, I find that lifting wights is a great form of exercise that's easier and more enjoyable than cardio. It helps reduce appetite, increases energy levels, and - but wait, I'm sure you're not here to read about that stuff. So, yeah, here's how it's applicable to Autism.
In essence, lifting weights reduces stress, and therefore reduces frustration. Moreover, this type of exercise helps to increase awareness and tolerance. It's hard to be annoyed with someone when you're all chilled out from lifting! Physical activity releases endorphin and dopamine in the brain which in turn cause relaxation.
There's not much to it as this article isn't meant as a tutorial on how to lift, but weight lifting is really awesome at reducing stress and frustration.
This is Jordan from teenaspergers.blogspot.com signing off!
I'm no body builder, but I can tell you that exercise is really an awesome thing. I know that some people like running and sports and the like, but personally, I can't stand those things. They're exhausting, difficult, take lots of time and effort. To me, they're also rather boring. However, I find that lifting wights is a great form of exercise that's easier and more enjoyable than cardio. It helps reduce appetite, increases energy levels, and - but wait, I'm sure you're not here to read about that stuff. So, yeah, here's how it's applicable to Autism.
In essence, lifting weights reduces stress, and therefore reduces frustration. Moreover, this type of exercise helps to increase awareness and tolerance. It's hard to be annoyed with someone when you're all chilled out from lifting! Physical activity releases endorphin and dopamine in the brain which in turn cause relaxation.
There's not much to it as this article isn't meant as a tutorial on how to lift, but weight lifting is really awesome at reducing stress and frustration.
This is Jordan from teenaspergers.blogspot.com signing off!
Thursday, September 27
Making Music
Hey guys!
I'm going to talk about something that I've found has helped my Aspergers. Well, that's not too odd for this particular blog, but I usually talk about methods or techniques specifically for coping with Aspergers. This thing - making music - isn't quite as direct in it's helpfulness. That's not to say it isn't helpful, it's very helpful, it's just less direct.
Anyway, now that I (hopefully) have your attention, yes. I'm talking about making music. Electronic music, anyway. Making music is one of the most amazing things I've ever done. The level of expression that you have at your fingertips when making music is astounding. I've been doing remixes, particularly of video game tracks, for about a year, but it wasn't until near the end of this summer that I really got into making my own, original music.
I make music in a program called a Digital Audio Workstation, DAW for short. It lets me make my music by dragging notes into the app, rather than by using an instrument. The DAW I use is called FL Studio. Others use DAWs like Cubase, Reason, or GarageBand(for macs). These are the more "high-end" programs, which can cost 200, or 300+ dollars, but there are less expensive, or even free DAWs out there. The workshop forums on ocremix.org, are a great resource for starting out. If you are new, read this: http://ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11586.
Making music is incredibly therapeutic. The level of expression you have at your finger tips, is amazing! You can make whatever you want and you can express yourself and communicate with others in a completely new way.
I highly, highly recommend experimenting with music production. It's not something you can immediately be good at; It took me at least a year before I was making music had any potential but it's worth it.
This is Jordan from teenaspergers.blogspot.com signing off.
I'm going to talk about something that I've found has helped my Aspergers. Well, that's not too odd for this particular blog, but I usually talk about methods or techniques specifically for coping with Aspergers. This thing - making music - isn't quite as direct in it's helpfulness. That's not to say it isn't helpful, it's very helpful, it's just less direct.
Anyway, now that I (hopefully) have your attention, yes. I'm talking about making music. Electronic music, anyway. Making music is one of the most amazing things I've ever done. The level of expression that you have at your fingertips when making music is astounding. I've been doing remixes, particularly of video game tracks, for about a year, but it wasn't until near the end of this summer that I really got into making my own, original music.
I make music in a program called a Digital Audio Workstation, DAW for short. It lets me make my music by dragging notes into the app, rather than by using an instrument. The DAW I use is called FL Studio. Others use DAWs like Cubase, Reason, or GarageBand(for macs). These are the more "high-end" programs, which can cost 200, or 300+ dollars, but there are less expensive, or even free DAWs out there. The workshop forums on ocremix.org, are a great resource for starting out. If you are new, read this: http://ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11586.
Making music is incredibly therapeutic. The level of expression you have at your finger tips, is amazing! You can make whatever you want and you can express yourself and communicate with others in a completely new way.
I highly, highly recommend experimenting with music production. It's not something you can immediately be good at; It took me at least a year before I was making music had any potential but it's worth it.
This is Jordan from teenaspergers.blogspot.com signing off.
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