One of the hardest parts about living with ADHD is dealing with the ramifications of when things go awry. We quite often find ourselves not where we want to be. This is frustrating and can lead to negative self-talk. This can quickly devolve into a harsh relationship with oneself. When we are constantly berating ourselves, we begin to internalize the messages we are receiving. How we break out of this vicious cycle is not easy and seems overly simplistic, but it can be done.

Once per month, Reset ADHD offers “Improv for ADHD” play sessions. These sessions are an opportunity to have fun and grow in your ADHD management skills. Improv is a huge part of my life, and I love sharing it with others. But, why do I love it so much? Well, there are many reasons. I will detail why it is so special to me below.

So, I have this bad habit. I leave my email open on my computer. This means I am frequently checking my email. When faced with writer’s block, I check my email. Any time I open my computer, I check my email. When I am bored, I check my email. I am constantly checking my email. This hurts my productivity. Is this blog post a declaration that I will check my email less? Well, no. I am still probably going to check my email quite a bit, but I think being aware of how often I do it is creating a new awareness for me. I want to be more aware of how I use my time and how various tasks either drain my energy or re-energize me. In short, I want to get off auto-pilot and be more in control of my life.

As some of my readers are aware, I do not classify ADHD as a superpower. I stand by my previous claims about that. However, what if it is? What would be the implications of that? Let’s consider what would be true if ADHD was a super power. After all, many out there claim it is. How can we respect them and dialogue with them if we cannot fully consider their opinion? Let’s explore superpowers, what they are, who has them, and how they are used. Then let’s look at what if ADHD is a superpower.

When dealing with ADHD, the subject of impatience inevitably comes up. Those of us with ADHD are like Veruca Salt from the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. That character sings a song in that movie entitled, “I Want It Now.” Like Veruca, those of us with ADHD want things now. This is especially true when it comes to managing our ADHD. We do not want to wait for improvement to happen slowly. We want to be on top of our ADHD now. However, this is not reasonable. There are no miracle cures or overnight fixes for ADHD. In short, when managing ADHD, we are looking for progress, not perfection.

One of the tragedies of living life with ADHD is we do not give ourselves enough credit for what we are doing. We forget about the good things we have done, those things that help us move forward in life. There is a negativity bias that we need to overcome. We tend to focus on the things that have not gone according to plan. Yet, we need to remember that, sometimes, reality is better than what we had planned and that we have been making strides. Yes, there is always room for improvement, but we tend to discount the progress we have already made. So, I say to you, dear reader: You’re doing better than you think.

Getting an ADHD diagnosis can be a life-altering event, especially if it is an adult diagnosis. You have learned something new about yourself and how your brain is wired. Things are the same as they have always been, but now, you know more about what is happening. You have a name for your struggles and unique traits. While it is a good thing to finally have answers, it can be a hard thing to handle. How does one make peace with oneself after an ADHD diagnosis? How does one make peace with one’s past after an ADHD diagnosis? It is a journey following an ADHD diagnosis, for sure, but there is hope.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the 2023 Applied Improvisation Network Conference. I arrived at the Improv Centre in Vancouver for registration, got my badge, got the lay of the land, and then walked outside. There, sitting on a bench, was one of the keynote speakers, Colin Mochrie of Whose Line Is It Anyway? fame. I was able to sit next to him and tell him how much he meant to me as an improv performer and practitioner of applied improvisation. Reflecting on my encounter with Mochrie and learning more about his life and career has led me to wonder how he can help those of us with ADHD.

For the past few weeks, I have been in a funk. I do not like being in a funk, yet here I am. While discussing this with my mentor, he came up with an acronym. G.O.O.F. Get Out Of Funk. The key to getting out of a funk is to G.O.O.F. around. Be a G.O.O.F.! I love this idea and am going to run with it. I pledge to be a G.O.O.F. while I am in this funk.

I think this idea can be helpful for others with ADHD. Sometimes, the ADHD can get to us, and we get down about our struggles. To all those in a funk, I say, “Be a G.O.O.F.”

