​Stop! Look! Listen!

When my kids were young, I remember something they learned to do before they would cross a street: Stop, look, and listen!

Due to impulsivity and hyperactivity that come with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, many of us have a hard time putting on the brakes! Add to the mix feeling overwhelmed, running behind, and the tendency to be emotionally reactive. It all contributes to an anxious way of being in the world. What if we could find peace by adding a pause?

What happens when we pause?

When we stop long enough to breathe, it sends fresh oxygen to our brain and slows the flood of stress chemicals heading there. Hitting the pause button helps us become more aware of the emotions that are making us feel out of control. The pause allows us to think about what might have triggered the strong emotion and consider what actions we might take instead of exploding. It’s a key weapon for managing our emotions.

What does the pause look like?

The pause can take many forms. It will be shaped by the situation and our needs in the moment. It might look like:

• Counting to ten in a volatile situation or walking into another room.
• Waiting before you commit to something. Instead of an instant “yes,” you say, “I’d like to think about that,” or “I will get back to you.” 
• Being very clear on what you value most, creating and living by the priorities in your life.
• Taking time to be thankful at this time of year.

There’s no “right” or “wrong” way to pursue the pause. The power lies in realizing that you can.

The pause provides a choice

There is a symbol in music, called a rest, which means to be silent. A rest symbol allows you to absorb what you heard previously, positioning you to move forward. Another words, the pause is active, not passive!

I am reminded of a quote by Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust after three years in concentration camps. “Between stimulus and response, there is a space,” Frankl said. “In that space is the power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
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For support in creating the pause in your life, click here to schedule a complimentary 30-minute coaching session.

“Reframing ADHD: Discovering New Perspectives.”

This year’s theme for ADHD awareness month is “Reframing ADHD: Discovering New Perspectives.” ADHD is real! Nearly every mainstream medical, psychological and education organization in the US long ago concluded that ADHD is a real brain-based disorder. They also concluded that children and adults with ADHD benefit from appropriate treatment!  

ADHD was first described in 1795 by the German physician Melchior Adam Weikart in his medical textbook in a chapter titled, “deficits.” It was studied extensively in the 1970s, with more than 10,000 scientific papers published on the disorder.

ADHD, one of the most prevalent and misunderstood conditions in the world, may have affected you or someone you love. If so, then ADHD has touched your life.

It affects 6.1 million or 9.4% of school-aged children up to 17 years of age and up to 4.4% of all adults.1

Sometimes referred to as AD/HD or ADD, it’s all the same disorder. There are three primary ways ADHD shows up: inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive, or a combination of both.

Challenges people with ADHD face may include hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention, and also the belief that they can’t reach their goals because of their ADHD. Individuals may struggle with distractions, procrastination, time management, disorganization, paper nightmares, emotional outbursts, poor planning, losing things, unfinished projects, as well as home, school, and work-related challenges.   

ADHD is not a behavioral disorder; it is a disorder of self-regulation. It frequently can be a hidden disorder. Individuals may experience upwards of a 30% developmental delay in age-appropriate skills and emotional development. For example, a 10-year-old may act more like a 7-year-old. Most children, teens, and adults with ADHD have trouble with executive functions, the brain’s control center.

Up to 70% of children with ADHD have at least one other co-existing disorder, such as a learning disorder, anxiety, depression, or obsessive compulsive disorder, and 90% will struggle academically. An estimated 25-50% of people with ADHD experience sleep problems from insomnia to secondary sleep disorders, according to the Sleep Foundation.2 Up to 67% of children will carry ADHD into adulthood, and the family impact is often significant.

Psychiatrists Ned Hallowell and John Ratey are leading the charge to change the name of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. They recommend calling it VAST, or variable attention stimulus trait, a term that “de-medicalizes” ADHD. They state, “ADHD is not a disease found in the realm of pathology, nor is it a deficit of attention, in fact it is an abundance of attention, however it can be unfocused attention, and that the challenge is controlling it.”3

No single test diagnoses ADHD. A comprehensive evaluation by a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, is necessary to establish the diagnosis and to rule out other causes. A complete evaluation will include a comprehensive history, ADHD symptom checklists, a standard behavioral rating scale, screening for possible co-existing conditions, a review of past evaluations and school records, and psychometric testing, as seen necessary by the clinician.

