“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” -Lao Tzu
Six years ago this December I had a newborn and a 2.5 year old, and I was exhausted- physically and mentally. Having a newborn was hard enough, but it was the daily battles with my oldest that were especially draining. I tried to be patient but we were both so stubborn! None of the things I tried were working and it felt like this was just our life now- a few nice moments constantly being clouded by all of the power struggles.
Until the day I happened to click on a picture shared by a friend and started learning about various kinds of positive parenting. Being kind and firm. Looking beyond the behaviour. Focusing on connection, solutions, encouragement, and mutual respect. Teaching social and life skills. Encouraging autonomy.
It all seemed to make sense on paper but I wasn’t sure if we could actually do it. I was already so worn down and exhausted. But the more I read, the more I felt it was the right move. We needed to do this. We’d just have to find a way to make it work.
Six years ago.
It’s getting harder to remember how different we were back then. We still have plenty of struggles but we get through them easier now. We’re on the same team. And thankfully I have a lot of writing and journaling to remind us of the changes we made and how far we’ve come.
Over the years I’ve been sharing what I’ve learned with friends and family, and I’ve been encouraged to share more with others and do some workshops and coaching like I’d been planning on before we moved. So I’m finally starting. And honestly, it’s scary! This is much more vulnerability than I’m used to. But I keep reminding myself that I just need to take the first step and begin the journey. I can deal with any obstacles as they come.
So here I am, and here you are. If you’ve taken a first step that’s been significant for you I’d love to hear about it. And if you’re looking for encouragement or resources that you don’t see mentioned here yet, please ask! If I can’t help maybe another reader can. There’s so much we can learn from each other.
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