I was recently interviewed by someone, and I was asked about what message I would like to give my younger self. I was not ready for that question, but my response was: “You are where you are meant to be.” As I think about that statement, it occurs to me that it, not only makes sense for myself at younger ages, but it also applies to all of us at any age. Where we are in life is preparing us for where we are going. If there are struggles in our lives, they are making us stronger and ready for what is to come in our lives. In short, we are where we are meant to be.

It can be hard to trust oneself when one has ADHD. There are many mistakes that get made made when living with ADHD. Most are not a big deal, but the frequency of mistakes can erode one’s self-confidence. Building up trust in one’s abilities and self-efficacy can be challenging. So, what can be done? Here are a few tips.

I write this the day after one of my “Improv for ADHD” play sessions. I had grand plans for the improv session. I had a list of games I wanted to play. I dreamed of making a big difference in the lives of those that attended. However, I was too grand in my planning. I wanted it to be magical. What I failed to take into consideration is that simplicity is almost always better. In future play sessions, I will keep things simple (or as simple as my high-powered brain can handle).

You have freedom. You have the freedom to live the life you want to live. It is up to you to decide how you live your life, but it will not be easy. The world is not wired for ADHD brains. You have to work for your right to have the life that will support you. It is up to you to achieve your ideal life. Here are some tips for living and creating the life you desire.

First of all, the internet can be a great place to get support for ADHD. In many cases, it is the only way some people can get support. This blog post is not tearing down online methods of getting support for ADHD. What this post is about is the internet behavior of some of the most popular influencers, coaches, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other ADHD professionals. In my opinion, there is a lot of behavior on the internet by popular ADHD accounts that isolate people. By reducing this behavior, we can reach more people.

In May of 2018, I was trying to decide what to do with my life. I knew I needed a career and that substitute teaching was not it. I hated being a substitute teacher, so I decided it was time to move on. However, I could not decide on what I wanted for a career. I had thought a couple of times about being an ADHD coach, but I was too afraid to take the plunge. Then, I did something that made my path clear. I applied to be a proofreader at a label-making company. Soon after applying, they scheduled an interview with me.

On March 12, the United States once again sprang forward into what is known as “Daylight Saving Time.” This is bad news. Daylight Saving Time (DST) is bad for everyone’s health, but it is especially bad for those with ADHD. In this blog post, I will explain why and what we can do to fight back against this foolish practice.

When I was in college, I had to interview three entrepreneurs for one of my classes. One of the entrepreneurs I chose to interview was my grandfather. During the course of the interview, he gave me a piece of advice that I’ll never forget. He said, “No matter where you want to go in life, work hard to get there, but also, take the time to play hard along the way.” He went on to tell me that he feels he did not take the time to play enough early in his career and that he was trying to make up for that a bit in his later years.

When I get inquiries from potential coaching clients, they mention typical ADHD struggles. They want to be able to focus better, be more productive, be more organized, etc. Is there anything wrong with these goals? No, but why stop there? I often find myself wishing my potential clients would come in with grander goals.

It’s easy to say, “I want my boat to stop sinking,” and then follow up with plugging the holes with temporary fixes. Why not patch up the holes with new materials that will be permanent and will give the boat a shiny new look? Why not upgrade the boat?

By now, you’ve probably heard about the Adderall shortage. It has been dragging on for months and shows no sign of ending anytime soon. Word on the street is that other ADHD medications are beginning to see shortages as well. This is bad news for those of us who take our medication daily to combat the effects of ADHD. Many are finding it hard to find their medication which raises the question: What is an ADHDer to do? Here are some ideas.

The other day, I told my coach that I was overwhelmed with all the things I wanted to do. He got curious about what I was feeling and started exploring. Through his questions and observations, I came to realize I was not overwhelmed. I was just looking at things incorrectly. I needed to reframe how I was looking at all of the projects I have on my plate right now.