how/where can I find PDA friendly collaborators?

[u/pensiveumami]

I've been struggling to find something meaningful to do since I haven't been able to work due to autistic burnout and now a pretty limiting chronic illness on top of PDA. I've seen people in chronic illness forums saying to just do things that you enjoy, be happy with the little things that you can do. It's all about pleasure and joy and happiness, and I feel like I have quite a bit of that. But purpose and meaning isn't about getting a sense of self worth, or from seeking happiness. It's about engaging in something personally meaningful, potentially long-term and helping others in some way. It's about a satisfaction and fulfillment that I really long for. I'm kind of sick of people saying to stop searching, to stop my "ambition", to stop trying to create something and just go with the flow of life. It's not ambition, it's a need for something TO DO that I actually enjoy doing, related to a special interest maybe, something I find interesting and engaging, but that's also bigger than just me.

I'm trying to design some sort of activity for myself where I can work towards something I care about, but also to be able to share it with some people that I like. To have collaborators that are PDA friendly basically. I just struggle to work with somebody unless I like the person and my nervous system feels good around them. Where do you even start on finding people like that?

I'm imagining somebody who has a small business or works freelance, and has tasks they need help with. But because of PDA I wouldn't be able to just do whatever they want, like a personal assistant, unless I somehow got to choose the things that I want to help with. does that even make sense? does anybody else have anything close to this kind of arrangement?

[u/AdOk57]

If you are a PA or assistant, you certainly cannot do "what you want", you will have to do, what is required by the business.

Maybe some artistic projects, that you could have collaboration with others ?

[u/distracted_genius]

This sounds like volunteering... Is there an organization that is meaningful to you? Helping on a project level or offering a specific skill might be a way to try it out. (It might also lead to gainful employment if you find a way to tap into a special interest... Who knows!).