Challenges and Triumphs: A year of reflections
What a year this has been. It started out with hopes and dreams of my angel boy attending mainstream school, me being able to throw myself into work and making some huge leaps. During this year I’ve had some high high’s and some very low low’s. Co-authoring a chapter in a book that went to number 1 amazon best seller was an amazing achievement. Celebrating another year around the sun and honing all the knowledge I have up until this point, another amazing achievement, considering tomorrow isn’t always promised. Some of the low’s were that I had to swallow, yet again, another bitter pill that my angel boy and school just weren’t the right fit. I had to then reshape myself for the 100th time into another identity that I was forming.
Yet, this year has taught me so much. It’s taught me what resilience looks like, what determination looks like, what success can look like.
You see society has shown us that success looks like box number 1, but I don’t subscribe to that notion. Success is me waking in the morning to do a workout. Success is running a successful homeschooling session. Success is making an amazing dinner. Success is me helping a mum come through a journey that is so painful, she can barely utter the words.
Had you have asked me 5 years or even 10 years ago where I saw myself, I can tell you that I wouldn’t have said a homeschooling mum and entrepreneur. I didn’t grow up in a family of entrepreneurs, nor did I grow up in a family of home schoolers. I have stripped my identity down to the bare bones and built myself up multiple times. Each time adding more layers. Taking away things that no longer serve me and applying new strategies that do. This process is hard. It’s exhausting. It’s painful. It makes you face your biggest fears head on with thoughts that ask you are you still willing to show up even if these fears do come true. It’s a space that not many people have to face, yet it’s a space that mums of autistic children face each and every day. The fear of the unknown. The uncertainty that comes with a diagnosis and that worry that future isn’t as bright and sunny as you had hoped it was.
Yes, life isn’t always going to be sunshine and rainbows, but that’s the truth for all parents, including parents of typical and special needs kids. It’s the just that the weight that parents of special needs kids need to carry if far heavier.
In closing, I would like to extend such gratitude to so many of my clients, friends and family who showed up for me this year. Who showed up when it was hard and messy and showed up when it was happy and sunny. I am grateful that I was able to help so many mums though so many challenging times. The saying – when life gives you lemons, you turn it into lemonade. This statement couldn’t be truer when it comes to my life. The diagnosis was soul crushing, but I choose, everyday to wake up and be grateful. To choose happiness. To honour my angel boy with what he needs.
In saying that, please note that I will be taking a break from my blogs and will be retuning on 18th January 2024.
Merry Christmas to all. I hope this Christmas is filled with more laughter and less tears. More happiness and less overwhelm.
May you spend this time with your beautiful families. Savour the moments and enjoy the small victories.
I will see you in 2024 for another amazing year.
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