As you’ll read below, Maya is struggling with ADHD this week. As she says, there’s an ebb and flow to succeeding with ADHD. Maya is in an ebb right now. As an ADHD coach, I wish I could totally erase the ebbs, but I can’t. Building the muscle to control an out of control ADHD life is hard work. What I can do is remind Maya not to get discouraged. She can do this. She needs to be aware of what’s going on and use the ADHD coping skills and tools she’s learned in the Success Club. Focusing on brain care and saying no to extra stuff will help, too. Don’t give up, Maya. You’re smart. You’re creative. And, I love you. Notice, pause, and adjust. – dr
Dana often talks about doing things with her “future self” in mind. Well, here I blog at midnight thinking that I am NOT the future self I intended to be when I awoke this morning. I’m struggling with ADHD. This week’s ADHD Success Club module focuses on staying organized. For me, the keyword is staying. Another club member mentioned that he always feels like he’s spinning plates. I also feel like as soon as I get a few plates spinning another one falls to the ground.
Without organizing for my future self, I know that my growth is limited. Of course, Dana says to expect an ebb and flow. Right now I’m in the “ebb” phase with deadlines and commitments taking my time and creating overwhelm. And then, the plate drops to the ground. This weekend I dropped the healthy me plate by procrastinating grading, and putting off planning and avoiding this blog. Instead of plowing through priorities, I procrastinated by playing with some new tech tools. When I have a lot to do, I still have this habit of letting go of what’s important to do and just doing what I want to do. The ADHD voice is such an indulgent toddler voice, and I realize that after the fact.
When I struggle with ADHD, my mental clutter fuels the physical clutter. The coffee table is trashed with papers. A corner of the sectional sofa has become a magnet to my cords and devices. The kitchen table has disappeared beneath my papers. When I stop to think about it, I see the clutter, and sometimes I even pick up the clutter.
Until I train myself to pause and stop, I will continue to let mental and physical clutter have too much power over me. To be more in the flow and less in the ebb–that is who I want to be. Creating the person of today whom my future self will thank. Creating the person who gets things done, so my future self is asleep and not grading or blogging after midnight. Right now, my students, my family, and my future self need me to go to sleep, so I can at least be on my B game tomorrow (actually later today). Struggling with ADHD sucks.
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