Building a Better You

Raising children is hard, and disabilities make the job even more complex. Adjusting our mindsets, examining things from a new perspective, and pondering what we want and need for the future is essential at all stages of the parenting journey.

Because I'm passionate about how we can do this, I enjoy reading practical books that explore it in depth, especially when they address things like self-care, boundaries, and connection.  These popular buzzwords are thrown around without enough understanding, I think, and can actually make parents feel less confident about how we're supporting our kids and ourselves. Sometimes we can't "just say no."  "Me time" is often just a pipe dream.  But we really can build well-being, despite the added stress and challenges we experiences, once we understand what's behind it all.

Lately, I've been enjoying The Book of Boundaries and Real Self-Care, two practical and relevant books that explore what it means to really incorporate these concepts into our daily lives.  Even reading just a few pages first thing in the morning gets my day off to a great start.

I've recently started recommending another new book that's filled with actionable advice for parents in the thick of raising a child with disabilities. Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child is a lot like Embracing Another Normal in that it meets readers where they are and takes them where they need to go.  So much good guidance, based on author Kelley Coleman's experience as the mom of a son with special needs. We actually met on Zoom this week and agreed with the importance of passionately supporting parents in the trenches.

My "future reads" list includes a new book by Dr. Amit Sood, a parent, author, and retired professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic. It Takes You to Tango uses "relatable life examples, and simplified neuroscience concepts" to help readers build stronger and healthier connections with themselves and reclaim the joy and connection we all seek. Parents of kids with disabilities often struggle with feelings of isolation (as do our children).  Learning what's behind these feelings and how we can develop better self-acceptance and self-compassion seems like an important key to success for us.  I'm hoping this book teaches me something on the subject that I can use myself and share with others.  

No Time to Read?

If any of this interests you, but you're too busy or stressed to read more on these subjects, I hope you'll reach out to set up a complimentary call with me.  

I love helping parents and leaders manage the challenges they face at work and home.  Together, we can address the things that keep you awake at night, identify resources and alternate approaches to working through what worries you, and develop new approaches to life that enable you to experience more joy and success (however you define those things).