Take time to celebrate…I am!
Take time to celebrate…I am!
Take time to celebrate…I am!
He did it! We did it! EVAN GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL!
We just got back from Idaho, and I can’t stop smiling! For most kids, high school graduation is a rite of passage. For a child with mental illness and Autism, it is monumental.
For those that have followed our journey, it has been a long one. When Evan was 15, we made the gut-wrenching decision to place him in a therapeutic boarding school in Idaho. It was by far the hardest decision we have ever had to make, but it was the right one.
Evan’s next chapter is even more exciting! He loves Idaho, and he was accepted into a program that is everything we had hoped for.
He will be living in a new home with two great roommates and staff available to support him 24-hours a day. He will have an opportunity to work, continue to learn life skills, build relationships, and pursue his passions. It is literally a dream come true. (These services were available day one in Idaho. We have been on a list for over 15 years and are still 29,600 on the list for similar services in Texas. I’m working to change that.).
In many ways, it feels like our journey is just getting started, but I am so hopeful for Evan’s future. I am also incredibly proud of the fact that he still asks me to share his story. He understands the shame and stigma attached to mental illness and Autism and wants to help change that. As a mom, this is my proudest accomplishment.
What do you do when you have an incredible accomplishment? You CELEBRATE!
When we have an accomplishment, it’s easy to appreciate it for a moment and then move the goal line. Celebration is a great resilience-building strategy because cultivating positive emotions floods your system with happy hormones, letting your brain know you’re safe, and allowing your nervous system to reset.
I am going to celebrate with a little self-care. I am looking forward to some time off in July to celebrate and savor Evan’s accomplishment. And ours.
Don’t forget to celebrate wins, big and small. You scored that parking spot up front? Do a happy dance in the car. Found the shirt you wanted on sale? Give yourself a high-five. Soak in the gratitude.
I wanted to share this amazing news with you because you have been such a big part of our journey, and your prayers and support have meant everything to us. Our next journey awaits, and I could not be more excited.
Stay brave and resilient,
Anne
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Read that again. 🙌
Success doesn`t happen overnight nor is it a straight path. I am beyond grateful to live my passion and share it with the world. #throwbackthursday
I played piano from the time I was four years old until the age of 15 and during that time, I had a lot of recitals. I remember being so nervous before each recital. What if I played the wrong note? What if I forgot the music? My dad would look at me, hold my hands, and say:
Whatever you do, DO NOT think of pink elephants!!
At the time, I had no idea why in the world he would say this. All I do know is that when I sat down to play, all I saw were pink elephants, and I was able to tackle my nerves.
Turns out my dad was helping me to practice the ironic process theory which explains that when we try to suppress our thoughts, we focus on them even more. Seventy to 80% of our thoughts are negative and repetitive. If not managed, intrusive thoughts can lead to anxiety, depression, and a whole host of mental health challenges.
If you tend to get stuck in rumination, or if your thoughts sometimes get the best of you, here are a few ways to take back control:
1️⃣ Recognize that your thoughts are not facts.
2️⃣ Use your brain. Do a math problem, practice a different language, or play a puzzle game. When you access the prefrontal cortex, the higher level thinking part of your brain, you get out of the emotional limbic system.
3️⃣ Distract yourself. Sometimes a simple distraction gives you enough distance to quiet your intrusive thoughts.
4️⃣ Practice mindfulness.
5️⃣ See a therapist. When negative, intrusive thoughts impact your ability to do your job, maintain relationships, or start clouding your judgment, it may be time to get help. As someone with plenty of intrusive thoughts, therapy has helped me tremendously.
Don’t forget, your thoughts and feelings are not facts. They are simply habits that need to be shifted. Be patient with yourself, and if all else fails, whatever you do, DO NOT THINK OF PINK ELEPHANTS!
Pets provide a deep sense connection and unconditional love. I don’t know what I’d do without without these two nut jobs! Happy National Love Your Pet Day! ❤️🐶 #mindfulmonday #mindfulness #petsnuggles #ilovemydogs #petsofinstagram #nationalloveyourpetday
I hope your Friday includes donuts. 🍩
Midweek reminder: Reset your mindset. 🧠
Anne Grady is a Speaker, Author, and #TruthBomb Dropper.
Anne shares practical strategies that can be applied both personally and professionally to improve relationships, navigate change, and triumph over adversity. And she’ll make you laugh while she does it. Anne is a two time TEDx speaker, and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Fast Company and Inc. magazines, CNN, ESPN, and FOX Business. She is the best selling author of 52 Strategies for Life, Love & Work and Strong Enough: Choosing Courage, Resilience and Triumph.
Congratulations to Evan, mom, and family. You worked together as a team to find the best for Evan. What a well spoken young man. He will continue to do great things because of his amazing support system. Congratulations!
Thank you so much, Christine!!! We are so relieved, proud, excited, grateful, and so many other emotions! I hope you are doing well!
Agreed – incredibly well spoken for a teenager. Well done everyone!
Thank you so much, Teresa!
Congratulations Anne to you, Evan, and your family. It’s an amazing transformation from when I saw him last many years ago.
It is SO good to hear from you! It has been a journey for sure! Still a long road ahead, but we couldn’t be more grateful to get to this point! Miss you!