There is Hope, Y'all! (A Meeting Update)

OK, so earlier in the week, I babbled about being nervous about a meeting that I had no need to be nervous about. And I knew it. And you knew it. And the world knew it. 

My brain didn't, but that's okay, it's still learning. 

I won't tell you about the intricacies of the meeting (it went well), but I do want to show you a surprise that showed up in my mail yesterday. 

Initially, I thought it was from Mickey. You know a sweet "keep it up, I'm proud of you and support your weirdness." kind of thing. 

It was not. However, I did get a similar Mickey surprise today in the form of a LEGIT TRAPPER KEEPER. WITH REAL TRAPPER KEEPER FOLDERS INSIDE. 

Sorry, I am very excited about this. 

Ok, back to the mystery stuffie. (Whose name is Hudson, btw)

I rooted around in the box for a bit after getting some cuddles. They had a long trip after all. 

I found this.

If I had seen something like this as a younger professional, it would have given me so much hope that I didn't have to mask.

That I didn't have to pretend to be something I wasn't (even though that was the message I got from my mom my whole life, but again, that's a different blog). I didn't have to "tone it down" or "act more normal" or "stop talking about movies so much". 

I could just be. 

I could just be me and still be successful. And be appreciated for it. 

Between this and the new Regina Spektor music yesterday, I did some feeling. And I didn't try to stop 'em. I just let 'em flow. 

So, if you're struggling in a job you hate that seems to make your neurodivergency more difficult to handle, know that happiness at work is possible. Hopefully it will take you less time to come to this conclusion than it did me.