"Autism is rarely an excuse." - Jam

My name is Jam van der Aa, artist @‌jamvanderaa.  I’m a very curious person. Curiosity is also a beautiful quality in other people, in my opinion.

I like creating things. Whether it's a homemade recipe for a dish, a fan, trousers, embroidery, a written text or a building kit… I just don't like chatting to strangers. I would often prefer to be invisible.

‌I struggled a lot with the “Things”. The (late) discovery that I am autistic has given me a new, more realistic chance to look at myself and my possibilities. Both on a relational (in a broad sense of that word) and on a professional level. Even though autism mainly describes my limitations, strangely enough I also get to know my strengths better.

‌I am proud of the fact that I have come thís far, without (being able to) take my specific challenges into account. I'm just a late bloomer. It's nice that I can do the trick of adjusting myself, but it's also nice that I don't always have to do that anymore. I’m proud that I dare to be myself more now and I’m daring to ask for what I need.

‌Autism means you can do certain things better than neurotypical people can. And worse too. I know it's unpleasant to be confronted with the things you're not good at. But my tip for others with autism is that it helps if you also acknowledge those things. Because you can oftenpractice or “hack” a lot of things. Autism is rarely an excuse. Being autistic is very twofold; It is best to learn to tolerate that feeling.