In a world that often defines success by grades, awards, and achievements, it’s easy to overlook the quiet, powerful victories that happen every day especially in our autistic community. At our house, we’ve been learning to redefine what success means.
A Dance Showcase, A Different Kind of Win 💃
For my daughter, success recently looked very different than what you might expect at a dance showcase.
A couple of years ago, we had to take a two-year break from dance. The lights, the music, the costumes, the busy-ness of rehearsals it all became too much for her sensory system. The overwhelm was real, and it was affecting her wellbeing. During that break, we focused on intensive early intervention and supported her in building emotional regulation, confidence, and sensory resilience in safe, calm environments.
This year, she chose to return to dance. That choice alone was huge. And when the showcase day came, she stepped out onto that stage under those same bright lights, with the same loud music, in front of a crowd.
While families cheered for pirouettes and polished routines, we were celebrating something more personal and profound she showed up 🙌.
That was it. Just arriving, in the outfit, in the space despite the nerves and sensory overwhelm was her success. Everything beyond that whether she danced or sat with her support person was a bonus.
Success didn’t need to look like a perfect performance. It looked like courage 💪 presence, just being there, on her own terms.
A Quiet Conversation That Meant So Much 🧠
Recently, I was speaking with my son’s high school case manager about how different success can look for him, too. School is hard. It’s been a long road overcoming school refusal, anxiety, and all the invisible effort it takes just to be there.
Some days, he walks into the classroom and looks completely disengaged. He’s quiet. He might not raise his hand. He might not make eye contact. But he’s there. And just being there that is a victory.
I shared with the case manager how much growth it’s taken to get to this point. Just because he doesn’t look like the “ideal student” doesn’t mean he’s not absorbing, learning, or growing. Sometimes, success is as simple and profound as sitting in that chair, in that classroom, on that day. For him, that might be his mountain climbed.
Celebrating the Real Wins 🌿
We’re learning to notice the everyday bravery it takes to move through spaces not designed for your brain or body. Success might not look like a certificate. It might be brushing your teeth after a rough morning. Asking for help. Sitting through a class. Trying again tomorrow.
For many of us, traditional milestones don’t always tell the whole story. So let’s keep celebrating the moments that might seem small to others but are deeply meaningful to us whether it’s attending a party 🎈, trying something new 🧩, or simply getting through the day.
These wins matter. And they deserve to be celebrated just as much as the traditional milestones.
So here’s to redefining success one quiet, meaningful moment at a time.
Because success, when redefined, becomes more inclusive and far more human 🤝❤️
