Always Bring Your Sunglasses Quotes

“To begin with, though being sensory sensitive can often be painful and overwhelming, it can also come with a unique set of advantages. Autistics like me with heightened sensory awareness tend to experience the world in a deeply enriched way which allows us to notice subtleties that others usually miss. This can lead to a greater appreciation of art, music, and nature, as we can perceive nuances in color, texture, sound, and flavor that are less apparent to others. Sensory-sensitive people also often exhibit heightened emotional empathy, as our keen perception enables us to pick up on smaller emotional cues. This makes many of us excellent listeners, as well as compassionate friends and partners. Moreover, our sensitivities can foster creativity and innovation, as we have rich sensory experiences to draw from for inspiration. So, while sensory sensitivity definitely has its challenges, it also opens the door to a world rich in detail and depth of experience and can even be a regular source of Autistic joy.”
― Becca Lory Hector, Always Bring Your Sunglasses: And Other Stories from a Life of Sensory and Social Invalidation

“Instead of being taught to tweak my life according to my needs and make my environment work with me, my childhood experiences taught me to tweak myself instead, that I was the one who was broken, didn’t fit, and needed to be someone else to be valued.”
― Becca Lory Hector, Always Bring Your Sunglasses: And Other Stories from a Life of Sensory and Social Invalidation

“Portable digital devices are more than just a distraction or entertainment to us; they are essential tools that help us manage sensory overload, emotional stress, and mental exhaustion, often providing a very necessary refuge in a world that can extremely be demanding.”
― Becca Lory Hector, Always Bring Your Sunglasses: And Other Stories from a Life of Sensory and Social Invalidation

“The importance of experiencing true belonging and having safe spaces to be one's authentic self cannot be overstated, especially for those who routinely feel the need to engage in masking, like Autistics. The act of concealing – minimizing, or changing yourself to conform to societal norms and expectations that do not come naturally to you – demands immense effort and energy. It involves constant monitoring and adjusting your actions, speech, body language, facial expressions, and more which can be both mentally and emotionally draining. This continuous effort can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and an overarching sense of isolation. In contrast, having a safe space where one can be unapologetically authentic allows for a significant reduction in this mental burden.”
― Becca Lory Hector, Always Bring Your Sunglasses: And Other Stories from a Life of Sensory and Social Invalidation

“Masking is an unsustainable response to trauma that over a long period of time can lead to an inability to know who you are and what you need without it. Lost, we often find ourselves doing things that do not align with who really are in an effort to find belonging.”
― Becca Lory Hector, Always Bring Your Sunglasses: And Other Stories from a Life of Sensory and Social Invalidation

“Our directness is seen as rude, our passion is seen as "too much," and our honesty is seen as a weakness. But what makes us feel the most gaslit is when our clarifying queries are misinterpreted as "questioning authority.” And it happens all the time.”
― Becca Lory Hector, Always Bring Your Sunglasses: And Other Stories from a Life of Sensory and Social Invalidation

“Books, and later music and movies, became the best and most reliable way for me to stay regulated. I didn’t understand back then but I spent my first three decades on this planet feeling overwhelmed and seeking approval for the calm alone time that so many Autistics seem to require. What my mom didn’t understand, and what others were judging, was my response to the instinct to protect my overwhelmed brain was to shut down and read. It was the only way I knew to regulate myself. There were no stim toys and fidgets. Nobody was encouraging me to get up and take a walk. And one can only escape to the bathroom so many times.”
― Becca Lory Hector, Always Bring Your Sunglasses: And Other Stories from a Life of Sensory and Social Invalidation