If you are following my YouTube channel, you know that I am currently writing a book. This project is unique because, in writing my previous books, I had the opportunity to write in a different way that I am writing now. My early books were written by giving myself a word count for each day and writing until I hit my daily word count. My latest books (The Reset ADHD Trilogy of Books) were written using my blog posts. This time, I am trying to write a book while running a business. So, how do I go about this?

At the 2023 International Conference on ADHD, Alan P. Brown of ADD Crusher made a shocking confession. He does not wash his hands after going to the bathroom. Scandalous, I know! However, he further clarified that what he does after using the restroom is go to the kitchen and wash two dishes. By the end of the washing, he has clean hands and two clean dishes. This is silly, and that is why it works.

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.

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary to track all of those things you intend to do, it is commonly recommended to make what is known as a “to-do list.” Yes, it is necessary to create such a list, for those of us with ADHD have trouble remembering all we intend to do. Memory is not our friend. It is fickle, so it becomes imperative to externalize our intentions.

Equally important, however, is the need to make a list of those things you do not want to do or are not worth your time. Therefore, I say to you: Make a not-doing list.

Those of us with ADHD get a lot of ideas. They flow like a rushing river. However, our memories aren’t the greatest because of our ADHD. This can make it difficult to remember all of the ideas we have had, good or bad. So, when you have an idea that you want to remember, how do you capture it and hold onto it?

Life can be hectic, and it is especially so when one has ADHD. As one manages one’s day-to-day life, all sorts of stressors pop up, which taxes one’s executive functions and other mental faculties. When the stress builds up, it is imperative to destress and find calm. Doing so may seem complicated, but we often forget the simple things that can help bring a sense of calm and relaxation to our lives. Here are a few tips that can help you relax and cultivate calm in your life.

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.

The forgetfulness that comes along with ADHD can make traveling difficult. I used to resign myself to the fact that I would forget at least one thing on every trip. One day, though, I got frustrated with always forgetting something. I knew I needed a better system. I tried lists, but that only took me so far. Something was missing. Then I stumbled upon a game-changing system. I have been using it ever since.

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.”

Recently, I had a conversation with Alan P. Brown, Jay Perry, and Ryan Mayer. It was an awesome conversation, and I encourage you to go check out the video replay. One nugget of wisdom that came up was the three ways of motivating someone with ADHD. My mentor Jay Perry dropped this nugget of wisdom, and it blew our minds. The three ways are: Scare, dare, and care. Let’s look at these three rhyming ways of motivation…

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.

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.

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 we think about dealing with our ADHD, we use words like “control” and “manage.” What I would like to propose is that we change the way we talk about ADHD management. What if we started using words like “play” or “harness?” How would that change the way we think about ADHD? I maintain that this is a better way of approaching things. Now, I am not proposing to make ADHD a superpower. I am not one of those people; I see the dangers of ADHD. In fact, I have called ADHD the “ignored public health crisis.” However, I think the answer to this public health crisis is play and fun.

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.

I have written several books despite having ADHD. It is definitely possible to do so, and I hope any budding writers out there believe in themselves enough to do so as well. What I would like to share in this blog post is just a few things I do to help me write books.

The title of this blog post asks a unique question. No, I am not asking if you hear music in your head as you go about your day. What I am asking is: Do you use music to help you throughout the day? Do you play music as you go about the day? I use music quite a bit throughout the day, and I believe it is a great aid to those of us with ADHD.

Technology is great, but it can also be overwhelming. Emails fly into your inbox at an incredible rate and can get out of control if you are not on top of things. Many ADHDers struggle with their email. It is normal, but it is a problem. So, what can be done? I have four ideas to share with you today.

When I received my undergrad degree, I had no idea what I wanted to do with it. I spent that first summer after graduation doing basically nothing, waiting for inspiration to strike. A few writing gigs popped up, and I decided to try my hand at being a freelance writer. It was not a lucrative decision. However, I enjoyed writing and made some interesting connections. To make a long story short, I ended up becoming an ADHD coach. Shortly after I started coaching, I was approached by at least one person to apply for an executive editor job. It was quite tempting. In the end, I chose to stay an ADHD coach and not apply for the job. Why did I choose the uncertainty of entrepreneurship over a steady job?

I write these blog posts on Thursdays. So, as I type these words, it is a Thursday, specifically Thursday afternoon. I have two things on my to-do list for this afternoon before I need to coach a client. I found myself debating which one I should do first. The issue was my nervousness about being able to get both done. “If I can only do one,” I thought, “which one would be best to get done?” I finally said to myself that my blog is something that I do for my business and the other thing is not. Yes, both are important, but between the two, my business is of higher priority. Therefore, I chose to start with this blog post.