#3: Shopping Adventures
Autistic Life Hacks
As an adult, you have errands to do. And as great as online shopping is, sometimes we are forced to go into an actual store. Maybe you need it faster than it’ll ship, or maybe you need to see it in person to decide what size you want it, or maybe the shipping costs aren’t worth it. And sometimes, we have to go to big box stores. Small mom and pop shops are less overwhelming, but don’t have as wide a selection of items, and things tend to be more expensive. Walking through a Walmart every once in a while is as good as inevitable, so how do we do it without going into sensory overload seconds after crossing the threshold?
The best possible thing is of course to get a friend to go for you, or even to go with you. By going with you they can talk to you and distract you so you don’t get too stuck in your own head, and they can help you get the item and get out if you start getting overwhelmed. I do this all the time — I have a friend who I’ll ask if she wants to “go on an adventure” with me. Phrasing it like that makes it sound more interesting than running errands, but it’s also implying that you want to make this mundane activity more fun and having company would help. You don’t have to say “can you come help me buy apples so I don’t have a meltdown in stop n shop” unless you want to.
It’s also good to just try to view going to three different grocery stores to find cinnamon as a fun adventure instead of a chore — the more you dread it, the worse it’ll probably end up being. You can make shopping into something that’s actually enjoyable just by having someone to chat with and plans to get food afterwards. You can even make it into a bit of a game, racing your friend to find the item first or timing yourself to see how fast you can get through the store and try to beat your record the next time. Plus, if you’re buying something boring like baking soda, you can always get something fun too like some cookies or an interesting flavor of gum. Just because we’re adults doesn’t mean we can’t find ways to make our chores more fun. If you’re having fun, it’ll be a lot easier to get through the shopping trip than if you were just walking around thinking about how much you hate the flourecent lights in the store.
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ifesbob 