Check out the video on my YouTube channel HERE.
O snail
Climb Mount Fuji,
But slowly, slowly!
– Kobayashi Issa
Sometimes families tell me that the adoption process feels like trying to solve a thousand-piece puzzle in the dark. Confusing, overwhelming, and sometimes you wonder if you’re even holding the right pieces.
Maybe you’re stressed about the cost of adoption, completely lost about where to start, or just nervous about making this massive decision. Take a deep breath. I’ve got you, and you’ve got this.
That little snail in the poem has the right idea. You don’t need to sprint up Mount Fuji. You just need to keep moving forward, one tiny step at a time.
Think Mountain Climbing, Not Mountain Moving
Think of the adoption process like climbing a mountain. You don’t teleport to the summit, you take one step at a time, and we’ll be there to celebrate each step you make.
My best advice is to break the adoption process down into bite-sized pieces. Instead of looking at adoption as one big scary mountain you need to conquer, think of it more as a ladder. Just take one rung at a time.
I had a situation recently where I was setting up my home office in the bedroom my 3 sons shared. That room probably hadn’t been touched in 10 years, and there was a serious accumulation of stuff everywhere. I couldn’t tackle the whole room at once, so I just picked up one piece, then the next piece, then the next piece. Before I knew it, two weeks later, I had my home office completely done!
That’s exactly how adoption works. One piece at a time.
Celebrate the Little Wins
Look at your small victories and actually acknowledge them. “Ok, I got that form done. Check. I’ve got that professional research completed. Check.”
Celebrate these mini milestones with treats. Yes, ice cream is absolutely approved during this journey! Small victories lead to big success, so don’t skip celebrating the small wins.
Give yourself credit for every single step forward, because they all matter more than you realize.
Find Your Adoption Support Team
Every hero has a sidekick…or five. You need to build your support system with family, friends, online communities, and adoption professionals who actually know what they’re doing.
Your team is there to cheer you on, help you not feel alone, and offer advice when you need it. I would absolutely recommend keeping your funniest, most compassionate friend on speed-dial. A sense of humor will be SO important as you go through this journey.
Make sure you have that person who can lighten the mood when everything feels heavy.
Turn Overwhelm Into a Game
Feeling buried by your to-do list? Gameify the whole thing! Give yourself points for each task you complete:
- 10 points for finishing a form
- 20 points for booking a meeting
- 50 points for surviving your home study process without panicking
Remember to treat yourself when you hit each milestone. Adoption is a marathon, not a sprint. Be kind to yourself and laugh at every opportunity you get, because you’re on this journey to build your family.
The overwhelm you’re feeling right now? It’s temporary.
The strategy that gets you through it? That becomes your superpower for handling whatever comes next in your adoption journey.
Don’t try to solve the whole puzzle at once. One piece at a time, one form at a time, one decision at a time. You’ll see the complete picture, and you don’t have to do it alone.
Want comprehensive guidance on breaking down your adoption journey into manageable steps? Check out my All About Adoption 101 course that walks you through everything step-by-step. Ready to explore which adoption path works best for your situation? The Avenues of Adoption course will help you navigate all your options without the overwhelm.
For additional support from families who understand exactly what you’re going through, consider joining my Facebook Group, where adoptive families ask questions, share experiences, offer encouragement, and share strategies for managing the adoption process.
This blog post is provided for educational and informational purposes only. Our services are not financial, business, or legal advice. The information presented here is not a guarantee that you will obtain any results or earn any money using our content. Adoption & Beyond, Inc. owns all copyrights to the materials presented here unless otherwise noted.
