I attended kindergarten in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and I clearly remember starting each day by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, and then our teacher reading the 23rd Psalm. I had memorized the pledge of allegiance and the 23rd psalm way before I could read. The separation between church and state was pretty fuzzy back then.

In case you don’t know it, here is the 23rd psalm.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

That part in the psalm that says, “He restoreth my soul,” I could never figure out what that was supposed to mean. What does it mean to restore your soul? Is it possible to go about restoring your own soul? How does one go about it? What are you doing that restores or refreshes your soul?

People with poorly managed ADHD tend to think they are so far behind in all they need to do they don’t deserve restorative time. They believe that when they complete the gazillion things on their to-do list they will allow time for restoring themselves and renewing their energy.

But how can you accomplish your tasks if you are feeling drained and uninspired?

You don’t restore your soul through using drugs, drinking alcohol, having multiple sexual encounters with people who you hope to never see again, binge watching TV, endlessly surfing the net, playing video games or shoveling fast food into your face. These are things that might temporarily make you feel good and numb your pain but do not restore you and make you strong.

Think of your mind and body as a bank. You cannot keep making withdrawals without making some deposits. You want to maintain a healthy balance so that your brain is functioning at it’s best and you feel whole and balanced.

How do you renew your energy?

• Sleep – Create a predictable bedtime and wake up at about the same time every day.
• Exercise – Get some aerobic exercise several times a week.
• Connecting – Spend time with friends and family.
• Reading – Read a good book.
• Meditating – Practice mindfulness.
• Getting out in nature – Take a walk in a park.
• Listening to music – Play music that makes you happy.
• Laughing – Listen to comedy tapes and find something to laugh about.
• Create art – Paint, draw, make a collage.

Try dedicating even a small amount of time to self care and restoration daily. You will find you will have more energy, and a better attitude to tackle your to-do list.

Kathy Sussell is an ADHD coach who works with teens, college students and adults with ADHD. Kathy helps them with time management, planning and prioritizing, initiating and finishing tasks, organizing paper and objects and other life skills. Kathy is the co-author of, Managing Your ADHD: Tips and Solutions from A-Z. She is the organizer of the ADHD Women’s Meetup Group that meets every month in NYC. For more information visit her website: www.bravolifecoaching.com or email Kathy at kathy@bravolifecoaching.com