When speaking about the treatment of ADHD, the key word is multimodal. This means that the best outcome occurs when many interventions work together as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. A team approach may include medication, parent training, behavioral Intervention, school and work supports, ADHD education, ADHD coaching, and community support.  

We know that ADHD is a performance deficit, not an intelligence deficit. It is important that we maintain not only a strength-based approach, but a disability perspective.  Having ADHD does not equal “being” ADHD! ADHD is one of the most treatable disorders in psychiatry. With early identification and treatment, children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD can be among the most successful.

Learn how to thrive with ADHD!

Footnotes

1. “ADHD Statistics: New ADD Facts and Research,” ADDitude Magazine, peer reviewed by Sharon Saline, Psy.D.
2. “ADHD and Sleep Problems: How are They Related?” Sleep Foundation, Danielle Pacheco, medically reviewed by Alex Dimitriu, M.D.
3. “ADHD Needs a Better Name. We Have One.” ADDitude Magazine, Ned Hallowell, M.D., and John Ratey, M.D.

​Resources

CHADD: CHADD is the premier association for families and adults with ADHD. Membership includes the latest information on treatment, education, and rights for people with ADHD. It links one to others living with ADHD and engages in federal and state advocacy on behalf of all people with ADHD.  www.CHADD.com

National Resource Center on ADHD: A program of CHADD, it’s the national clearinghouse of information and resources on ADHD. Information found on this site is reliable, scientific, and research-based. https://chadd.org/about/about-nrc/

Attention Deficit Disorder Association: ADDA is a community of supportive ADHD adults that empowers members to reach their potential and helps them to thrive. www.add.org

ADDitude Magazine: ADDitude is an outstanding quarterly publication for families and adults with ADHD. Contact ADDitude and receive a free magazine. www.ADDitudeMag.com

ADD Joy of Life Coaching, LLC: ADD Joy of Life is a strength-based company dedicated to empowering young people and adults to experience success with ADHD through coaching, education, resources and community. Discover where your ADHD shows up AND what to do about it. Call today for your free consultation: (260) 415-3412, Cheryl.Gigler@addjoyoflife.com, www.addjoyoflife.com

Don’t Forget to Remember:
​A 9/11 Story About the Power of Trusting Your Gut...Especially When you Have ADHD!
 
While Jose Melendez-Perez was working as an immigration inspector at the Orlando International Airport, he encountered a man who “gave him the chills.”
 
Although the man was well-dressed, with his passport and visa appearing to be in order, Melendez-Perez had a strong gut feeling about Mohammed al-Qahtani, a Saudi national. Something was just not right.
 
It is now believed that al-Qahtani was supposed to be one of the hijackers on United Airlines Flight 93 headed to the U.S. Capitol on September 11, 2001.
 
Had Melendez-Perez not moved forward to investigate based on that gut instinct, there would have been a far greater loss of life on that fateful day. The airport inspector is credited with denying entry to the 20th hijacker of 9/11 attacks.
 
As we mark the twentieth anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, the greatest loss of life on American soil since Pearl Harbor, lets remember the power of trusting your gut.
 
How We Make Decisions
 
There are more than three decades of research that point to the fact that decisions are made not only with the head but also with the heart and gut. All three of these areas—cognition, emotion, and intuition—are said to contribute to a good decision. The head analyzes information and applies logic. The heart senses the world through emotions and feelings. Gut intuition is said to be encoded in the brain, “like a web of fact and feeling.”
 
The head, heart and gut are all classified as functional brains, and science now shows that there are complex neural networks in all three. It is known in neuroscience as multiple brain integration. We want to make decisions with the wisdom of the head, heart, and gut. 
 
