Shutting things down

I’m a big fan of logic, and although I like emotions too (when they’re positive), I think that sometimes it takes a dose of cold logic to keep us sane.

Emotions can be logical. I’m afraid to get too close to the lion in case it bites my head off. In this case the emotion, fear, serves a very practical purpose. If I wasn’t afraid I’d probably get my head bitten off. If someone close to me becomes very ill then it’s natural to feel sad. It’s not helpful, but you couldn’t really say it was illogical either. I care, therefore I feel. Aspies aren’t machines!

However, I do think Aspies are good at ‘compartmentalising’. I think we’re good at shutting down negative and unhelpful emotions. One good cry – if we really have to –  and that’s enough. Time to shut it down and move on.

Over the years this is something I’ve practiced. It’s a skill I had to learn but I found that I could do it well. It doesn’t mean I don’t get affected by events like everybody else, it just means that my recovery period is often quicker.

Imagine how much time gets wasted by people crying over things they can’t change, hating themselves, or worrying about things that don’t matter. This should make anyone angry. Not angry enough to dwell on it (pointlessly), but angry enough to do something about it.

There’s a saying in the UK, “if you’ve got nothing nice to say, don’t say anything.” Sometimes we need to apply this to our inner voice, change our attitude, and stop wasting our time and energy on negativity. You don’t have to ignore all the bad stuff. Just acknowledge it and move on.