If creating feels difficult

I’ve let fear keep a lot of my music private. Stage fright, comparison, and worrying about what people might think have stopped me from finishing things or saying yes to opportunities I wanted.

I’m still working through that. But I don’t want to spend the rest of my life waiting to feel capable enough to create.

If you’re autistic, neurodivergent, disabled, or struggling to find an approach that works for you, you’re allowed to adapt it. If you obsess over music but playing an instrument feels out of reach, there are other ways in: singing, writing, arranging sounds, programming beats, experimenting with tools, or finding someone to collaborate with.

Work with the strengths and resources you have. Your differences may shape something distinctive. They don’t all have to become strengths to deserve accommodation.

You can be honest about how you make your work while keeping personal medical details private. Unfinished work can still matter—as practice, exploration, or something you return to later.

Sharing can bring criticism, and some people will be cruel. You’re allowed to block them and protect your energy. You don’t have to become fearless before you let someone hear you.

Even if your way of expressing yourself feels unfamiliar to other people, someone may recognize themselves in it. Your story could reach a person you haven’t met yet.

— Leah