Motherhood can feel overwhelming—especially during back to school season when routines shift and schedules pile up. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, this encouragement for moms is specifically for you! Trust me, you’re doing better than you think.
I don’t know about your home, but in mine, September often feels like a second New Year! The kids head back to school, routines shift, and the calendar fills up overnight.
For many of us, this season brings excitement but also stress. It’s easy for moms to feel stretched too thin, buried under back to school stress, and unsure if we’re doing enough.
If that sounds familiar, I want to share some encouragement for moms that has carried me through my hardest parenting seasons. This is a reminder that even when life feels impossible, you are doing better than you think, I promise!
The Day Everything Felt Impossible
Years ago, my oldest son was diagnosed with autism — you can read our entire autism story here. I’ll never forget one particular day when the weight of it all felt unbearable. Without sharing private details, I ended up on the floor in tears—sobbing, overwhelmed, and consumed with fear.
I questioned everything. How would my son ever be okay? How would I ever be okay? Shame crept in. Mom guilt shouted that I wasn’t enough. Fear told me the future was too uncertain.
And in that moment, when I felt like I had nothing left to give, God spoke something simple but life-changing to my heart:
Look backwards.
Why Looking Back Matters
At first, it felt wrong. Aren’t we told to keep looking ahead, to set goals, to push forward?
Yes—but sometimes the only way to find hope in the present is to look back at how far you’ve already come.
Looking back allowed me to see progress I’d missed in the day-to-day. Little milestones that once felt invisible became clear when I zoomed out. That perspective gave me the courage to keep moving forward.
Here’s a simple way you can try this in your own life:
- Look back over the past 6 months: What small changes or victories have happened? Even the tiniest improvements matter.
- Look back 1 year: Where were you then compared to now? You may notice growth you hadn’t realized.
- Look back 5 years: How has God shown up and carried you through? This long view often reveals His faithfulness most clearly.
When you pause to reflect, you’ll see you’re not stuck. You’re not hopeless. Progress is happening—even if it feels painfully slow.
Encouragement for Moms in Every Season
This isn’t just about big challenges like autism. Looking back can help in every stage of motherhood. Here are just a few ways it’s helped me over the years!
- Potty training – It feels endless, but remember six months ago your child didn’t even recognize the potty. Now they’re trying, even if inconsistently. That’s progress.
- Sleep struggles – Maybe your baby still wakes up, but think back to when you were up every two hours. Longer stretches of rest are a sign of growth.
- School and friendships – If your child struggled socially last year, celebrate that they’ve made even one connection this year. That’s a step forward.
- Teenagers – Parenting teens can feel like chaos, but look back one year. You’ve survived every stage so far, and this one won’t last forever either.
- Finances and work – Maybe you’re not where you want to be yet, but if you’ve paid off one bill or found a new rhythm at work, that’s worth noticing.
- Health and fitness – Progress doesn’t always mean a goal weight. It could be strength, stamina, or even choosing healthier meals more often.
- Emotional battles – Healing from anxiety, grief, or trauma takes time. But if you look back, you’ll often see subtle shifts toward peace and resilience.
No matter what you’re facing—you are doing better than you think.
My Son’s Story: From Overwhelm to Thriving
When my son was younger, experts told us he would never function without five days a week of intensive ABA therapy. We couldn’t afford it, and the guilt nearly broke me.
Back then, I worried constantly. Would he ever keep up in school? Would he make friends? Would he ever live on his own?
Now, I can look back with tears of gratitude and say the experts were wrong. Today, my son is:
- A thriving, independent young man
- A college graduate, magna cum laude (!), with a degree in chemical engineering
- Employed in a career he loves
- Living happily in his own apartment—1,200 miles away from home
That’s not just progress. That’s transformation. And it reminds me that what feels impossible today may one day be your testimony of hope.
This is my autism encouragement story, and my prayer is that it gives hope for special needs moms—and really, for any mom walking through a hard season.
Want to read more about our autism story and get tips to help the entire family navigate it? Check out my autism archives here for dozens of posts!
Practical Ways to Remember Your Progress
If you’re ready to try this for yourself, here are a few practical ways to look back and stay encouraged:
- Journal your journey – Write down where you were six months or a year ago. Seeing it on paper makes progress easier to spot.
- Pray and reflect – Ask God to show you His faithfulness. Invite Him to highlight the ways He’s been working in your life.
- Celebrate small wins – Don’t wait for big milestones. Every little step counts, whether it’s a new word your child says or a night of uninterrupted sleep.
- Share your story – Talking about your journey with a friend or community helps you recognize growth you might have overlooked.
- Make a gratitude list – Even on the hardest days, finding a few things to be thankful for shifts your perspective.
Final Encouragement
Motherhood is hard. Back to school stress, busy routines, and everyday challenges can leave overwhelmed moms feeling like they’ll never get ahead. But friend, remember this: you’re doing better than you think.
Look back. See the progress. Celebrate the small victories. You’ve come so far—and the best is still ahead.
Now it’s your turn—take a moment to look back. What progress can you celebrate in your own life or family today?
More Posts to Encourage You
- 25+ Positive Affirmations for Moms
- How to Meal Plan without the Stress
- Addictively Fun Family Game Night (+ 5 Ways to Do It)
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