People assume burnout looks like giving up. In reality, it looks like trying harder than ever.

Katie-jo Gracie — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:02:17 -0400

Lyrical Muse writes: Our third essay in the Disability Pride series comes from Katie-jo Gracie, a writer from Bedford who is a passionate advocate for disability inclusion in churches. In her essay, she shares the realities of autistic burnout, the physical and mental exhaustion that comes with it and how sometimes something as simple as making tea can be a struggle.
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Before you assume, let me tell you about the morning I stood in my kitchen and could not remember how to make tea.

Not because I had never made tea before (I am British; tea is practically in my blood) but because my brain had reached a state of pure static. Tea required steps. Steps required sequencing. Sequencing required energy I no longer possessed. The kettle sat there, reproachfully silent. The hum of the refrigerator was suddenly loud, the tiles cold beneath my feet. I sat on my kitchen floor, thirty-four years old, highly educated, previously competent, and utterly broken, watching sunlight crawl across the counter as if it, too, was unsure what to do next.

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Let's Tell a New Story...

Katie-jo Gracie — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 14:58:52 -0400

I recently went to an open mic night at a church where I’d planned to read the poem I’d written that afternoon. I shared it with my mum when I arrived, and she convinced me to perform a non-controversial song I wrote instead.

Here’s the thing: there were a lot of men in the room, and many of them were older than I am (plenty younger too), and my mum was concerned I might hurt their feelings. My instinct was to point out that if anyone was offended by my words, then they were exactly the people who needed to hear my words; but it was a social night out, and I’m not always great at reading the room. I didn’t think any good men would be hurt by my words, but just in case I was wrong about that, I held off.

Later I ran my words past two of my favourite men, who both told me they loved it, so I’ve decided to put it out into the world anyway.

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Katie-jo Gracie | Updates

People assume burnout looks like giving up. In reality, it looks like trying harder than ever.

Let's Tell a New Story...