Getting ADHD coaching clients to exercise isn’t easy. Sure, some folks make exercise a regular part of life, but most don’t. The problem is that general health isn’t why I need my clients to exercise. If you have ADHD and you want to focus and get stuff done, you MUST EXERCISE. That’s why Maya knows she needs to exercise. Now she’s got to figure out how to fit it into her overly full life. – dr
I’m the teacher who is always up and moving; I’m not sedentary. If I sit down at my desk in the classroom, my students think I’m sick. I walk between 8,000 and 10,000 steps a day at home, in my classroom, and at school, but what I don’t do regularly is cardio exercise. I’ve been putting off this blog all week because I don’t want to admit that I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing. And, that I’ve been backsliding and making excuses for what I’m not doing right as several deadlines bombarded me at once. ADHD overwhelm took over, and I found myself forgetting the nuts and bolts of what I’ve learned. I went back and forth between procrastination of priorities and hyper-focusing on just a few areas while shirking other responsibilities and priorities.
The ADHD Success Club is a priority. The modules are a priority. Living successfully with ADHD is a priority. Finding myself a few weeks behind doesn’t really work when I’ve committed to documenting my year of success, and this year of success, let’s face it, is hard work.
At a crossroads with a promise to Dana and myself that I would blog tonight, I stared at the screen, “11:00 PM.” Time for sleep but the blog needs to be done. I looked at the screen. I thought about taking my contacts out. I closed my eyes and opened them and remembered the topic, exercise. Ugh!
I grabbed my exercise module notes, and I thought about what Dana said,
“Just do something.”
I jogged down the stairs to the basement as to not wake up the family. I did some sit ups. I played with the cat running around in circles with him batting at my feet. I did step ups on the Ottoman. I got my heart rate up for a bit. Then, I returned up the stairs, and now I sit at the keyboard. My mind is clearer. My thoughts easily become words, and I may have just bought myself 20 minutes of focus time. Dana is right. Even just those few minutes of vigorous movement helped focus my brain and give me enough energy for my task.
Tonight I forced myself to sneak in a short burst of exercise. It wasn’t much, but it was something. We all have to start somewhere. Like Dana says, “Just do something.”
I think I’ll have a movement mantra this week, “Just do something.” Increased awareness means nothing if I don’t take any action. No matter how small an action is; it is still an action. Perhaps I’m finally learning that I don’t have to do everything in giant steps where I immediately jump in the deep end. Yes, I can take small steps in the shallow end, and I will still be moving forward toward ADHD Success with exercise and life.
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