Gratitude Matters: How ADHD Coaching & Positivity Transform Lives
Recently, I received two handwritten notes thanking my husband and me for helping guide friends on a tour of New York City. Though not necessary, it was heartwarming to receive such a thoughtful expression of gratitude! It made me wonder: why don’t we take more time to count our blessings and express appreciation to others?
Shifting Focus: From Challenges to Positives
For those of us with ADHD, our focus and attention can shift rapidly. We often operate with tunnel vision just to get through the day. The constant challenges of managing daily life with ADHD can make it easier to focus on what isn’t working rather than what is.
The brain has limited capacity for focus, as neuroscientist and author Alex Korb explains in his article “The Grateful Brain.” It struggles to focus on both positive and negative stimuli at the same time.
Korb elaborates in another article, “The Stress of Uncontrollability,” that the more we dwell on areas of life that feel out of control, the more out of control we feel. This creates a vicious cycle, increasing activity in the brain’s emotional center and heightening anxiety.
On the flip side, when we stop fixating on what’s beyond our control, our stress levels decrease, and positive emotions rise.
This is why I start every ADHD coaching session by asking clients, “What’s going well?” When a client feels overwhelmed, their thoughts often get stuck in the anxious part of the brain. By making a plan, we shift their thoughts to the calm, rational part of the brain, creating a sense of relief and focus.
Counting Your Blessings: The Science of Gratitude
Research has shown that gratitude is a powerful force for improving overall well-being. Grateful people tend to experience:
Increased optimism
Lower anxiety
A stronger immune system
Reduced stress
Higher energy levels
Even just thinking about gratitude can produce these benefits!
A 2009 study by the National Institutes of Health revealed that thinking about gratitude increases blood flow in the hypothalamus, which controls essential body functions like sleep and metabolism. Gratitude also activates brain regions associated with dopamine, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter that individuals with ADHD often have in limited supply. Dopamine enhances motivation, action-taking and a sense of reward.
Interestingly, the study found that gratitude’s association with reward made participants want to continue being thankful, creating a positive feedback loop.
Becoming Grateful: A Daily Practice
The world’s leading expert on gratitude, Robert Emmons, suggests that gratitude starts with paying attention. He encourages us to develop a daily practice of recalling the gifts, grace, benefits and good things in our lives. This intentional focus helps us notice things we might otherwise take for granted.
Here are a few tips to cultivate gratitude:
Focus on the Positive: Look for something to be thankful for, no matter how small.
Start Your Day with Gratitude: Reflect on what’s working well in your life.
Reframe Challenges: View difficulties through the lens of your strengths.
In my coaching sessions, starting with a discussion of what’s going well sets a positive tone. This approach shifts the brain’s focus to success, enabling clients to tackle challenges with confidence and optimism. Over time, this habit extends beyond coaching sessions, helping individuals see the good in their own lives—and in others’.
Feel the Power of Gratitude
If you’re ready to experience the transformative power of thankfulness, check out 8 Gratitude Exercises to Unlock the Most Powerful Emotion That Exists. By choosing to focus on gratitude today, you can unlock a more positive mindset and discover the difference it makes in your daily life.
If you want to experience a better quality of life with ADHD, consider partnering with a coach. Together, we can uncover your strengths, reframe your challenges and create a life of gratitude and success.
Click here to schedule your free session today!