It is important to identify your needs as an ADHDer. The world will not identify them for you, and even if the world does identify “needs,” they may not be your specific needs. We are all different and have different needs, so what is needed for one person may not be needed for you. You need to identify your specific needs in order to live a fulfilling life.

In 2019, I wrote a blog post entitled “5 Things Every ADHDer Should Know to Avoid Despair.” In it, I listed 5 things to remember to help maintain a positive mindset. I would like to add 5 more to the list and inspire some hope.

Last week, I wrote about embracing imperfection. This week’s blog post might sound contradictory to that idea. However, it is not. We must be okay with not being perfect, but that does not mean accepting mediocrity. We have the ability to do great things, and we must strive for excellence. It is imperative that we achieve greatness because to accept anything less than excellence denies our worth. Who we are is not ADHDers. We are human beings endowed with innate dignity. That is why we must strive for excellence.

Many of us with ADHD are prone to perfectionism. We want everything to be as perfect as possible. This leads to all sorts of difficulties from procrastinating starting on something until we know it will go perfectly to constantly not finishing projects or assignments. This can be frustrating for us and infuriating to others. There is one little trick to getting past these struggles. That trick is to embrace imperfection.

Growing up, I always felt different, and I could never put my finger on why. It was not until I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 20 that I began to understand why I was the way I was. This realization has explained why I always felt different.

I am not someone who paints ADHD as a superpower. However, I am not someone who sees it as the worst thing in the world either. It simply is what it is. It can wreak havoc in your life, but the big three characteristics of ADHD have positive sides to them. Each one has a “flip side.”

I do not believe I have ever mentioned this on this blog, but I do improv. I get a suggestion and then make up a scene with another performer. I love it. Improv is one of the most fun things I have ever done. I believe everyone who tries improv can walk away with some skill that applies to their real life. If there is one thing you can learn from improv, it is to “yes and…”

The world can be rough, especially for those of us with ADHD. Many things can disappoint us or pull us down. With those challenges comes the temptation to get negative. No one likes being negative. Pessimists are often unhappy people. To counteract negativity, try a dose of positivity. Not sure how to stop the flow of negativity in your life? Read on! For, today we discuss ways of becoming more positive.

This week the United States celebrates Thanksgiving, a time to come together with family and friends to remember all for which we are grateful. This takes the form of a giant meal. So, are we really grateful, or do we just enjoy turkey? I am not here to pass judgment on anyone’s Thanksgiving plans, but I do want to say a word on the subject of gratitude. I promise to not be cheesy.

Life with ADHD can be stressful. It leads to mental anguish, but that anguish can be overcome. It is possible to make peace with your ADHD. In this final week of ADHD awareness month, let’s explore some ways to make peace with your ADHD.

Why ignore reality? Life with ADHD can get really hard. There are struggles aplenty. I do not have to describe them to you. Chances are, you know what I am talking about. In the moments when life seems difficult, what do you do? The answer can be found in a scene from the 2003 movie Finding Nemo. In the scene, Marlin is sad about his missing son and is ready to give up. That is when Dory swims up to him and encourages him to “just keep swimming.”

When I was in school, I never thought I was an exceptional mind. I thought I was just an average student. Yet, my mother always pushed me to do better than I was doing. She believed in me, but I did not believe in myself.

That experience is sadly common for those of us with ADHD. We are told by others we have so much potential, but we fail to live up to the expectations of others. As a result, we stop believing in ourselves. This is a tragedy because many of us with ADHD are extraordinarily gifted.

Last week, I discussed the troubles with impulsivity. This week’s blog post covers the flip side of that discussion. Yes, impulsivity can cause some troubles, but it can also be a fun side of ADHD as well. There are ways of harnessing your impulsivity and using it to your benefit.

The most obvious benefit of a reset is a fresh start. Things can get stale if you work at them for too long. Pausing and hitting the reset button allows you a fresh start. You can approach what you are working on with a new perspective and can have a better chance of success.

I talk a lot about hitting the RESET button on ADHD. In fact, I named my coaching practice after that. I firmly believe in hitting the RESET button and starting again with strengths-based strategies. However, there can be a temptation to power through when things get tough. It can be difficult to know when is the proper moment to hit RESET. I have compiled some times when hitting the RESET button would be beneficial. But, these are not the only times when hitting RESET would be advantageous. There are more, and I hope you recognize those moments when they arise.