Decision-making has been traditionally viewed as a rational process, where reason dictates the best way to achieve goals. Investigations from different areas of cognitive science have shown that more human decisions and actions are influenced by emotional response and intuition than previously thought. Now, there’s a vast body of research into the nature of decision-making that looks at all three of these domains.
 
Why Decision-Making is Hard for People with ADHD
 
People with ADHD have a very hard time making decisions, due to the cognitive factors involved as well as the ability to trust themselves. We might make a decision reactively due to impulsivity and hyperactivity, certainly traits of ADHD.  Short-term memory issues play a role, as well our lack of personal boundaries. We tend to over promise and under deliver.
 
When making a decision, it can be important to check in with the three brains: our head, our emotions, and our gut. Have you ever tried to talk yourself into something that sounds good, yet your stomach hurts the more you think it over?   We may justify a choice based on some area we are passionate about, yet the facts supporting the decision are lacking.
 
Ask These Three Questions First
 
1. What are the reasons for and against this decision? (Head)
2. Is this decision something I can be enthusiastic about? (Heart)
3. How does this decision feel in my body? (Gut)
 
Use your head, listen to your heart, and trust your gut to make a better decision!
 
Last weekend, we honored those whose lives were taken on 9/11, as well as those whose lives were given in sacrifice for the greater good. Just like the Orlando immigration official did, I encourage you to trust your gut. It may save your life or the life of someone else.
 
Verbally processing a decision with a supportive person can make a huge difference! For support in decision-making and problem-solving, talk to a coach.
 
Links

1 - Head, Heart, and Gut: How to Use the 3 Brains, goodnet.org. https://www.goodnet.org/articles/head-heart-gut-how-to-use-3-brains

2 - (Head, Heart and Gut in Decision Making: Development of a Multiple Brain Preference Questionnaire, journals.sagepub.com

Our ADHD support group hosts a party each year at which members share their personal stories of success. Each time, I’m reminded that when people receive good treatment for ADHD, they move ahead. They’re no longer buried under the traits of ADHD. Instead of “living their ADHD,” they begin living their lives. This leads to changed relationships, better jobs, and going back to school, to name a few. As they step forward, they want more from life.

Change IS possible

Adults with ADHD often believe “I am who I am,” and that change is impossible. Melissa Orlov, an expert on how ADHD affects relationships, suspects this belief is more about fear than reality. She wrote a blog for Psychology Today titled, “Can Adults with ADHD Really Change?”

The article suggests that people who struggle with ADHD may not have optimized treatment. Repeated failures have led them to believe they are not capable of success. However, research has shown that change is possible, with the right support.

The most common treatment, medication, can “normalize” behavior in 50-65% of people with ADHD, researcher Russell Barkley states in his book, “Taking Charge of Your Adult ADHD.” It can significantly improve the behavior of another 20-30%!

We all know that the best treatment for ADHD is multimodal. Changes in brain chemistry through medication, exercise, mindfulness can make a huge difference. Just as important is behavioral change, such as creating new habits, having tools, structures and strategies in place that are tailored to you.

Change Happens in Stages

Generally, people don’t change their behavior overnight. According to the transtheoretical model, change is a process that involves several stages over time. This differs from a traditional view of change, seen as a one-time event, such as stopping smoking or overeating. Based on over two decades of research, (Prochaska and Velicer, 1997) the transtheoretical model found that individuals create change by moving through a series of stages. The right support in each stage is vital to the change process.

The Stages of Change

People generally move through each of these stages* in sequential order:

• Precontemplation: “I don’t need to change.” Everything seems hopeless and we doubt our ability to change.
• Contemplation: “I might change.” We know we are stuck, but we’re not sure we want to do what is necessary for change.
• Preparation: “I will change.” We have a plan in place and are making final adjustments to change, but we are not completely on board with change.
• Action: “I’ve started to change.” We are in action, working toward our goals with structures in place that will allow us to succeed.
• Maintenance: “I’ve changed.” In this final stage, we check that we are where we need to be and learn how to press the ‘reset’ button when we have setbacks.

What influences change?

