As seasons change and the year moves on, you can lose track and focus on your goals "I should just stop what I am doing and take the time to eat" is NOT a reasonable expectation of yourself as someone with ADHD. You will experience overwhelming moments and periods of hyperfocus -- so prepare ahead of time to handle it successfully. Let's start with some basic truths about ourselves: Eating on a regular schedule helps your body regulate mood, and any medications you take. This is particularly true for any time-sensitive medications for ADHD, depression or anxiety. When you don't eat regularly due to hyperfocus, and you lose track of time, your body will feel sluggish once you do eat as...
One of the most effective strategies to manage holiday stress is to plan ahead to prevent holiday meltdowns. We come into the holiday season with a mix of feelings, happy and sad, maybe even with some anxiety. The logistics, expectations, commitments and obligations can be so overwhelming. But, if we look at what we've done previous years and what we can do before the holiday season this year then we can put some strategies in place. This isn't about creating the perfect holiday -- this is about creating a realistic and enjoyable holiday season. Let's start with taking measure of your own holiday emotions and energy levels. Get out a pen and paper, jot down some feelings words. Push yourself...
It's hard to let others into our messes, whether its a proverbial mess of a disorganized life or the literal mess of a living room buried under all your stuff. But, letting someone in can be incredibly freeing - learning that others can help you be a better version of yourself simply by allowing them in. Sometimes, people with ADHD or executive functioning challenges can struggle with friendships. They often experiencing their personal challenges through the lens of shame and self-criticism. This shame spiral undermines all the positive work you are doing to learn and incorporate new skills. Letting someone into your "mess" means being vulnerable, sharing imperfections, asking for help, acknowledging what you don't do well. Allowing someone in means: - openly...
What would your day look like if it ran perfectly? Pick a weekday, weekend, or a work day. Think through the day: What time would you wake up? How long would it take for you to get out of bed, what would you do first? Would you check your phone, or would you get up and go for a walk? What about stretching when you wake up? What would you eat or drink to fuel yourself? How would your body feel with your choices? When would you ready yourself for the day and what would be the best way to go about it? Now think through the productive part of the day - would you work or work out? Would...
What is your energy level right now? Do you feel like a hummingbird, sloth, grizzly bear, worker bee, or something else? Take time to think through how your body physically feels. Scan your body, posture, gut, breathing, head/neck/shoulders. Are you carrying pain or tightness? Are you breathing shallowly instead of taking clean, deep breaths? Are you holding tension in your back? Are you bouncing and fidgeting out of boredom or anxiety? Mark the spot below that feels most like your energy right now. energy image here What about your mental energy? Is it early in the day, mid-day, or late at night? How awake are you? Is this a good time for focus, or are you winding down from a...