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on January 25, 2021 · Leave a Comment

My Self Care Journey As An Autism Mom

Last year I spoke about how difficult autism parenting can be and finding time for myself even harder.  However, throughout this past year, I did my best to find time even in the middle of the pandemic.  It hasn’t been easy because I am in the high-risk category for Covid.  Even when the stores are open, I am more comfortable just staying home.  That’s not to say that I haven’t stepped out to run to a CVS or Dollar Tree, because I have.  If you could see my disinfecting process when I get home, you would think I’m nuts.  But that’s a post for another day 😊

I thought I’d share some of the things I started to do last year and what I’ve added over the past few weeks to keep my head on straight. 

The post may contain affiliate links.  Joann Salas is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Starting out my morning the right way is a big mood booster.  I try very hard to get up a little earlier than everyone else in the family.  It allows me the time to think about the day ahead of me.  What is on my To-Do List that day?  Whether it’s laundry or working on my blog, I love to have a clear plan for the day ahead.  Of course, I do all of that with my morning coffee in-hand!

During this time, I also like to take the time to pray.  I do most of my prayers at night, but this gives me the opportunity to say good morning to Jesus and read one page in my book, Jesus Always, Embracing Joy in His Presence, by Sarah Young.  This book is a 365-day devotional, that includes scripture and response from the author.  As a Catholic, I realized that as much as I enjoy this devotional, for me personally, I’d like to try to find a bible study book/guide that aligns more in with the word of the Lord and not through the voice of another.  However, as I said, this book is very readable and I do feel like it is a good way to start my day. 

Another way I’ve been staying on track, is remembering to take my vitamins.  I understand vitamins may not be for everyone and there are those who don’t believe in taking them.  I respect that but, for me, vitamins are a great way for me to add the extra nutrients I may be missing in my diet.  I’m so happy to report, that I’ve been consistent every morning. 

Shower and bath bombs have been exploding in my house all year!  I’m totally hooked!  I try to use them at least a few times a week.  It’s not been easy to escape my house physically, but a half hour soaking in the tub and enjoying the aromatherapy is a great way to release stress.  Some of my favorite bath and shower bombs are from Basin.com.  My current favorite shower bomb is the Lemongrass and, for a nice bath, I recommend the Let It Snow (inspired by Disney’s Frozen movie) bath bomb. 

It should come as no surprise that journaling is also an important part of my selfcare routine.  For me, writing down reflections of my day, how I’m feeling and the things I’m most grateful for, help keep me in check.  If you still haven’t tried journaling, I really encourage you to try.  It can be as little as a few sentences or a few paragraphs.  You’d be surprise as to how good you feel after writing. 

It turns out that putting yourself in a “time-out,” just as you do your kids, really helps me reset.  Now, I don’t go sit myself down, but I do take a mental break.  If I’m feeling overwhelmed during the day, I’ve realized that I need to walk away for a few minutes and get myself back on track.  With my husband working from home, this is doable.  I take a few minutes to go in my room and just take a breather.  It really does help me.  I wish the weather was nicer here in New Jersey, as taking a few minutes in my yard to get some fresh air was nice during the warmer months.  A few minutes to yourself can really put you in a better place. 

An afternoon cup of coffee or tea offers a nice delicious break.  I always try to find new and interesting flavors, so I never get bored.  My current favorite go-to coffee is New England’s Peppermint Bark coffee and my overall favorite tea would be Harvey & Son’s Paris tea.  Confession time – sometimes I can’t decide so I have both! 

These are just a few of the things I do during the day to incorporate self-care.  My evenings look a little different and I’ll be sharing how I reset for the night in a future post.  In what ways do you take care of yourself during the day?  I would love to hear in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by! I would love to talk more! Please come hang out with me on Instagram at @Lovealwaysjoann. You can also find me on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook. If you want to be alerted whenever I publish a new post, you can follow me on Bloglovin’ or subscribe via email.

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Filed Under: Autism, My Story Tagged With: autism mom, relaxation, selfcare, stress relief

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lovealwaysjoann

Lovealways,Joann
Yesterday on my YouTube channel I posted a video t Yesterday on my YouTube channel I posted a video talking about how I handle stress associated with being an autism mom.  Thank you so much for those of you who have watched and for your kind comments.  Thank you to everyone who also reached out to  me privately. It’s nice to hear that something I said either resonated with you or has helped in a small way.  I love the feedback as it’s a way for me to know if I should continue with autism related content or not.  If you haven’t had a chance to watch yet, I hope you will consider adding it to your watch list.  Thank you for your support, it’s truly appreciated. 