To succeed, we must believe that we have the ability to change. We also must be able to plan and follow through on the actions required to meet our goals. We have to be able to persist, believing that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. It is important to note that the stages of change are a model, not a method of change.

Where are you today?

You might be staggering under the symptoms of untreated ADHD as well as executive skills challenges, such as getting started, planning, organizing, and managing time, to name a few. Your job or marriage may be on the line.
You may have tried to move ahead, but you really aren’t sure what type of help you need. Even if you know what help is needed, there can be the challenge of finding a provider in your area.  All that to say that the road to treatment can be rocky.

You can experience success!

Most of us want to succeed and do well in life. If we haven’t, it’s important to ask why not? What has gotten in the way? With the right support, people with ADHD can create change and be extremely successful! An ADHD coach can support you in sorting out the pieces of the puzzle, walking alongside you to create the life you really want.

Call today for a complimentary coaching session!
 
* Jeremy Sutton, Ph.D. “The 6 Stages of Change.” PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/stages-of-change-worksheets/ Accessed July 8, 2021
 

Getting Things Done with ADHD

Do you have trouble getting started? What about finishing undone things? As an ADHD coach, the four words I hear routinely are: “I HAVE NO MOTIVATION!” 

Here are a few definitions of motivation:

• The desire or enthusiasm to accomplish a task or achieve something.
• The act or process of giving someone a reason to do something.
• The mental processes that arouse, sustain, and direct human behavior.

Low motivation is often connected with tasks that we find boring and unstimulating. Some of the most challenging tasks are ones we do sitting down.

This might include schoolwork, work for our job, or anything we need to plan and organize. In the past year, adults and young people have been doing work remotely from home. This adds another layer of challenge, since home often has the connotation of letting down or kicking back. We are not moving our bodies or socializing in the same way we did before the pandemic. All the lines are blurred, and we flounder in a sea of sameness!

Individuals with ADHD can struggle with motivation due to a shortage of a brain chemical, a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Psychologist Russell Barkley states that we have lower dopamine levels than the average population. Dopamine has been called the chemical of motivation or the “feel-good chemical.” We experience higher dopamine levels when we are doing something we love, engaging in areas of strength, rewarding ourselves, or exercising. ADHD medication provides dopamine, which affects the part of the brain responsible for planning and organizing.

ADHD medicine isn’t a cure-all, however. Even when taking medication, we can have problems mustering the motivation necessary to complete tasks of low interest to us. Why? Certain tasks have strong emotional tags attached to them, says Tamara Rosier, a psychologist and ADHD coach. We may dislike doing laundry or paying the bills, for instance, because we have left wet clothes in the washer before or forgotten to make a payment.

The truth is sometimes we do have more motivation than others. We may wait around to feel motivated in order to start a task.

What could we accomplish if we had a foolproof plan in place – one that could help us launch into action, motivated or not? The sky would be the limit, right?

Here are a few ideas!

• Make sure to take your medication, including a bumper dose if needed.
• Always do your most difficult task at your best time of day. 
• Break tasks down into small segments, working no more than 25 minutes at a time (unless, of course, you are hyper focusing).
• Know (exactly) what you are going to work on at a certain time. 
• Think ahead, so that you will have whatever you need for the task.
• Create your own ADHD-friendly working environment.
• Use a standing desk and move while you work.
• Interest equals focus, so add interest to your task.
• Have something to look forward to, every day.
• Exercise.
• Get out in the fresh air.
• Do some tasks off-site, such as at a library or in your car.
• Simulate the rhythm and characteristics of your school or workday as much as possible.
• Alternate the boring with the stimulating.
• Reward yourself with open-ended tasks when you are done.

​One of the most helpful things you can do is to work with an ADHD coach. You can set up your day in a way that is brain friendly. This will boost productivity! Discovering how you work best is empowering and gives you a sense of control. 

Does motivation help? Of course! And with a plan in place, you can move forward, no matter what! This puts you in the driver’s seat!

Ready to create your own motivation plan? Talk to an ADHD coach, and take the first step toward getting things done.

WAIT! WHAT?????

