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?

Now that October is over, it is officially conference month! Yes, most of the 2023 International Conference on ADHD is actually in December, but the conference begins in November. And, I am traveling to Baltimore in November. So, in my mind, we are in the month of the conference. I. AM. PUMPED. I love going to this conference and have gone every year since I started Reset ADHD. I go every year because it is a great conference there is so much to love about it. I want to detail my favorite things about it.

Well, folks, here we are. We have reached the tail end of another ADHD Awareness month. It has been a journey for all of us. We have been pushing things hard here at Reset ADHD, and I hope you have enjoyed all of the content we have been putting out there. It is always a crazy time for those of us in the ADHD community, but we have all survived. And, our work goes on, for ADHD awareness is not just for the month of October.

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.

Most people with ADHD have a comorbid condition. This means, along with ADHD, the individual has another mental health condition with which to cope. A Danish study (Jensen 2016) of individuals from age four to seventeen found that 52% of those with ADHD have a comorbid condition, and 26.2% had more than one comorbid condition. This makes life challenging. ADHD is tricky enough, but when you add another condition, that brings a whole host of troubles. That does not mean one is doomed to a life of struggle. It is possible to thrive. There is hope. So, whether you have anxiety, depression, or another condition along with your ADHD, you can thrive. How to thrive will be a challenge, but we can do hard things. If you are looking to navigate your co-existing conditions, follow the ideas below.

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.

When you have ADHD, it can be hard to believe in yourself. You have messed up so many times (or so you have been told) that it becomes hard to accept that you have what it takes to achieve your goals. In those moments where you are feeling less than about yourself remember these three things.

I had a crappy week recently. On the Friday evening of that week, I went to jujitsu class, and while driving home, I noticed I was happy. What happened? How did I turn things around? I noticed two things that helped me go from hating life to being happy. I am not saying it is a guarantee that these two things will work for you, but I think they are worth your consideration when you are glum.

About a year ago, I wrote about a new exercise journey I had begun. It was an online personal training program. I had a trainer who would send me workouts over an app. For most of the year, I stuck with it. However, after not seeing much in terms of gains, I lost motivation, and not too long ago, I quit altogether. This left me without an exercise plan. I spent maybe a week or two wondering what was next for me and exercising. Then, I signed up for a week-long trial of a dojo. I am now enrolled in jujitsu classes.

Have you ever looked at your to-do list, seen a bunch of items on it, and felt overwhelmed? I’m betting you have. Even if you do not write down your to-do list, I am sure the sheer number of things on your mental to-do list has overwhelmed you. This may have caused you to procrastinate or simply not do the things on your list. Procrastination and inaction do not reduce our stress levels. They do not solve the problem. What does, though?

There are many areas where those with ADHD struggle, and that is often where society places its focus. However, those of us with ADHD can do amazing things. We are talented and skilled in a wide variety of areas. Success is not limited to one area for us. There are three broad areas where we can succeed.

Those of us with ADHD struggle with arriving on time to our scheduled activities. Time blindness robs us of the ability to be there when we (and others) would like. We can lose track of time and all of a sudden realize we should have left the house 10 minutes ago. It can be a frustrating part of having ADHD. We cannot just accept this. We irritate others when we are late and can cause the schedule’s of others to be thrown off as well. Yes, people should be understanding when we are late, but constantly being late makes it seem like we do not care. There is a middle ground to be found between always being late and forgiving someone when they are late. We need to do our part to arrive on time and be ready for the event. Here are some tips for arriving on time.

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 ADHD brain likes to wing it. This can be a strength, but there are also times where this can bite us in the butt. Therefore, it is important to know when something can be improvised or when something should be planned out in advance. I have complied a list of when it is appropriate to wing it and when it is better to go in with a plan.

Players have reported. Training camps have begun. And, a new NFL season is dawning. Many of us will be taking part in the annual tradition of fantasy football. If you are like me, you want a unique name for your team. Why not use this year’s team name as an opportunity to raise ADHD awareness? There are some great possibilities out there. Below, I have compiled a few.

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.

Once you get diagnosed with ADHD and/or learn about it, you become more able to spot it in others. Some people you just suspect they have it. With other people, you would be shocked if they did not have it. The question then becomes what to do. Do you tell them your suspicions, or do you ignore it and hope they figure it out? The answer to that question is…

As longtime readers of this blog may have surmised, I am a giant nerd. I have previously written blogs about what ADHDers can learn from some of my favorite fictional stories and characters. One glaring omission from this series of blog posts is my second-favorite fictional character, Sherlock Holmes. While Holmes probably does not have ADHD, he nevertheless can be a neurodiverse icon, with it being incredibly likely that he is on the spectrum. I believe the character illustrates many ideas that the ADHDer might do well to consider.

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.