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I never thought keeping up with the Joneses could be a wholesome activity for my AuDHD brain. As a bottom-up processor, I live in a world of abundant details. This leads to creativity and “out-of-the-box” thinking because I literally don’t see the box, but it also brings stress. Where does something begin or end? I often get lost in details, missing the forest for the trees.
Recently, I've been using Instagram, social media, and ChatGPT strategically to help my brain see the boxes in life. This has improved how I make visually appealing school lunches for my kids, organize my home, and structure my life. Honestly, left to my own devices, I often get sidetracked by random philosophical tangents or endless parenting studies instead of just parenting. While my brain has its advantages—like taking the path less traveled—sometimes I miss out on living in a way that simply makes sense.
I know social media isn’t always “true”; most people don’t have perfectly clean homes or frolic happily with their chickens every day. But I can identify patterns that reveal what works well and what doesn’t, finding effective and easy cleaning tips and ways to simplify life without overthinking it.
My life has revolved around mimicry. My “mask” is my interpretation of what leads to successful social interactions with minimal effort. I’ve always been efficient at studying people and solving the problems I see. ChatGPT helps me reduce the daily analysis I do to improve my life, sparing me from becoming a confused puddle of anxiety.
I have an ongoing conversation with ChatGPT where I ask countless questions that others might find obsessive or obvious. But for me, clarity on simple things is essential. This reflects how Autism can disable me, making these hacks invaluable as I navigate complex roles like being a business owner, household manager, and parent. ChatGPT provides my brain with models, boundaries, aspirations, and goals—things I naturally struggle to create on my own.
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