People with ADHD only spring to life when excitement sizzles and chaos abounds. How could boring be better?

Let me give you one example:

I have a friend with ADHD whose mother-in-law was having a birthday. Despite the challenges of shopping amid coronavirus shutdowns, she managed to buy and wrap a birthday present AHEAD of time. When her husband asked if she had bought anything for his mother, she proudly went to the closet and retrieved a beautifully wrapped present. It went without saying that her husband was very happy!

When I complimented her on planning ahead, my friend shared that her success hadn’t brought as much fulfilment as she had expected. “It was great to be ready to go,” she said, “but it was also a little boring. There was no last-minute flurry of activity, playing beat the clock. The gift was ready to go but it felt—well—so normal!’’

What’s wrong with normal?

So why did having the gift ready ahead of time feel boring?

When we have ADHD, it is easy to be reactionary. Ideas come at us like tennis balls. Everything we need to do seems equally important. Our thinking is often scattered, and we can have trouble prioritizing. Without a plan in place, we’re like the person who jumped on a horse and rode off in all directions at once!

Our minds don’t always operate at the same, steady pace as many people who don’t have ADHD. What’s ‘normal’ for them may feel mind-numbingly mundane to us.

Do we thrive on chaos?

Sometimes, we leave everything to the last minute because it cranks up the  adrenaline. The resulting shot of dopamine—a feel-good chemical in the brain—puts us in a state of high stimulation. Being in this crisis state causes us to focus.

Living amid chaos may feel comfortable (even normal) for us, but it carries a big price tag. We become exhausted, let people down, and forget important dates. Others can view us as scatterbrained or space cadets!

Most of us living with ADHD already have enough stress. Admittedly, interest equals focus, but how could we find that focus in creative ways? Are there ways to get things done that do not deplete our energy but rather energize us? 

Could there be another way?

What if you and I could pace ourselves, so that we actually had time left over for fun?

I have found that creating small-scale deadlines can be motivating. For example, if I have dishes to wash (boring!) I might do it in 15-minute breaks between clients  (stimulating!). Having the deadline of an arriving client forces me to get into action quickly. Limiting the time frame seems to make the boring task more doable.

Like my friend, you may discover that that being ahead of the game feels just “too normal.” If so, I would encourage you to consider that less stress equals less burnout, which leaves more energy for what matters most.
People who have good treatment for ADHD do not have to depend on last-minute drama in order get the job done.

Boring can be better! Take the first step toward a stress-free life. Talk to an expert, today!

The best presents may be ones you give to yourself!

Many of us enjoy giving away nice gifts, whether for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, or other occasions. But how often do we do the same for ourselves? The right gift can make a huge difference, especially when it’s tailored to you!
I was so proud of a client who told me this year she planned to buy and wrap gifts for herself so that she actually got what she wanted!

Explore Your Options

What gifts might you give yourself this year? Perhaps your focus might be on getting more sleep, eating better or exercising. It might be connecting with friends that you lost touch with. Maybe it’s going back to school or getting the business support that you need. It might be hiring a coach or an organizer to support you in this Covid-19 Era, or stepping forward to get an ADHD diagnosis.

Celebrate Your Successes

What do you feel good about as you think over the past year? It is important to celebrate successes, big and small. One client mentioned with each new year that she likes to do her own personal satisfaction inventory. After reviewing the past year, start looking forward. What would you like to say about your life one month from now, three months from now, or six months from now?

Befriend Baby Steps

Many people with ADHD shy away from goal-setting because they feel it to be overwhelming and unattainable. We might have not met goals that we set in the past, so we avoid making new ones. When you start with the big picture and work backward, you can break goals down into manageable steps. Plus, you don’t have to go it alone. Having objective and positive support, such as a coach, can make all of the difference in the world!

Consider One Word

What gift will you unwrap this year? One way to narrow your focus is to ask yourself what is missing in your life. I like to choose a word that represents what I need most. If you are someone who wants to work on exercise and eating right, your word may be “health.” If you have retired from a job and want to figure out what is next, your word might be “explore.” If you know that you want to move forward in your life but are afraid, your word might be "fearless". If you have been feeling isolated at home this year, your word may be “connect.” If you know that you need support in managing your ADHD, your word might be “partnership.”