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#autism #autismmom #autismfamily #autismawareness #autismlife #autismlife #autismheros #autismadvocates #autismeducation #specialneedsmomlife 
#autismacceptance #autismstars 
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Did you know that during a typical day an autism Did you know that during a typical day an autism  mom can experience more than two stressful events? Autism moms  are more likely to experience fatigue, depression and isolation.  Mother’s of children with autism have stress levels comparable to combat veterans. 
I do not handle stress well, but I am consistently trying to get better at managing it.  If you watched today’s YouTube video, and you are an autism mom, I hope you know you are not alone.  I hope I was able to help in some small way.  My way of handling stress may not be the way for you, but I encourage you to find something that does. ❤️ #stress #stressrelief #stressmanagement #autismstress 

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#autism #autismmom #autismfamily #autismawareness #autismlife #autismlife #autismheros #autismadvocates #autismeducation #specialneedsmomlife 
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It’s not often I get to spend time with Alex as It’s not often I get to spend time with Alex as much as I like to.  It’s not easy having a sibling with autism but Alex loves his brother.  Today, Alex and I went to the movies to see Sonic 2.  We had a great time together but the best part of my day was him thanking me for going with him.  He said,”I really appreciate it Mom!” This picture is from his last year’s birthday party.  I can’t believe it but in a few short weeks my twins will be 10 years old! ❤️ #autismsiblings #sons #momsofinstagram #momandsons #theboywhostolemyheart #autismmom #autismlife
Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video this Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video this week? In this week’s video I’m sharing 3 easy Brunch recipes! Each one is easy to make and can be made-ahead  of time. 
The last recipe I shared is the Blueberry French Toast.  French Toast is one of my favorites for breakfast. When you mix  it with the blueberries and the eggs, it just takes it up a notch.  Don’t forget to sprinkle some powdered sugar on top! Direct link in bio.  #brunch #brunchrecipes #breakfastideas #frenchtoast #blueberries #frenchtoastcasserole
Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video this Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video this week? In this week’s video I’m sharing 3 easy Brunch recipes! Each one is easy to make and can be made-ahead  of time. 
The second recipe I share is the Hawaiian Breakfast Sliders.  Ever since I watched my friend Jess over at @blessedjess86 share her Baked Hawaiian Rolls recipe, I’ve been really obsessed with the Hawaiian Rolls!! Out of the 3 recipes I made, this one is my favorite! These are perfect to wrap up individually and take your breakfast to go.  Direct link in bio.  #brunch  #brunchrecipes #breakfastideas #hawaiianrolls #hawaiianrollsliders
Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video yeste Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video yesterday? In this week’s video I’m sharing 3 easy Brunch recipes! Each one is easy to make and can be made-ahead  of time. 
The first recipe I share, “Sweet Potato Hash,” is from @ww.  Whether you are currently on the program or not, If you’re a fan of sweet potatoes,  this one is for you.  Direct link in bio.  #brunch #brunchrecipes #breakfastideas #ww #wwrecipes #sweetpotatohash
When your child is first diagnosed with autism, it When your child is first diagnosed with autism, it is difficult to wrap your head around the amount of information given to you. It’s so important to have people in your child’s life that you can connect to.  Develop a comfortable connection  with the pediatrician, neurologist, the early intervention team, as well as your immediate family. You should be able to know that you have respect, trust and compassion in these relationships. I talked about our early relationships with Michael’s team in my “Let’s talk autism - Early Intervention - Pediatric Neurologist- O.T.  Therapist” YouTube video in March.  If your child was recently diagnosed with autism, I hope you find this helpful. Direct link to my channel in my bio. New autism videos coming soon.  #newautismdiagnosis 

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#autism #autismmom #autismfamily #autismawareness #autismlife #autismlife #autismheros #autismadvocates #autismeducation #specialneedsmomlife 
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Good evening friends! Last month I had posted abou Good evening friends! Last month I had posted about a question from another special needs mom asking me to talk about how I handle stress.  I also asked if anyone wanted to share as well to please let me know so I could pass those suggestions and ideas along.  I didn’t receive much feedback and I’m not surprised at all.  This tells me that there are many of us who are still trying to figure out how to handle their stress or maybe you’re not comfortable sharing.  Either way I can understand, I’m still struggling to figure out what works best for me. 
It’s been awhile since I sat down to talk autism but this week I will film my next autism video.  Any guesses as to what that will be about? 😂 As always please feel free to DM me if you prefer or aren’t comfortable sharing in the comments about anything related to autism.  I know it’s hard to put yourself out there when you’re never sure how you will be received, but always remember you have a friend in me.  #stressmanagement 

