(Sent as a newsletter on 25th July 2025)
I’ve been lonely this week.
My partner, Sas, is away and two of our closest friends have been overseas for a month, and a third moved interstate yesterday.
I’ve never been someone who has a big group of friends, usually just a small handful of close companions (something I’m learning is quite common for autistic folk such as myself).
So it’s felt as if my main social network is missing.
I like to think of myself as self-sufficient, someone who enjoys my own company, and usually I do! But this past week I’ve been taken by surprise – I’ve really struggled.
Because I had an inkling this might happen, I decided to keep myself busy with extra work – I took on a bunch of class covers and loaded up my schedule.
Surely I wouldn’t notice the absence of all “my people” if I just kept working??
It’s been interesting to observe how it has indeed had the opposite effect.
Instead of coming home tired and ready for bed, I’ve been exhausted and sad. Not a great combo for self-regulation.
But through it all, yoga has saved me time and time again. Yoga nidra, yin practice and recording podcasts with Keith have been my surrogate companions.
Of course, it’s much easier to practice yoga when we’re well and happy. The moment the house of cards comes falling down, can we continue to lean on the practices that sustain us?
I definitely had a few days where it was all Lego Masters re-runs and bowls of coco pops (did you know they’re vegan??), but I always try to remind myself that I’ll eventually end up back on the mat and everything will be okay.
So the lesson I’m taking away is that during periods where I may need more support – take on less, not more. Leave space for healthy self-soothing activities. Practice gentle āsana, chant mantra and try not to skip meditation.
Sas is home on Tuesday, and I’m beyond ready to co-regulate.
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