Choosing a word can motivate us because it represents our “why.” It’s the reason we are doing something. This helps us to prioritize and to remember what is most important at this time.

Act on the Word

As you think about the upcoming day, consider your word. If your word is “health,” is there something in your day that represents that word? Exercise? Making a doctor’s appointment? Going to the health food store? A word narrows our focus and helps us move towards our goals.
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What Will you Choose?

Like my friend, will you choose to wrap a few gifts for yourself this year, so that you actually get what you want? If you are not sure what you want, a coach can support you in figuring it out.
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You can move forward this year!

Find support in creating a customized plan for success - Talk to an Expert!

Being Intentional when you have ADHD

Can you picture this? Sipping hot chocolate by a roaring fire, hearing carolers sing, attending holiday concerts, and being lifted heavenward by candlelit services. Dressing up for parties, giving perfectly wrapped gifts, baking enviable Christmas cookies, and cutting down that perfect tree on a cold winter day. Gathering with friends in your fashionable home, entertaining with ease, baking mouthwatering meals, and mailing pictures of your smiling family in matching holiday clothes. 

This vision of the holidays is like a Hallmark card, but the reality might not be... especially when you have ADHD!
I’m reminded of a wonderful mom who tucked carefully designed Christmas cards into a diaper bag on the way to the post office, only to find them unmailed the following February! Or a friend who got so tired baking Christmas cookies that she laid down in front of the oven to take a catnap while the cookies were baking! Then there was my granddaughter who opened each day of her Advent calendar on day 1, so she could get the chocolate behind each window!

All kidding aside, a holiday such as Christmas can be daunting, especially when you struggle with planning and organization on a good day! The extras of shopping, wrapping, baking, cooking, decorating, cleaning, and entertaining can lead to overwhelm!

This year many are suffering from the unending ripple effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are anxious and do not feel safe. The financial impact has been enormous. Working from home is a major stressor, especially when supervising children learning virtually. There is less structure and many more distractions. This is hard for everyone, but especially for those of us with ADHD.

Covid has caused us to rethink everything as we struggle to find the “new normal” this holiday season. Many of the events that bring joy are cancelled this year. We desperately seek the comfort and familiarity of rituals and traditions that give our lives meaning…especially when living with uncertainty. We long for connection and to engage with what lifts us out of the ordinary!

How can we create experience a holiday that is memorable?

Choose what matters most!

Thinking back over the years, what have you enjoyed most about the holidays? Do you have a Christmas memory that stands out? Some of my happiest memories have been the years we hosted Christmas parties. There were friends gathered together, great food, games, the singing of Christmas carols, and having a white elephant gift exchange. 

That will not happen this year, but what threads from this memory can I make happen today? There was a sense of community and togetherness. We played group games, shared great food, and we heard wonderful Christmas music. What might have to change in order to experience or re-create those things?

What if I could simplify the holiday by ordering take-out, so that I would not cooking and doing dishes all day? What if we planned some fun games? Why couldn’t we sing Christmas carols, even with our own family? What if I were less stressed, so that I could actually play with my grandchildren and watch them enjoy their new toys?

As life changes, so does the need to adjust perspective. This can lead to new traditions that serve us better today.
What aspects of the holiday mean the most to you and what will it take to make them happen?

Listen to your heart!

Some of us know how to make the holiday special for others, but we don’t have a clue how to make it special for ourselves. We can make changes that reflect what we value most.

This resource, “Create a Better Holiday,” challenges us to be intentional about the holiday we want to create.
Consider these questions:

• What activities make you happy?
• What activities relax you?
• What activities bring back wonderful memories?
• What activities make me you connected spiritually?
• What activities are always fun?

A friend of mine said that one of her best Christmases ever was spent watching holiday movies all day long!
How will you choose to spend your time at this wonderful, yet vulnerable time of year? It is ok to do something that pleases you! You are no more or less important than anyone else. You matter!

