Tag Archives: Inspiration

Ready, Set, Go!

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“A body at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted on by an outside force.”

Sir Issac Newton

 

Newton’s first law of inertia might explain why getting started is often the hardest part for those of us with ADHD. You might have noticed that when you are at rest it takes a lot to get you moving. Getting started is especially difficult if the task is hard, boring, repetitive, unrewarding and perhaps a little challenging. I believe that those of us with ADHD are more familiar with inertia than most folks.

Try to notice how inertia plays a role in your life.

  • Do you struggle to get yourself out of bed in the morning? Inertia.
  • Can’t begin to write that report that was due last week? Inertia.
  • Feel not just stuck but glued to the couch? Inertia.
  • Can’t bring yourself to clean up your mess? Inertia.
  • Are you late to everything? Even the things you want to be on time to? Inertia.

Now try to figure out what kind of outside force you need to help you to get moving. The same things might not work for everybody. If you have untreated depression or anxiety you need to address those conditions first. However, if you have the garden variety of executive functioning deficits these outside forces might work for you and are worth a try.

  • Use mantras: Say “ready, steady, go” outloud, or try “feet on the floor” for getting out of bed.
  • Create a plan and write it down in Big, Bold Letters. Keep your plan in sight.
  • Set reminders and alarms on your phone.
  • Use a timer to remind you to get started.
  • Ignore the negative chatter in your brain and encourage yourself with positive self-talk.
  • Work with a coach to keep you focused on your goals.
  • Encourage yourself: Tell yourself that you can do it.

Whatever you are trying to accomplish you will need to take the first step again and again. Getting started may always be difficult for you and taking that first step might require using outside forces or strategies that support you.

 

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

It’s Never Too Late

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Many years ago I was in a Barnes and Noble bookstore when I saw a card with a quote by George Eliot. The quote read,”It is never too late to become what you might have been.” I bought the card, took it home and put it on my fridge and looked at it every day.

I’d been thinking about going back to school to complete my degree but I had been telling myself I was too old, I had been out of school for too long, and I was too busy. Then I would read those words, “It is never too late …” and I felt encouraged to try.

If it weren’t for that card, with those words I doubt I would have gone back to school, completed my degree, gone on to study life coaching and find ADHD coaching, the work I love to do.

Going back to school was hard. I remember sitting in a Forensic Psychology class that met on Friday nights from six to nine pm. I was working full time and had a husband, young kids and assorted cats and dogs at home. It was the end of a very long week. I had been awake and on the go since five am, and I was feeling exhausted. Repeating, “It’s never too late” in my mind kept me going and made me feel brave.

Words are very powerful. They can inspire you to keep going or keep you from doing the things that you planned to do.

Think about the times when you wanted to make a change but your negative self-talk told you it would be too hard, too boring or too scary. Having a quote that inspires you will allow you to challenge those thoughts and move forward.

If you have a favorite quote that inspires you, write it down and keep it where you can see it. If you don’t have a favorite quote it’s never too late to find one. Read your quote aloud to yourself as many times as it takes for you to memorize it. Let your quote serve as a reminder for what you want to accomplish. Words are powerful. If you give inspiring thoughts a prominent place in your internal and external world they will move you forward and encourage and support you as you work toward your goals.

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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

Dealing with Disappointment

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“We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.” Martin Luther King, Jr. Everybody has to deal with disappointment at one time or another. Sometimes we are disappointed with ourselves or our family or friends when they let us … Continue reading →

Leaving a Trail

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In the famous fairy tale, brother and sister, Hansel and Gretel overhear their parents planning to abandon them deep in the forest because they are eating too much food and the family is starving. Hansel and Gretel come up with … Continue reading →

Avoidance

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Many of us with ADHD tend to use avoidance as a coping mechanism. If we think of a task as too hard, stupid, boring or scary, we will avoid it like the plague. Unfortunately, the things we find the most … Continue reading →

Back to Basics

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Sometimes we forget to do the things that help us successfully manage our ADHD. When we are taking our meds, exercising, drinking enough water, meditating, eating healthy food, getting professional help from a therapist or coach, and feeling supported by … Continue reading →