Building a Positive Mindset - Breaking Down Barriers, Exercise Benefits Everyone
A beautiful run on this early spring day, in Lakes Park in Fort Myers. Photo courtesy of Charly Caldwell II
It is universally accepted that regular physical activity not only helps us stray fit and healthy, it can also increase self-esteem, develop social skills and improve mental health and general well-being.
However, most of us experience those benefits on a homogeneous level.
It wasn’t until I had the honor of working with an autistic adult that I began to appreciate the barriers and limitations people with autism face.
Research shows that people with autism are less likely than to participate in sport or physical activity due to factors related to the condition, including heightened fear and anxiety in social situations, difficulty understanding body language and sensory challenges.
If someone on the autism spectrum responds negatively to a sporting or physical activity it can be perceived as a behavioral issue when this is in fact, not the case.
What one person may...
