New Job, New Me- same old internal struggles

So after what seems like an eternity ( it was 11 months) I have an amazing new job.  I'm a week in and can honestly say its been a huge relief to get into this role.  The entire process with this company has been efficient and smooth and I have been made feel very welcome, from the moment I arrived and if first impressions are anything to go by I know il be fine here.  And I need to shout out the hiring team as the process from my first call has been excellent with clear communication and timelines and like any good avalanche once it started moving, it kept moving and just gained energy.

Now the real work starts on getting to know my team and manager, the processes and most importantly what they want from me, so that we all get something great from the journey.  It means I will now have a structure again which is something I missed, and I like to have that in play, but this is were my problems can also lie.  The worry about being late for work, even though I cant ever remember being late in my previous 12 years in my last role but the fear is there.  making sure I'm letting my manager know what I am up too, as she told me yesterday she can see it and hear it so, I don't need to tell her lol.  But its all internal and I am telling myself to enjoy it but also not to make mistakes as that could be the end of it as quick as I got it.

It also brings back certain home stressors, and not just to me but to the whole family- it changes my wife's weekly structure as we need to be onsite certain days, the kids cant do certain afterschool classes as there is nobody to collect them or it would mean i would need to take lunch at 3 instead of 1 and I haven't approached that subject yet.  I need to get in and learn the role and then look at the structure and see what works for everyone.

Its been a busy few weeks for us as a family, with the kids off school, and easter thrown in but its had some great highlights, the wife and I got a night at a gig and a stay in a hotel which was great and very relaxing, and it was a small win for us as our autistic daughter said she managed well without us and has suggested we do it again as she feels she can let us do it more- this is huge and takes a weight off wifey. 

So for all those who may be neurodivergent and are starting a new job, take it one step at a time, try and set clear boundaries, and yes even with those the internal monologues will still happen, but try and overcome them one at a time, stay focused and remember when you start a new role body doubling is there for the first while as you train- you are doing what someone else is doing for a few weeks so use that to help, take it in bitesize chunks and document it,  and use your tools to help, noise cancelling headphones, fidget toys and movement breaks-the day will feel long but make it into manageable pieces and success wont be far away.