Sometimes it’s not the big milestones that define the day. Not the perfectly prepared dinner, not the tidy apartment, not the to-do list with every checkbox in the right place (which you rarely find anyway – the list, that is).

It’s the little things. The seemingly insignificant moments that remain invisible to others – but make a real difference to you. Especially when your brain is thinking in twelve directions at once, while your children are all at ‘100’ and you feel like your nervous system is running in floodlight mode.

These small successes deserve more recognition. Not someday. Today.

1. You Didn’t Forget Yourself

Maybe you ate today. Or drank. Or took your medication. Maybe you took a deep breath before reacting. Maybe you allowed yourself not to function. All of that counts.

2. You Took a Break Before You Exploded

When everything becomes too much – stimuli, voices, tasks, thoughts – your nervous system often reaches its limit faster than you’d like. If you managed to close the door briefly, put on headphones, or take five conscious breaths before exploding: That was regulation. And that was strong.

3. You Completed a Task

No matter how small: sent an email, refilled the diapers, packed the lunch boxes, took out the trash. Finishing one thing, even though your brain was already onto five other things? Applause.

4. You Didn’t Compare Yourself to Others

No scrolling on Insta with the bitter aftertaste of “Why can they manage all this and I can’t?” – or at least: you remembered that much of what’s there is just a façade. You saw yourself, not through the filter of others.

5. You Weren’t Ashamed of Your Chaos

Today the living room was a battlefield, the kids’ room a creative project in its third stage of escalation – and you still let someone in or simply didn’t feel the need to justify yourself? That’s huge.

6. You Accepted Help or Asked for It

“I can do this alone” is a deeply ingrained reflex – especially when you’ve learned that you were often “too much”. If you asked for help today or accepted help without feeling bad about it: that’s healing in real-time.

7. You Remembered That You’re Not Just a Mother

A moment of music, a thought of your old self, a small creative project that had nothing to do with children. Maybe you even did something for a few minutes that reminded you of yourself. And that makes a difference.

8. You Laughed at Yourself Today

The shoes in the fridge, the phone in the freezer, the fourth time your child asks the same question – and you laughed. You didn’t put yourself down. Instead, you realized: You’re not broken. You’re just you. And that’s okay.

9. You Listened to Your Child, Really Listened

Despite all the inner noise, you managed to be fully present for a moment. To look your child in the eyes. Not to answer immediately, but to feel what they need right now. That’s connection. And that’s what matters.

10. You’re Still Here

You got up. You persevered. Maybe it was a day to forget. Maybe one that leaves you tired, empty, or overwhelmed. But you’re here. You’re doing your best. And that is – even if you often don’t believe it – more than enough.

Why This Matters

In a world where performance is often tied to measurable results, neurodivergent mothers quickly feel like a system error.

But these ‘small’ victories are, for many of us, what others take for granted.
They are signs of self-leadership, self-care, and strength – even if they remain invisible.

You don’t need to have everything under control to be allowed to be proud of yourself.
You can be proud today. Just as you are.

💛 Write down three of your small victories tonight – or at least one.
And if you’d like: Share it in the comments below.
Let’s celebrate together what’s often overlooked. You are not alone.