Boundaries, surrender, flow and autism is an interesting mix. As someone who really advocates for strong boundaries, I also understand that they only work if you really believe in them. All the parts of you have to be agreed that this boundary is a non-negotiable.

I also believe in intuition, flow and the ability to pivot and recalibrate if things feel off. Giving ourselves permission to change our minds is key to not living a life of obligation and resentment.

My autistic brain needs clear rules and boundaries. My spiritual self needs flow and surrender and the ability to move as I feel. This is not always a comfortable space and shows up particularly strongly in relationships, which makes sense given that you’re then working with another person’s energy and boundaries too.

I’ll always be navigating this dynamic within myself but have learned that the ability to have compassion with myself when I lean into a feeling instead of holding strong on a boundary I thought I needed helps me understand myself better. Life is always unfolding and there is no right or wrong way to do something. All we can do is be radically honest with ourselves and others, say what’s working and what isn’t, what we want and don’t want, listen to what we get back and do our best to act accordingly and lovingly for ourselves first (if you have worked with me you probably know that I believe that what is truly best for us will always ultimately be best for everyone around us too).

P.S. I know my photos are out of date / re-used so if you know of a good [super patient with my autistic brain + facial expressions] photographer around Lisbon let me know 🙂