For over ten years following my son’s diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, my mantra was, “I’ll be OK once he is OK.”
And the fact was: I was not OK.
While I was highly functioning on the outside, working full-time as an attorney while single-parenting my son, I was crumbling on the inside.
My emotions were dependent on how my son was doing on any given day.
This went on for years until it was no longer sustainable. As my son entered his teenage years, I wanted to change how I was showing up for my parenting experience, but I did not know how.
The solution, which I discovered through coaching, was the one thing I had not considered, much less tried, in all my efforts to help my son:
Turn my focus inward and take care of myself.
While it felt counterintuitive, it made sense. I could no longer advocate for my son at the highest levels while completely disregarding my own well-being.
So, I gave it a try. I stopped telling myself, “I’ll be OK once he is OK,” and started taking small daily steps to replenish myself.
And now, I do this with other Autism moms in my 1:1 coaching program, where I teach them:
You are your child’s greatest resource. No doctor, therapist, medication, or program is more important to your child’s long-term prognosis than you are. As a result, taking care of yourself is not something you do in spite of your child; it is something you do for them.
If this is you, please know that you are not alone. There are simple steps you can take every day, whether you have 20 seconds or 20 minutes. Here are some suggestions, along with a few of my favorite things to do in the Farmington Valley.
The Autism Mom Coach is a 1:1 coaching program founded by Lisa Candera, a certified life coach, podcaster, lawyer, and full-time single mother to a teenager with autism. Lisa also hosts a podcast, The Autism Mom Coach, where she shares practical, actionable tips to support parents raising a child with autism. Lisa is currently accepting applications for 1:1 clients.
To learn more about my 1:1 coaching program, visit my website and schedule a free consultation: theautismmomcoach.com
This content was originally published here.