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I decided last year that I wanted to work towards self-employment. What led me to make this choice because I felt it was the only job that I can get due to my sensory issues, differences, and other things. A make-up channel I follow struggled to find a job and she turned to YouTube and her blog as a job since that was all she can get. That gave me some ideas. I felt that overall, It’s better for my mental health. As of now, she quit YT due to too many trolls. Before the low lives bullied her, she struggled to find a job and turned to Youtube at the time they had no restrictions for showing ads.
It was something I felt was best for me.
I have been having trouble getting my mom and grandma to understand this. To me, I feel as though because they are not in my head, they do not understand how being around so many people will make my anxiety worse.
This is a blog post that I wrote in 2018. I transferred my posts over to WordPress when I bought hosting which was in 2020.
Keep in mind some of these blog posts were transported from my Blogger site. I originally wrote them in 2019.
It just won’t work being around so many people for so many hours a day.
Another thing I want to imply is that when I was in Jr. High and high school I got sick several times a year from being around so many kids for so many hours. When I graduated from school I haven’t been sick since 2015/2016. Therefore I cannot have a job being around so many people because it will be back to getting sick. I can get sick being at home but 1 or 2 times beats 6 or 7 times a year.
If I work from home and get sick or need mental health breaks, I can do that. I don’t have to ask for permission.
I tried explaining to my mom why I chose to work from home to no avail
I have tried several attempts to explain it to my mom. The first time I told her if I work for myself, I won’t have to worry about getting yelled at for doing something ‘wrong,’ Working from home, I can work at my own pace, etc.
I was brutally honest saying no one will want me with no experience and my mom gets mad. On the second attempt, my mom said that when the weather got better we were going to talk to the manager at Marshal’s and Burlington to see if I have a chance of getting a job. She failed to understand why I choose to work from home.
She didn’t like the idea because I will be in the house all the time and won’t be socializing. Well, I will be so burnt out from the job, I will be in the house anyway. At least working from home, I can still get out because I can pace myself.
I tried explaining I can go at my own pace. Pick my own schedule.
I’m autistic as we all know. As a result. I struggle with employment because of it. I struggle with finding jobs I can cope with. For instance, I can’t do retail and fast food because of the pace and the pressure.
We went to Target because my grandma needed a charger for her phone if she is out. My mom always likes buying chargers from an actual store like Walmart.
I tried a program but it didn’t work. It’s hard when someone thinks you’re only worth bagging groceries because you’re disabled and/or didn’t go to college. We have amazing skills that you will never see as long as you doubt us.
It seemed like my mom would only be satisfied if I got a retail job
My mom asked an employee if they hired autistic people. My mom likes to speak about what she wants me to do. She may want me out and socializing. She does not understand a job isn’t the only way I can do this.
Maybe save up my money and go to conventions and meet some people. I joined some cryptocurrency blog sites where I can exchange it for real $$$. My mom doesn’t understand that I need something that works for me not what works for her.
I like gaming right? Save up money and I can attend some cons and be among people who share the same interest. My mom doesn’t realize I look like a fool trying to take about something I have no knowledge/interest in.
She notices it but wonders why I say something stupid. Ding dong. This wouldn’t be a problem if you just honor my wish and I can find people who like the same thing as me.
I annoy my mom by talking about trains, Spongebob, chess, and other hyperfixations I had.
That will be the case with her wanting me to socialize. We may not like the same things which make it difficult to strike up a convo. When I went to the barber to do my mohawk, he played GTA 5 as I did and we were able to have a convo.
I will be working there not her. As of now, my disability came through but at the time setting of this post, I was in the process of fighting for it.
This can allow me to put into the things I need to work from home. I decided since I am doing YouTube and blogging, content creation can be my job. I’m doing it now. I can take the editing skills I’ve gained from YouTube.
Convenience
Working from home will be overall more convenient for me. If I need to go to a doctor, most clinics are closed on weekends or close early. Let’s pretend I had a job and worked 9-2 Mon-Fri. I need to see a dentist. Let’s say all of their appointments after 2 pm are taken. The office closes early on weekends and they’re all booked. I’d have to call off to see the dentist or go in if I finish in time. If I work from home.
I can work around that and just write my blog posts, edit my videos, make renders, etc when I get home. Life happens, you get sick, and death in the family. I wouldn’t have to worry if I worked from home.
If I woke up with a bad headache or dizziness, I can do my work when it passes. Just like the untimely death of my aunt back home happened. It didn’t throw anything off because I am striving toward self-employment and I could still work while I was away. You know so I won’t fall too far behind. Also, I want something I enjoy. I wanna get up every day and wanna do it.
