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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Anne breaks down the daily habits and skills needed to grow and cultivate RESILIENCE.
I had an incredible time chatting with @dr.cindyspeaks on Positively Altered about one of my favorite topics >> resilience!
💪 We covered everything from how stress affects the brain to actionable strategies for resetting your resilience and reclaiming balance. Plus… we even talked donkeys!
🎧 Listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-23-the-resilience-reset-transforming-stress/id1773804535?i=1000699134975
In this episode, we dive into:
🧠 How to train your brain for resilience
😩 The power of sitting in the “suck”
💡 Simple strategies to reset stress and find balance
If you’re ready to transform stress into strength, this one’s for you!
What is on your to-do list for the week? ✅
I’m sure it includes meetings, tasks, personal chores, and follow-ups, but does it include things that bring you joy?
Instead of waiting for happiness, create it.. You can even focus on enjoyable things while doing the have-to do things.
Slogging through paperwork? Light a candle and listen to your favorite tunes.
Going for a drive? Listen to a stand-up comic or a great book.
Don’t neglect what brings you joy and happiness—make it a ritual and part of your resilience-building routine.
You know that heart-stopping moment when you try to change lanes, only to realize that someone is in your blind spot?
Blind spots aren’t just for driving. In life and leadership, we all have blind spots—things others see clearly that we don’t.
The tricky part? Blind spots aren’t always glaring flaws. Often, they’re our good intentions getting lost in translation. So, how do you uncover them?
Here’s a simple twist that will make a big difference: Ask for advice instead of feedback. 🗣
This slight shift makes people more likely to offer constructive, actionable insights—without triggering defensiveness. Plus, it builds trust and strengthens relationships.
Rather than trying to make drastic changes, pick one behavior and integrate it into your day.
Want to start a gratitude practice? Do it while you brush your teeth. Want to take deep breaths? Practice while you make coffee. Adding a new habit to an existing one makes it easier to stick with it.
#mindfulmonday #habitstacking #atomichabits #jamesclear
Humor changes your biochemistry, emotions, thoughts, and behavior. 😆
A positive mood boosts your immune system! Whether you find your laughter through being around friends, going to a comedy show, watching funny movies, or just being goofy, don’t underestimate the power of a belly laugh and a sense of humor.
When something stressful happens, there are really 2 different things taking place.
There’s the thing that is happening, and then there is the story that you tell yourself about the thing that’s happening.
The story is where criticism, judgment, self-doubt, and shame come in.
Whatever you have going on in your life right now, take a step back and try to view it from a third-person perspective. See if you can separate the facts from the story you tell yourself about it.
If we can start to separate the situation from the story, the story becomes much less scary because we realize it is one we’re telling.
This makes it easier to accept where you are without judgment, self-doubt, and shame. What we practice grows stronger. 📕
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!