(Use this to audit a space, routine, kit, or system)
Based on: Crafting Livable Worlds: Sensory, Creative, and Nonhuman Supports in Autistic Adults’ Everyday Lives – Megan Catherine Rose, Deborah Lupton, 2026
0. The baseline question
Before anything else:
Can I exist here without constant self-defense?
If the answer is no, nothing else matters yet.
⚖️ 1. Regulation (Can I stay stable?)
- ☐ I can reduce sound (headphones, earplugs, control)
- ☐ I can control light (dim, block, adjust)
- ☐ I have access to grounding objects (textures, weight, familiar items)
- ☐ I can stim or fidget without hiding
- ☐ I can take sensory breaks without penalty
- ☐ There is a predictable sensory baseline (not chaotic)
Fail signal:
You’re bracing, masking, or enduring.
🧰 2. Portable Supports (Can I bring my world with me?)
- ☐ I can carry what I need (bag, pockets, mobility aids)
- ☐ My supports are allowed in this space (not “unprofessional”)
- ☐ I don’t have to explain or justify using them
- ☐ I have a “minimum viable kit” for bad days
- ☐ I have backups or substitutes
Fail signal:
You’re stranded when you leave home.
🔁 3. Predictability & Flow (Can I stay in motion?)
- ☐ I know what happens next (clear structure)
- ☐ I can repeat helpful inputs (music, routines, loops)
- ☐ I can resume tasks without friction after interruption
- ☐ I’m not forced into constant context switching
- ☐ There are clear start/stop points
Fail signal:
You stall, freeze, or burn out from switching.
🧮 4. Decision Load (How much thinking is required just to function?)
- ☐ Common tasks are pre-decided or templated
- ☐ I’m not choosing from too many options
- ☐ Visual structure helps me know what to do
- ☐ I can offload memory (lists, systems, reminders)
- ☐ “Low energy mode” is built in
Fail signal:
You’re exhausted before you even start.
🧸 5. Identity Safety (Can I be myself here?)
- ☐ My objects and aesthetics are allowed (not policed)
- ☐ I don’t have to hide what regulates me
- ☐ I’m not pressured to look “professional” in a narrow way
- ☐ My interests and expressions are welcome
- ☐ I can exist without masking my traits
Fail signal:
You feel childish, wrong, or exposed.
🌱 6. Environment Fit (Does the space adapt to me?)
- ☐ I can modify the space (lighting, layout, objects)
- ☐ There are multiple zones (quiet, active, soft, etc.)
- ☐ I can control proximity to others
- ☐ There are places to retreat without leaving entirely
- ☐ The environment supports—not fights—my bodymind
Fail signal:
You’re constantly compensating for the space.
🧠 7. Nonhuman Supports (Am I supported beyond people?)
- ☐ I have access to regulating objects (tools, textures, devices)
- ☐ Plants, animals, or sensory elements are present if helpful
- ☐ Digital environments (music, games, apps) are usable
- ☐ I can engage in parallel play (not forced interaction)
- ☐ I have anchors that don’t depend on other people
Fail signal:
Everything depends on social energy you don’t have.
🎨 8. Play & Immersion (Do I have places to be absorbed?)
- ☐ I can engage deeply in interests without interruption
- ☐ Play is allowed (not treated as trivial)
- ☐ I have access to immersive activities (art, games, etc.)
- ☐ I can use these for regulation without guilt
- ☐ My focus is protected, not fragmented
Fail signal:
Everything feels shallow, interrupted, or performative.
🧩 9. Routines & Systems (Do I have scaffolding?)
- ☐ I have routines that reduce friction
- ☐ My systems are mine (not imposed)
- ☐ Tools fit my brain, not the other way around
- ☐ I can adjust systems when they stop working
- ☐ My setup supports continuity across days
Fail signal:
You’re rebuilding your life from scratch every day.
⚠️ 10. Stigma Pressure (What am I hiding?)
- ☐ I can visibly use supports without judgment
- ☐ Policies (formal or informal) allow my needs
- ☐ I’m not “getting away with it”—it’s normal
- ☐ I don’t have to trade dignity for access
- ☐ I’m not burning energy managing others’ perceptions
Fail signal:
You’re constantly editing yourself.
🌍 11. Sustainability (Can I keep doing this?)
- ☐ This setup works on bad days, not just good ones
- ☐ It reduces burnout, not just delays it
- ☐ It scales across contexts (home, work, travel)
- ☐ I can maintain it without excessive effort
- ☐ It supports recovery cycles
Fail signal:
It only works when you’re already doing well.
🧭 How to actually use this
1. Quick audit (5 minutes)
- Scan each section
- Mark:
- ✅ works
- ⚠️ partial
- ❌ broken
2. Find your top 2 failure points
Not everything—just the biggest drains.
3. Fix one thing
Examples:
- add headphones → instant regulation gain
- create a staging area → reduces friction
- allow visible objects → reduces masking
4. Re-test
Ask again:
Is it easier to exist now?
🧠 The mindset shift (don’t skip this)
This checklist is not about optimizing yourself.
It’s about:
👉 reducing the cost of being alive in a misfitting world
👉 building environments that meet you halfway (or more)
🧰 Build Your Livable World
Use this checklist to audit your life. Then use these pages to actually change it.
This isn’t about fixing yourself.
It’s about assembling a world that meets you where you are.
🧠 Start With Your Bodymind
Before tools, before optimization—start here:
- → This Chronic Bodymind: How We Cope
Understand your bodymind, your limits, and your patterns.
🎒 Build Portable Regulation
Make sure you can function outside your home:
- → Sensory Kit
Create a sensory kit that travels with you.
🛋 Create Soft, Supportive Spaces
Stop holding your body up all day:
- → Pillows: Separate, Isolate, Bolster, Squeeze
Use pillows and soft structures to support, isolate, and regulate.
🚶 Reduce the Cost of Moving Through the World
Movement shouldn’t drain all your energy:
- → Sitting, Standing, Walking, Rolling, Hauling, Relaxing
Design how you sit, stand, walk, roll, haul, and rest.
🍽 Sustain Your Body on Low Energy Days
Make care possible even when you’re depleted:
- → Dressing, Eating, Hydrating, Hygiene
Simplify dressing, eating, hydrating, and hygiene.
🛠 Extend Your Reach and Control
Reduce friction in everyday interactions:
- → Reaching, Gripping, Grabbing, Fastening, Finding, Opening, Lighting
Make your environment easier to interact with.
🪑 Support Thinking Through Positioning
Your posture shapes your cognition:
- → Articulation & Surfaces
Adjust surfaces and articulation to reduce strain and support focus.
🔁 How to Use This
- Run the Livable Worlds Checklist
- Find what’s breaking (not everything—just the biggest friction)
- Use the pages above to fix one thing
- Re-test your setup
🧭 The Goal
You’re not building a perfect system.
You’re building a world where:
- you don’t have to hide your supports
- you don’t burn energy just to exist
- you can stay regulated, focused, and yourself
If it feels easier to be alive in your setup, you’re doing it right.
