Focus on the good and the good gets better.

We have all heard that quote before, and if you haven’t you are welcome, I encourage you to read this as a daily reminder.  If you have heard it however and aren’t impressed, well then, maybe it hasn’t really sat there on your brain to marinate and seep into the ridges of your cerebral cortex because you are too worried that your child isn’t doing what your sister in law’s neighbor’s kid is doing- counting backwards from 75 and using conjunctions in his sentences. Totally normal. I get it.  

But, I have to admit, I am not yet a mom.  So, yeah I can joke, but no, I haven’t experienced the anxiety and overwhelm that comes along with motherhood. What I have experienced first hand, on hundreds of occasions, is the power of a mother’s joy.  

I am one of those people who has jumped on the bandwagon of gratitude journaling and well, I absolutely love it.  I simply write down what I am grateful for everyday.  It seems to have opened up more space for me to appreciate and less time to ruminate on things outside of my control- 

It was only recently that I made a connection that prompted me to write this blog post.   

I realized that “gratitude”, what I am now learning to implement in my daily life, is something that I have always instinctually practiced as a clinician. I am always noticing what a child is really good at. I can certainly attribute my success working with children to my habit of focusing on strengths and incorporating into any activity, target goal, note, song, conversation, you name it.  And I am sure this goes for any passionate pediatric therapist whether they realize it or not. THIS is the secret sauce to getting our kiddos to succeed.  

So, simply put- - the difference between, “Charlie did this today” and, “Charlie didn’t do this today” is astronomical.  Maybe Charlie is two years old and he has delayed language skills. Maybe you don’t think he heard you say that. Truth is, regardless of his language skills, he knows. 

He can READ your energy.  

He feels you. Mom, if it’s you reading this, the kid was in your womb for 9 months.  He picks up on everything that you put out there; anxiety, frustration, and fears.  So I challenge you to have it be more WOWs, more pride, more YAY!s, and more excitement. Find all the things to be happy about because he will be his best when he feels his best from the energy he receives from you.  

Fact: after ten years of working very closely with parents and their children, the families that lead with a positive outlook, the families that are focused on their child’s strengths, ARE the families that are consistently seeing more improvements in their child’s development. Focus on the good and the good gets better.  

One of my favorite quotes from Abraham Hicks, words that I find to be so relative to child development, “You must be in alignment with their success as you offer assistance, and not in alignment with their problem.”