The articles here on the blog are all a reflection of my ADHD Coaching philosophy. I am really excited to share with you loads of info on ADHD,and proven strategies that are super effective in minimizing your negative aspects of ADHD so that your magnificent gifts can shine brightly and you too can reach your potential!

Don’t forget to leave questions or comments as I love hearing from you

Summer is usually the most anticipated season, yet it also seems to be the one that speeds by the fastest. To help summer slow down a little, plan and be conscious of the activities you do for the rest of your summer. It barely takes any time and you will be repaid by the joy of the activities you have planned AND the lovely memories you have created.

As you are reading this, grab a piece of paper and pen and start to list all the activities that encapsulate summer to you. They don’t need to be big in terms of time or money. Here are a few examples to inspire you.

1 Eat an ice cream in a park
2 Paddle in the ocean
3 Go for a bike ride
4 Fly a kite
5 Eat breakfast outside
6 See a movie outside
7 Read a wonderful novel
8 Wear flip flops
9  Go for a road trip
10 Grow something in your garden
11 Watch a summer blockbuster
12 Have a picnic
13 Eat strawberries and cream
14 Go for a swim.
15 Visit a local theme park and go on the scariest ride
16 Go to a botanical garden
17 Have a pedicure
18 Play a game of tennis
19 Take photos
20 Do a tourist activity in your home town

There will be lots of activities that are meaningful to you that you can add or perhaps there is something you enjoyed as a child. Once you have created your list make a point of doing one of 2 items  a week and if you have really enjoyed something you can always do it a second time.

If you live in the city or a built up area, don’t feel like you are discounted from the advantages. The benefits of being outside in a “green area” were present whether the participants were in a city park or a remote rural setting. This is great news as it means that no matter where you are in the world, you will still be able to implement and enjoy the benefits that being in nature has on your ADHD.

There are all sorts of ways to incorporate green time into your day, from a gentle stroll to something more adventurous. Here is a list of some activities you can do to ensure you are spending time in nature. However, there are many more!

1. A stroll or gentle walk
2. Bike riding
3. In line skating/skateboarding
4. Horseback riding
5. Growing a garden
6. Hiking
7. Canoeing
8. Fishing
9. Running
10. Flying a kite
11. Camping
12. If you have a garden, start doing some of your regular activities there, such as eating meals and reading the newspaper.
13. Yoga or Tai Chi (done outside)
14. Bird watching
15. Walking your dog

Depending on where you live and your lifestyle, some of these activities you will only be able to do at the weekend, while others are more accessible and you can do them every day.

Action Steps to Allow Nature to reduce your symptoms of Adult ADHD

If you aren’t used to being outside in a green setting, slowly integrate it into your life, until it’s part of your daily routine. Remember, it’s important not just that you are outside, but that you are in a green setting.

1. Have at least 20 minutes of green time a day (but there is no maximum.)
2. Try every item on the list once, just for fun.
3. On days that you aren’t able to go outside, notice and compare how you feel and function to those days that you are outside.

When you start to take care of and appreciate your body, you will notice lots of many nice rewards. You will have more energy, both mental and physical. You will feel happier on a daily basis, and a sense of peace, because as much as one part has enjoyed the drink, drugs or extra food,  the other part of you was feeling guilty and knew it wasn’t a good thing.

A great way to appreciate your body is to find an exercise that you love to do and then do it every day. Not only will you start to feel healthier and notice physical changes in your body when you exercise your body naturally craves healthy foods and water and so it makes moving away from the unhealthy substances much easier.

Start to take care of your body today and notice how much better feel about yourself inside and out.

One thing I have noticed with adults with ADHD is their idea of ‘fun’ might not be considered mainstream fun, and that is OK! When I ask a client what they find fun they will  say, “Oh the usual, going out for dinner, watching a movie” and I can tell they are saying those things because they are the ‘expected’ answers. But their face is lifeless.  I probe a little deeper and they say shyly..”Well, it might not be everyone’s idea of fun but..” and then their face lights up as they list everything they REALLY love to do, from political debating to midnight hikes.

Never be shy about what it is you enjoy doing, and always make time to do your fun stuff. Not only is your life more fun and enjoyable when you take the time to do what you love, but with your energy recharged, everything else in your life seems so much better.

Your homework this week is to think of 3 things that are fun for you and then schedule time to actually do them! Then, notice how happy you feel both during the activity and afterwards.

That may sound depressing, but don’t be alarmed. The official definition of ADHD sounds much worse than day to day realities of living with Adult ADHD actually are.

There are 3 types of ADHD, Predominantly Inattentive Type, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type and Combined Type.

ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive Type: means it’s tricky for you to focus, but unlike your hyperactive-impulsive friends, you are able to be physically still. Some problems you experience are not appearing to be listening to others, being forgetful and disorganized, having difficulty staying on task and making careless errors despite your best intentions.

