Darcy is on the autism spectrum. This can be quite fun for me, as he often misinterprets sarcasm and double meanings.
He likes order and geometric logic - and in these ways we are quite different. He loves straight lines and concrete. I love plants in nature falling all over each other - not a straight line in sight.
Our differences have led to disagreements over tiny things - like whether our company logo should have a Capital letter or not!
I sprung a video recording on him once and I had to lock the door to stop him storming out.
Last week, I bought some new boots. The first time I wore them to the office, I took great pride in knowing they would mess with Darcy’s head. They are full-on, clomping black boots EXCEPT, they do not have toes! Does that make them a boot or a sandal? Darcy is threatening to close them up with duct tape!
Every person’s brain is unique, autism or not. Yet we all share the need for security of routine and comfort with what we know.
My brain can go into circular thinking patterns in the early hours of the morning when I should be asleep. I was excited to learn of a technique to help snap my mind out of these patterns - ‘Cognitive Shuffling.’ I have been trialling it since I heard about it on Radio New Zealand and it’s working well, despite its simplicity.
When you find yourself with an active mind, unable to sleep, think of a word, like PIANO, and then for each letter, find as many words as you can that start with that letter before moving on to the next letter.
This takes you out of the circular thinking loop and resembles natural sleep onset. In your natural transition into sleep, you have ‘micro-dreams,’ which consist of fragmented, nonlinear thought patterns. Intentionally engaging in random, disconnected thinking replicates this cognitive pre-sleep state, helping you fall asleep.
How cool is that?
So next time you are in a thought loop, try a cognitive shuffle and if you really want to jam your mind, answer me - are my shoes a boot, a sandal or a shoot? Darcy says,‘It doesn’t matter, they are an abomination!”