ADHD adults need more self-compassion. Don’t get me wrong. It’s important for adults with ADHD to have a sense of self-confidence. Being confident in who you are is a good thing. You won’t feel the need to tie yourself in knots trying to be someone else. You can be, well, just you. And this can also translate in being able to comfortably express yourself even when your viewpoint may be unpopular. Likewise, people in your… Continue reading…
Are you ready to change how you think about your ADHD?
What might be holding you back from achieving what you want right now is your frustration about your ADHD challenges. If it is, your thinking might be something along the lines of, “This isn’t fair! I shouldn’t have to deal with this!” So, maybe you neither accept what is or effectively work toward making a change. Rather, you stay stuck in this mindset, wanting things to be different than they are, but unable to move… Continue reading…
How to sidestep the trap of overthinking when you have ADHD
Because of working memory challenges attributed to your ADHD your brain is not wired to easily hold and process information quickly in the moment. One side effect of this wonky working memory is a tendency toward “counterproductive excessive thinking” — revisiting the same ideas over and over again. If this happens for you, you know it may occur at the most inconvenient times. And make it difficult to focus and attend to what is… Continue reading…
The 5 Steps to Create Motivation When You Have ADHD
“I know what I need to do. I just don’t do it.” I bet you’ve said this a time or two, right? By now you may even be bewildered as to why you either wait until your back is up against the wall before starting a task or shut down and avoid it altogether. After all, it seems like everyone else around you can get their stuff done easily. You might even tell… Continue reading…
The 4 Best Ways to Tackle Boring Work When You Have ADHD
Are you ever in a meeting or talking to someone 1-1 and just zone out, missing what they were saying? And, when you realize this, you’re at a loss as to how to find out what you missed. Then maybe you are angry at the person for going on so long or embarrassed you didn’t pay attention. Other times, when you’re working solo on a work or home project, do you find yourself so… Continue reading…
Are These 5 Decision-Making Traps Keeping You Stuck?
Recently a client, in preparation for our session, emailed me a description of his difficulties making decisions (posted below with permission). I’m really struggling to make any decisions in almost any scenario. Like, choosing between 2 things, choosing to get rid of something. I get a sense of panic/anxiety, as well as, a sense of frustration. Logic makes no difference. The magnitude of the decision makes no difference. Trust in someone else to “make” the… Continue reading…
Bring Your Boldest Self To Your Biggest Challenges
As I was recently reading Amy Cuddy’s book, Presence: Bring Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges it struck me (again) how much adults with ADHD benefit from learning to be present in the critical moments of their lives. I also know just how hard it is for ADHD Adults to do so… But, while learning to be present may not come easily, because it can really enrich our lives in many ways, some of… Continue reading…
Motivation Is Not the Key to Success If You Have ADHD
We’ve come up with a plan. We’ve thought of what could help them follow through. We’ve even come up with workarounds in anticipation of any foreseeable roadblocks that could get in their way. They feel pretty good about the plan. I take a wait-and –see attitude. Not because I lack faith in my clients’ desire — motivation— to follow though. I just know execution is, well, complicated. But, when a client fails to follow… Continue reading…
What Is Impostor Syndrome, and What Can ADHD Adults Do About It?
Have you ever wondered about your professional life, “What if people find out I don’t have enough experience, am not that smart, don’t have enough talent…?” If you have ever had these or similar thoughts, know you are not alone. I know because I hear sentiments like these all the time in my work. For many reasons, some of which I’ll cover below, it seems common for ADHD Adults to wonder, “How did I… Continue reading…
Is Worrying Keeping You Stuck? Here Is How to Fix That.
What are you worrying about right now? Take a moment to think about it. Ok, now that you’ve given it some thought, think about what you are doing with this worry. We all worry. It’s part of human nature. But because it is hard for adults with ADHD to transition — switch gears — you may get stuck in unproductive worrying. Like a needle stuck on record (remember those?), the worry keeps on… Continue reading…