Health
I get a lot of bad sinus headaches. When the weather keeps changing, it messes with my sinus. I have to lay down because it’s that bad. I’d have to miss work if I can’t get the headache to pass. I get these for almost a whole week. I have bad period cramps. I can’t even stand for 5 minutes so how do you expect me to stand on my feet at a job for 4+ hours.
I have anxiety-caused stomach issues and they will have something to say about me going to the bathroom. Like look, I can’t control it. I also have vertigo and it makes me feel sick most of the time. If you keep calling out, they fire you after a while. You don’t get paid for the days that you miss. If I work from home, I can work around it while letting my body recover. I can put my health first.
Better for my mental health
Working from home is better for my mental health. I may be stuck in the house. Once my earnings build-up I can go out for a bit. Places are busier on weekends and around holidays. I can easily work around that. I can shop for food throughout the workweek or order my groceries.
I’d have more control of my schedule working from home.
If I work from home, no one to control my schedule, no one tells me what to do, no one yells at me for doing something ‘wrong,’ I can go at my own pace, step away when feeling sick/stressed.
The list goes on. I need creative freedom, not some jerk who can control me like a remote. When I was down south, I felt free.
I had freedom. I would not have that freedom if I were working a regular job. I feel so much better when I can express myself. The way I see it, working from home opens so many doors for me. I also think a job where I can allow my mind/body to recover is beneficial for me. I’ve tried to get my mom to understand this.
Make More Money
With proper planning, I can make more being a blogger.
Just because you have 10K, don’t blow it all. Reward yourself maybe twice and put the money towards food. Put some money in your savings account.
I also purchased Webhosting and a custom URL. Which is what I need to be a Freelance Writer. The old saying you have to spend money to make money.
In general, people will more likely visit my site with a custom URL. I do have ads but I make sure they aren’t spammy.
Everything Has A Flip Side
Everything has a flip side. The flip side is with self-employment, you don’t get benefits, this is why you put away savings so if something happens you will be alright. Have more than one stream of income. I found a site called Steemit.com where you earn rewards for your content. That can be a backup. I also sell my art on Redbubble. I made 3 sales so far.
Cryptocurrency is growing. At my local currency exchange, you can buy Bitcoin and at a gas station near me, they have a Bitcoin ATM. Stores are accepting BTC. I recently bought Webhosting and went I went to payment you can use BTC to pay for your subscription. I was at the mall and they had a Bitcoin ATM.
You are not promised a paycheck on a regular job. They can fire you. Company closes.
Conclusion
My mom doesn’t live inside my head. I do. I am divergent, no one can control me.
Think about kids who can’t spend time with their folks because their folks are working too much. If they can work from home, they can be with their kids more. Think about people who struggle to make it. Even people with the highest degrees struggle.
I understand not everyone can work from home. Like someone in retail can’t work from home. Vs the Google employees that can work from home from that same job if something happens.
That doesn’t mean you can’t pick up a second gig from home. This isn’t limited to jobs with work-from-home options.
Why spend so much money going to college, struggle to find a job and you’re in debt with student loans? If people can work from home and build their money. People wouldn’t struggle as much.
A regular job can be gone like that. You can go into your job and the boss has to cut everyone to part-time because he lost a lot of money from losing customers.
You can go into your job and you’re laid off due to so much revenue loss. Before you bash people for relying on social media as a job, think about what could happen at a so-called ‘real’ job. At least with social media, if you don’t rely on just Instagram you can easily move if Instagram were to shut down or have issues.
Final Thoughts
I can provide so much more value with Freelancing. I have gained so many skills from blogging, editing videos for YouTube, and feedback from others. Let’s take Freelancing vs a retail job, which my mom wanted me to do.
Potential freelance client: How does hiring you help my site? What benefit would I have?
Me: If you hire me or other autism bloggers to write blogs for you, it helps your credibility because it shows you are open to learning how each of us struggles. I can elaborate on topics that I feel are important like autism and employment issues.
It gives aspies a place where they can explain their struggles.
Our struggles are often brushed off and we are sick of hearing we need to adapt when we need the correct structure to adapt. You are giving us a chance when no other employer would. It would be my honor to be given a chance to prove myself.
Retail interview: Your skills and qualifications do not relate to this job in any way, how can you help my company? How can your writing skills relate to a stock position?
Me: *silence*
I strongly feel I’ll have a better chance if the job relates to my skills and qualifications.
Sometimes I am terrible at explaining which is why I made a written version and a video version.
Working from home is what I am passionate about. Blogging, photography, and traveling are things I love. sticking to our interests keeps up from getting bored.
Aside from my mental health and sensory issues, I would rather work towards something that I know will be around than get a job that can be gone tomorrow.
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