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.

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.

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.”

Being a parent is hard enough, but being a parent of a child with ADHD can feel like an uphill battle. It's often hard to know how to best support your child, and you may feel like you're constantly trying new things without seeing much progress. 

But it's important to remember that you can't pour from an empty cup. In order to be the best parent you can be, you need to make sure you're taking care of yourself, too.

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.

If you have followed this blog for any period of time, you may have noticed my passion for sleep. Getting plenty of sleep is crazy important. In short, if you are looking to step up your ADHD management game, try getting more sleep. There are plenty of posts on my blog that go into how to get a good night’s sleep.

However, followers of my blog may have noticed a glaring omission in all of my writings on sleep. There is one aspect of sleep about which I have not written. That topic is naps. Why have I not written much about it? The short answer is there are not a lot of definitive answers out there on the subject of naps. That has left me confused on the topic. Are human beings meant to take naps? Are naps good for you? If they are, how long should one nap? I do not have answers to those questions. I only have one bit of insight on naps.

Self-care is a necessity. If you do not take care of yourself, you will be unable to take care of everything else going on in your life. Taking care of yourself is not easy, though. It can be hard to find the time to do it, and it can be hard to know what to do for self-care. For example, treating yourself to ice cream might sound like self-care, but if done too often, it can lead to health problems. (Every once in a while, ice cream is okay.) So, what follows is a selection of self-care tips and ideas.