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#autism #autismmom #autismfamily #autismawareness #autismlife #autismlife #autismheros #autismadvocates #autismeducation #specialneedsmomlife 
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A very happy 50th birthday to my husband Gabe! We A very happy 50th birthday to my husband Gabe! We ❤️ you! #birthday #50thbirthday #family
My sister and I wanted to wish a very Happy Mother My sister and I wanted to wish a very Happy Mother’s Day to our dad’s girlfriend Cheryl.  A few months ago I shared that my dads cancer had returned and asked for you all to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.  He’s getting better every day but we know it’s because of the excellent care Cheryl has been giving him.  We just want to thank you for taking amazing care of our dad during these last few months. We are truly grateful to have you in our lives. #thankyou #grateful #mothersday
Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful Moms out Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful Moms out there! Enjoy your day! A very happy heavenly Mother’s Day to my mom. I’m so happy for all the years you were a part of my life, I just wish we could have had more time together.  I miss you so much, I love you and until we meet again, you’ll be in my heart. Love always, Joann 🥰❤️🙏 #mothersday #imissmymom #heavenlymothersday
New YouTube video! Please consider subscribing and New YouTube video! Please consider subscribing and become part of the family! #maythe4thbewithyou #starwars #starwarsday #wookiecookies #disneykitchen #chewbacca #disneysnacks #disneyfoodies #disneyrecipes #baking #bakingfortheinsta #disneylover #disneyfood #disneyhungry #disneylife #disneymom #disneyhome #disneygram  #disneyeats #mydisneylife #mickeyshapedfood #disneylove #disneyinsta #disneydesserts #disneylifestyle #disneyfamily #disneybaking #mydisneyhome
Have you checked out my YouTube channel yet? Over Have you checked out my YouTube channel yet? Over the last year and a half, I’ve made 35+ Disney food and snack recipes! Please consider subscribing and become part of the family! #smallyoutuber #smallyoutubersupport #smallyoutubercommunity #disneykitchen #disneysnacks #disneyfoodies #disneyrecipes #baking #bakingfortheinsta #disneylover #disneyfood #disneyhungry
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Good morning and happy Sunday! We are on our secon Good morning and happy Sunday! We are on our second day of driving back home to New Jersey.  It’s a beautiful morning here in North Carolina! The sun is shining and I’m praying for a smooth ride home with no traffic.  Enjoy your Sunday! #sunday #homewardbound #northcarolina
On our final night in Florida, we surprised my hus On our final night in Florida, we surprised my husband Gabe with a small  50th birthday party.  He turns 50 in May, but I wanted him to be able to celebrate with his family.  We are heading back to New Jersey.  Although we had a few rough days it was nice to get away and see our family.  Now we countdown until August when we visit again.  #homewardbound  #family #vacationmemories
New on my YouTube channel! What’s for dinner? Ri New on my YouTube channel! What’s for dinner? Ricotta Meatballs! Link in bio #recipes #easyrecipes #cookathome #homechef #momsrecipes #familyrecipes #cookbook #weeknightdinners #homemade #baking #cooking #madewithlove  #foodie #recipecollection #recipeideas #recipesoftheday #ricottameatballs #meatballs
Thank you so much for all your prayers for Maggie. Thank you so much for all your prayers for Maggie.  She was sedated, given oxygen and medication at the animal hospital.  She is doing much better now.  She has been diagnosed with Laryngeal paralysis.  This is more common in older, large breed dogs.  She is home resting now.  We were given medication to help her and make her comfortable.  We will follow up with our vet when we get home.  Thank you again and I really need a vacation now! Oh wait, I’m on one!🤣 Have a good evening and hopefully, we will all sleep well tonight.  #prayersanswered #thankyou #goodnight
Wishing you and your family a very Happy and bless Wishing you and your family a very Happy and blessed Easter! #happyeaster #hehasrisen
Good evening friends! We finally made it to my mot Good evening friends! We finally made it to my mother-in-law’s house about an hour ago.  We are all tired but happy to be here.  I hope you all have a great evening.  #floridalife #saturdaynight #autism #autismmom #autismfamily #autismawareness #autismlife #autismlife #autismheros #autismadvocates #autismeducation #specialneedsmomlife 
#autismacceptance #autismstars 
#specialneeds #ourautismjourney #specialneedsfamily #littlecornerofmyworld #littlestoriesofmylife
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