Does This Bring Me Joy?
Happy Belated New Year!
New Year’s for many of us begins with reflection and resolutions to start the new year. In the past, I have made many resolutions to improve my life. Some of those resolutions I kept and some I did not keep. Either way, I enjoyed the process of dreaming of a year filled with possibilities.
There were years I can remember when I couldn’t imagine how New Year resolutions would help me, because I was just too exhausted to dream.
When Joseph was first diagnosed, my internal compass didn’t know which direction to go. It was scary, overwhelming, and big. Setting New Year’s resolutions was not something I even considered. It’s hard to dream when you are filled with heartache and stress about the well-being of your precious child.
I refer to times like these as life tsunamis. You may be entering 2022 with a life tsunami and uncertain what to do next in your life and that’s okay.
Take a big deep breath and know you will be okay!
(Repeat this and use it as a daily mantra while you are finding your way out of a dark cloudy day. Your internal compass will begin to guide you with love and patience.)
When I work with moms whose kids are on the autistic spectrum, the first thing I say to them is you will be okay and you will feel joy again. All your dreams are within you; they are just hidden behind the dark clouds where the sun is always shining.
I have recovered from many life tsunamis with greater resilience, self-love, and gratitude. I also live with more daily joy than I ever could have imagined when I was fighting my way through heartache.
Joy is a feeling that is hard to explain, but we all felt joy at some point in our lives. During a life tsunami, joy may feel like a distant friend that has moved to the other side of the world but is still present in your heart. I think back to the day my children were born, and I feel joy.
Think of a time when you felt joy.
I define joy as living with purpose and celebrating the positive emotion that comes with it.
Many periods of my life have been filled with purpose. My family, my career, relationships, and the constant purpose of being a mother. Being a mother’s guide has been my greatest purpose. I thrive when I am guiding my kids. I feel joy when they are all under one roof.
Purpose does not have to be winning awards, being famous, or hosting a television show, although it can be. Purpose is a personal path that brings us joy.
As long as I feel I am on my purposeful path I can feel joy. I often ask myself, “Does this bring me joy?” If I answer “Yes” then I move forward knowing this is the direction I want to go or stay on.
Ask yourself, “What brings me joy?”
Write down all the things that bring you joy in your journal. I have had a gratitude journal for many years now. Recently, I have added a joy journal.
Each day, list things that bring you joy.
As you move through your day and you hit a crossroad, ask yourself if it will bring you joy. If it does then go in the direction of joy.
It seems like a simple question to answer, but if you are in the midst of a life tsunami, it can be a challenging question. It helps to take very small steps.
Find one small piece of joy in this moment. It doesn’t need to be a big event, it can be seeing your child smile, or watching the sunset. Begin where you are and move forward with love and patience.
I believe that inviting joy into your life will create more joy one tiny step at a time.
Cheers to a year of possibilities, and joy!
Warmly,
Brigitte
What’s New with Mother’s Guide Through Autism
As you might have noticed, I have a newly revamped website!
I have retired my old site bmvlifecoach.com and began an exciting new chapter with mothersguidethroughautism.com (which you are on right now).
Speaking of Mother’s Guide Through Autism, I have even more exciting news…!
My son Joseph and I have completed our book Mother’s Guide Through Autism which will be released in May of this year!!!
Joseph wrote about his own perspective living with autism entitled “Through The Eyes Of The Guided.” I share my journey of autism from the mother’s perspective and take you through the beautiful steps of healing your heart.
This is two books in one, offering hope, knowledge, and healing through our own experiences living with autism.
We are super excited and proud of this book which we believe will help many mothers out there on this autism journey. We can’t wait to share it with you all.
Stay tuned for more info to come!
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The days following hearing the words “Joseph is autistic,” were some of my darkest days. I was living with the deepest pain I had felt in my 32 years of life. It was my first life tsunami. I didn’t know the way out to find the light. It felt like instantly being lost and not knowing which way to go.