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 23, 2023, Reset ADHD hosted a webinar on ADHD and improv. At the end of the webinar, it was announced that Reset ADHD would be hosting virtual improv “playdates.” If this sounds intriguing to you, sign up. If you are wondering why I am pushing ADHD and improv so hard, read on, for in this blog post I will be discussing what can be learned from improv.

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.

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?

I have big plans for 2023. Reset ADHD will be moving forward with several projects in the months to come. It is an exciting time for me, but it is also kind of difficult. With so many projects to balance, it can be hard to plan my time and stay moving forward on all of my goals. If you are like me, you have a lot of things you would like to do but are unsure of how it will all get done. I thought I would share what I am doing to stay productive during this busy time in the hopes it will help you to stay productive.

In last week’s blog post, I made reference to the 2016 graphic novel Dark Night: A True Batman Story, written by Paul Dini. I mentioned a quote at the end of the graphic novel that encourages us “to be the hero of our own stories.” Saying that is all fine and dandy, but how to we actually do that? Well, I have a few tips.

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.

ADHD is a weird condition. Some people with ADHD need the structure of having a boss, and others need the freedom to be an entrepreneur. I cannot tell you what the best work environment is for you, but I can tell you that I have found what works for me as an entrepreneur with ADHD. If you own your own business or desire to start your own business, read on for some ideas that might help you. (REMINDER: What works for me may not work for you; you need to find what works with your brain.)

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.

This blog post is scheduled to be released on the last day of ADHD Awareness Month 2022. Every year, I find the end of ADHD Awareness Month bittersweet. All of the cool activities designed to raise awareness about ADHD end, but at the same time, there is a relief. As someone who works with those with ADHD, I feel pressure to include ADHD awareness in my marketing during the month of October. This year, I did that. Other years, I have not. However, I am of the belief that ADHD awareness is for the whole year, not just October.

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?

For the first few years after my diagnosis, I did very little in terms of managing it. I took my medication, and that was pretty much it. However, when I started noticing I was still struggling, I began to do some more research. Learning about ADHD quickly became a favorite activity. I now love learning more about how my brain works. I hope this will inspire you to go out there and learn all you can. To me, this is crucial for proper ADHD management.

One day, I was in gym class as a kindergartner. The gym teacher was having us run from one end of the gym to the other. I am not sure why he was having us do this, but there we were running from one end of the gym to the other end of the gym whenever he blew his whistle. Before one sprint, my best friend turned to me and said, “You’re gonna get last.” Sure enough, as soon as the whistle blew, I found myself running behind the other kids and reached the other end of the gym last.

One day, I was sitting in my third-grade classroom, and we were working on a worksheet as a class. The teacher was bouncing around the room, having different students answer the questions. This was taking too slow for me, so I started to work ahead. While working ahead, I tried to keep tabs on where the rest of the class was so that, if called upon, I could answer the question without anyone knowing I was working ahead. The split second I lost where they were, I got called on. I answered the one I thought they were on, and my teacher goes, “We just did that one. You’re not paying attention. You can pull a card.”

When you have ADHD, it can be hard to have confidence. There is so much that seems hard to do. However, we can do hard things. It is possible. When you find yourself facing a seemingly impossible challenge remember these things.

I perform in an improv group. I have also been known to write poetry. I also design sports jerseys. Why do I do these things? Because I have a need for creativity in my life. Having something into which I can pour my creative juices helps me stay sane. Without a creative outlet, I get restless and depressed. In short, I need to be creative. In fact, I believe all ADHDers need a creative outlet.