By being intentional, you can “ADD” happy to your holiday!

Find support this holiday season from a certified ADHD coach. Schedule a free consultation today.
 

ADHD may be invisible, but its impact is real

Just because you can’t see inside the brain of people with ADHD doesn’t mean that they aren’t struggling in significant ways!

As I was traveling after a surgery that didn’t allow me to walk long distances, I got a glimpse of what life looks like from a wheelchair. For one thing, you are at the mercy of the person wheeling you. Secondly, it’s obvious to all that you have a physical problem going on. At least at the airport, most people make way for you, realizing that you have a problem.

That doesn’t happen for people who have ADHD.

Bystanders often have a hard time understanding why a person with ADHD is often late, procrastinates, seems disorganized, forgets important things, or acts flighty. They might conclude that the person is lazy or is using ADHD as an excuse. There’s a landmark book whose title speaks to this: “You Mean I’m Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy?!” by Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo. Having ADHD is not an excuse, but it is an explanation. 

You may have heard the phrase, “the brain doesn’t have a wheelchair.” In daily life, we can’t open up the front of a person’s brain to see the struggles going on inside. But invisible disabilities can be just as crippling as those needing a wheelchair.

The challenges that people with ADHD face are due to cognitive impairment. That is, the person has trouble with the part of the brain responsible for various thought processes. It is sort of like having a company without a CEO. ADHD researcher Dr. Thomas Brown likens it to having an orchestra without a conductor.

Outwardly, this might look like being “scattered.” People with ADHD might have trouble getting started, staying with a task long enough to finish it, or being able to stop doing one thing to start another. They may impulsively jump from thing to thing, struggle with doing homework or paperwork and have thousands of unfinished projects.
 
We now have accommodations by law that are designed to protect people with ADHD. This is because cognitive functioning—the ability to think—is now seen as affecting a major life activity, just like walking or seeing.
The ability to think, plan, or organize is necessary for various areas of life on a daily basis. Challenges in this area shows up in school, on the job, and at home.

Secondary students who have ADHD often struggle with paying attention, following directions, and completing homework assignments. College students might wrestle with managing time and breaking long-term projects into smaller, more achievable tasks. Working adults may grapple with being on time or meeting project deadlines. Entrepreneurs or homemakers with ADHD may lament their difficulty using time effectively in an unstructured environment.  
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Just because others can’t see your disability doesn’t mean you have to limp through life. Find support and encouragement from a certified ADHD coach. Set up a free consultation.

START LEADING WITH YOUR STRENGTHS!

As a person with ADHD, do you know what your strengths are? If so, how much time each day do you spend using and developing those strengths?

Most of us have heard that we should develop our weaknesses in order to get stronger. The authors of the book, Now Discover Your Strengths, disagree. Authors Donald Clifton and Marcus Buckingham claim that most of us have little sense of our talents, much less the ability to build our lives around them. As a result, we become experts in our weaknesses while our strengths go untapped.

The Gallup organization studied the psychological profiles of more than 2 million people over the course of 25 years. In doing so, they discovered 34 signature talents—or strengths—among participants. This study led them to create an online assessment that could measure an individual’s “talent DNA.” The CliftonStrengths assessment (formerly StrengthsFinder), was designed to help people identify their unique abilities, so they could do more of what they naturally do best.

People who have the opportunity to use their strengths are three times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life, according to Gallup.

If knowing one’s strengths could benefit anyone, how much more might it benefit the adult or child with ADHD? As a life coach, I often ask people what their strengths are. Most answer by laying out all of their weaknesses!

Many people with ADHD have heard negative messages all of their lives. These critical words often become a defining factor in one’s life, harming self-image. Sometimes, the sheer struggle of living with ADHD on a daily basis can make a person feel “less than.”

So, let me encourage you to consider your strengths. What are they? And what would life look like, if you were able to fully use them?
 
Stop cursing your weaknesses and start enjoying your strengths. Find support from an encouraging coach. Set up a free consultation today.
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