Every great thing that anyone has ever done has always been a struggle. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.
You are going to think that you are doing everything wrong while simultaneously getting so much feedback from all your peers about how they are succeeding or what they did wrong or right and it’s going to feel like the most overwhelming thing in the entire world.
You’re going to panic and fret and worry over each and every small instance that you’ve interacted with your child.
Well, I’ve got really good news for you.
Just like we tell teenagers it's normal to feel hormonal, this is the most normal thing too. Every parent and guardian is going to worry, that’s just how love is expressed. And if you don’t worry, then how do you grow? The diagnosis and the feedback and the growth, they are all just parts of one beautiful, whole, wonderful being, and that’s your child.
So, at the end of the day, all those parts of your child that may not be “normal”? Normal is overrated. Normal is waking up to the monotony of life without appreciating all the exquisite things that we have access to and have accomplished. So, instead of being normal, let’s try to be better than normal. Let’s try to focus on the wondrous abilities that your child does have and the perspective they gain from being a little different (something that every child is).
The worry is normal. Just learn when to listen to it and when to tune it out. Just like when you are listening to music and doing a task. And ten years from now, you probably won’t even remember what you were worrying about. So, take a breath and look around at how lucky we all are to be alive right now. And then, go back to dwelling on whatever topic that’s certainly messing with your mind. But this time, approach it a little differently or with a little less emotions. Hopefully, that’ll clear it up.
Just an Extra Tip: I’m not going to give you cookie cutter advice like every other article online. From personal experience, when I get worried about something, I list it out. Then I list out any potential stressors in my life. After all of that, I distract myself with something, whether that’s a good book, washing dishes in the kitchen, painting, sewing, something that’s hands on and needs all of my attention. After all of that, I come back to the problem with a fresh mind and soul. If it’s a solvable issue, usually it works out after that. If not, well, then you are better off devoting mental attention to some other topic. And I know that it is easy for me to tell you that, but the tips I share throughout this blog is from my personal experience.