ADHD-Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type: Paying attention is not a major problem for you. However, you act and speak before thinking, have lots of energy and when required to sit down you fidget and feel restless. You are known among your friends to talk lots.

ADHD-Combined Type: You have characteristics of the both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsivity type.

Although everyone experiences ADHD symptoms at times, someone with ADHD experience these behaviours to a greater extent and frequency.

Before being  officially diagnosed with ADHD, the specialist carrying out your evaluation will want to find out the following:

• That the characteristics have been present for 6 months or more.
• The symptoms were present before you were 7 years old
• The traits effect your life in 2 or more settings
• and finally the symptoms aren’t  due to another condition,  such as bipolar disorder, sleep disorder or anxiety etc.

Information on ADHD is growing all the time, and since little was known about it 30 years ago it is understandable why many adults didn’t realize they had it until adulthood.

A common way adults discover they have ADHD is that their school-aged child is diagnosed with ADHD. The parent then realizes that the ADHD characteristics that their child is presenting with are also characteristics that they also have . This leads them get an official diagnosis too.

Another group of adults realize that they experience challenges in life and they feel different from everyone else. After doing some research, stumbling across an article or hearing a snippet on the news they will promptly get a diagnosis.

Reactions to discovering you have ADHD vary dramatically, but usually fall into 2 groups. Some adults feel very relieved finally they understand why they are the way they are.Others feel angry that it took them so many years of struggling with life before they realized what it was it. Usually whatever the initial reaction, everyone wants the same thing  which is to learn how they can live their best life.

Some adults have known since childhood that they have ADHD. However what they are now experience are different challenges. Learning skills on how to do well in school, are now replaced with the need to learn how to do well in a work environment, manage a household and take care of finances etc.

While there is often much negative thinking around Adult ADHD, there are also many wonderful gifts too. Once some of the negative aspects are managed ( which can do done with or without medication) then your wonderful gifts can shine through. This blog is a great place to learn about Adult ADHD as well as how to mange it and lead and full, rich and joyful life.

The National Institute of Mental Health, defines ADHD as a “Disruptive Behavior Disorder” where high levels of inattention, hyperactivity or a combination are constantly present in an individual.  Adult ADHD symptoms are different to that of a  child with ADHD.

Here are 5 key ADHD symptoms that adults with ADHD experience:

1. Inability to Concentrate.

This characteristic has many implications. For example, losing track of conversations can mean important information is missed. Distractedness has implications at work and study. As well as missing information, you can experience resistance to things that need a deep level of concentration. This trait can cause tension in relationships as people can misinterpret it as lack of interest.

2. Lack of organization

Problems in planning tasks, personal organization and time management can result in labels being given such as “lazy” or “lacking in self-discipline” and “disorganized”. Often arriving late, hurried and ill-prepared, over committing and leaving tasks unfinished, the sufferer may feel unorganized and overwhelmed with resulting low self-esteem. Adults with ADHD find it hard to set up and stay with a routine.

3. Poor memory and Forgetfulness.

This can result in important possessions, such as passports, wallets and purses, laptops and palm pilots being lost or misplaced. Attending meetings, appointments and lectures punctually can be a real problem; sometimes they can be forgotten altogether.

4. Confusion and trouble thinking clearly

Adults with ADHD find it hard to perform up to their intellectual capability. There are difficulties with intense learning situations such as lectures and in-depth reading. There can be errors in spelling and math. Because of the tendency to become side-tracked, information can go unseen, resulting in mistakes at work. Often it can be difficult to maintain a job.

5. Depression and low self esteem.

Because the world is set up for people without ADHD, life can be challenging, and depression, anxiety and low self-esteem are often features in a person with ADHD.

As you are reading this list of ADHD symptoms please don’t feel depressed. There are many ways to manage your symptoms and lead a rich and wonderful life and this blog has lots of great ways to do this.

Adults with ADHD find starting and carrying out projects from start to finish challenging. Often, the very thought of starting on a big project is very daunting and anxiety provoking, so it never gets started. A simple way to stop the procrastination and overwhelm is to write a list of all the steps.  Take a simple piece of paper and pen and write down all the steps that you can think of.

For example if you wanted to write a book, your list might look something like this: 
1)      decide on a topic for the book.
2)      brain storm content ideas
3)      organize information into chapters
etc…
 
You might not know all of the steps at the start of the project, but once you start working on the tasks new information appears and the additional steps become more clear. If one of the steps on your list still feels daunting, then that is a sign that the step can be broken down further still.
 
When you have your list, you can type it up on your computer, stick it on the wall, or another safe place where you won’t lose it and then start on the first step. Once you have completed the first step you will feel so good and that ‘feel good factor’ will propel you forward to take action on the next step.
 
Because so many people with ADHD are entrepreneurs, Marica Hoeck and I are joining forces to give an amazing teleclass all about how to reach your business goals so that you can reach the success you are capable of and that you totally deserve. Click here to register for the call http://www.bit.ly/a5fOmw