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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Today’s post is brought to you by Anne’s vacation. 😊
I’m taking some time to disconnect, recharge, and enjoy time with my family.
If this is an emergency, immediately close your email and dial 911! Just kidding. Unless you are a surgeon, it’s probably not an emergency.
Don’t forget to take a deep breath, use your vacation days, recharge, and reset. We all need it.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 4th of July. I’ll be back to posting when I return!! 🎇
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!