Here’s a new free printable I created:

It’s a customisable mini-zine containing these pages:

1. Things I Can’t Leave Home Without
2. My Support System
3. My Comfort Items
4. My Safe Foods
5. Self-Care Reminders
6. Write down your own self-care reminders, tips and affirmations here.
7. Draw or paste a picture of your special interest (or anything that makes you happy) here!

Download the Autistic Survival Kit here and print it out or fill it out digitally!

Here’s a video tutorial on how to fold the mini-zine after printing it out (no stapler required!):

Feel free to send me pictures of your personalised Autistic Survival Kit (don’t forget to blur out any private/sensitive info!) via email or Instagram, or share them with the hashtag #MyAutisticSurvivalKit

In my previous post, I talked about my love for the note-taking app Obsidian and why it’s perfect for my AuDHD brain. Obsidian can be a little overwhelming to use at first, so here’s a guide on how to get started!

Create a vault

After downloading and installing the app, the first thing to do is to create a vault.

A vault is a folder where all your notes will be saved. You can either create a new empty vault or use an existing folder.

If you’d like to access your notes on more than one device, you can sync your vault with a cloud storage service such as iCloud.

Create your first note

For your very first note, I’d suggest writing a list of notes you’d like to keep in this vault (check out my previous post for some ideas).

Linking notes

To create new linked notes from your list, enclose each item on your list in double square brackets, [[like this]].

After adding double square brackets to all your list items, try clicking on any one of them. It’ll automatically create a new note!

You can see a visual representation of how your notes are linked together by clicking on the “Open graph view” icon (second icon in the left corner).

Formatting

Obsidian uses the Markdown syntax for formatting. If you’re unfamiliar with Markdown, you can refer to this guide.

Images

To insert an image, simply drag and drop an image file into your note or type ![[path/to/image.jpg]] to embed an image.

If you need a tool to visualise concepts and illustrate ideas, check out the Excalidraw plugin. This plugin enables you to create diagrams and sketches directly within Obsidian.

Obsidian’s Canvas plugin also allows you to lay out your notes and other resources visually on an infinite canvas. Perfect for visual thinkers!

Tags

You can add tags in your notes to categorise and organise them.

To add tags, simply use hashtags #LikeThis. You can then use these tags to filter and search for related notes easily.

Plugins & themes

There are tons of plugins and themes available for Obsidian, allowing you to customise the app to suit your needs.

To install plugins and themes in Obsidian, click on the Settings icon in the bottom left corner. From there, go to the “Core plugins”, “Community plugins” (turn off Restricted Mode to enable community plugins) or “Appearance” section to browse available options. You can search for specific plugins or themes and install them with just a few clicks.

My tips

• Keep it simple when you’re just starting out. Familiarise yourself with the basics (note linking, markdown formatting, navigating the app) before diving into other features such as plugins.
• Don’t install too many plugins at once! Try out one at a time to see if it’s useful to you. You could also create another vault just for experimenting with plugins before using them in your main vault, so you don’t accidentally mess up your notes.
• Embrace the flexible and bottom-up approach of Obsidian and allow your note-taking system to evolve organically. Don’t force yourself to adhere to any strict organisation system. If something isn’t working for you, try something else!
• Create templates for recurring note types (e.g. daily notes, project notes)
• Don’t forget to back up your notes regularly!

Resources

Obsidian

• Obsidian Help
• Obsidian Resources
• Obsidian Hub
• Awesome Obsidian
• Obsidian Discord
• Obsidian Forum
• Obsidian Subreddit

Note-taking methodologies & frameworks

(Note-taking is one of my special interests, in case you couldn’t already tell!)

• Evergreen Notes
• Digital Gardening
• Zettelkasten
• Building a Second Brain
  • The PARA Method
  • Progressive Summarization
• Hack Your Life With A Private Wiki Notebook, Getting Things Done, And Other Systems
• The Plain Text Project

I’m obsessed with taking notes on my phone and computer. It helps me keep my shit together. I’ve tried many note-taking apps over the years, and landed on the perfect app for my AuDHD brain: Obsidian.

Why I love Obsidian

Obsidian is made for bottom-up thinkers. You can link notes to each other, forming a non-linear and associative map of your mind’s labyrinth. Perfect for Autistic and ADHD brains!

This means you don’t have to plan out an organisation system for your notes. Obsidian allows you to dive right in and let your system evolve organically.

All your notes are saved on your device as plain text files. No proprietary formats here! This ensures that your notes will be accessible for years to come, regardless of what happens to the app itself.

There are also loads of free plugins and themes, allowing you to tailor the app to your specific needs and preferences.

The best part of all? The app is FREE for personal use and available for both desktop and mobile platforms!

Check out my Obsidian guide for Autistics & ADHDers to get started!

Types of notes I keep

• Daily notes (for brain dumps)
• Skincare & makeup routines
• Information on my various special interests and hyperfixations
• Notes from books I’ve read
• Notes on my bass practice (techniques I need to work on, songs I want to learn, songs I’ve mastered…)
• Body measurements (for reference when I’m buying clothes online)
• Life troubleshooting guide (tips and strategies for when I’m feeling stuck/anxious/overwhelmed)
• Compliment log
• Bucket & wish lists
• Useful links
• …and much more!

Other note-taking apps

Not a fan of Obsidian? Here are some alternatives to explore:

• TiddlyWiki
• Joplin
• Notion
• Microsoft OneNote
• Bear (Apple only)