Does your autism define you?

I know this is a big question.

I also realise that it may depend on what stage in life you received your diagnosis and how much it affects your day to day living.

I've read quite a few times on the forum about people who were happy to receive a diagnosis but then later found themselves quite profoundly affected by it, in some ways 'negatively'.

I find that I think about little else now, that I mention it a lot to people, that the knowledge is affecting what I do.

This is a situation I'm not sure I'm happy about.

I think I'd like to start to be less introspective, to look outwards again.

Autism is not everything we are. 

Or because it is so essentially us, is it really everything we are?