Empowered Pathways: 2025’s Success Guide for Moms of Autistics

Welcome back to another episode of the Thriving Moms of Autistics Podcast. 2024 has been a year of transitions and challenges for many. It has flown by for me, but I felt every minute of it. It’s embedded in my brain. And if I’m not careful, it will take control of it, it will take control of me. 

In this episode, we break down tips for getting unstuck in the peril of 2024, ways to shift our mindset, and how to transition into the New Year like a rock star!.

Find the full transcript for this episode on your favorite podcast app. 

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Why Is It Difficult for Moms of Autistics to Make Changes in the New Year

Did you know that we experience chemical changes in the brain when we start something new and exciting? That boost of dopamine gives us what we need to start strong. Keeping up the momentum is something else. 

It’s that time of year where we review the past year as we move into the new year. People often make New Year’s resolutions. We consider the highs and the lows and how we want the new year to be different. 

But do we just stop there? We might give it a go for a time, but it usually doesn’t last for many people. In general, our attention spans are short and we get distracted.

For moms of autistics, it’s much more difficult to stick to follow through with personal goals because there are many more variables involved. We are busy taking care of strict schedules, medical appointments, and navigating challenging behaviors. It’s not easy! We need extra support to make this happen.

I’m super mindful of that when I develop courses and coaching programs.

How Can Moms Gain Momentum and Succeed in the New Year? 

We had a stressful event occur during our visit with my husband’s family over Christmas. One that our human brains will never forget. Unfortunately, my son has an exceptional memory or photographic memory. When he recalls it, he remembers it all. 

Our families tend to have more challenges over the year and have different goals for the New Year as a result. 

It’s so easy to get stuck in our heads, especially with negative thought loops as we replay events and how we handled them. We will continue to explore this in future episodes because there is no quick fix for this. 

It would be great to have a magic wand that makes change happen. That doesn’t exist. So, I want to share some tips for creating the mindset shift that is needed to facilitate change in the New Year.

When you consider changes you would like to make:

1. Start Small - Have you ever filled your plate with food then realized your eyes were bigger than your stomach? Sometimes we fail because we bite off more than we can chew. We have big plans, but when you break it down, you increase the likelihood of success.
2. Be realistic - Create goals that are sustainable. 
3. Stay true to yourself - Is it something you truly want? Or is it something you think others want for you. 
4. Get support - Find someone who will support you along the way. Consider an accountability partner to share how things are going and explore ways to overcome what gets you stuck goal wise and how to keep moving toward your goals. 
5. Ignite the excitement - Find ways to give yourself a boost of excitement, such as reminding yourself why you are doing this in the first place or how it will make your life better. You might consider a visual board since we tend to be visual creatur