If you would like to listen to this week’s article, click here.

When you have ADHD, it is easy to forget that your ADHD is just one aspect of you. You spend so much mental energy thinking about how to manage your unwanted ADHD traits, you can forget that you are a whole person made up of many parts. We have lots of incredible body parts: eyes, ears, skeleton, etc. Each of which is nothing short of a miracle. All we have to do, once in awhile, is to get a check-up, so that our body can continue working miracles every day.

Once a year, it’s good to have a health blitz and take care of any health concerns that have been bothering you, as well as routine health appointments that might have been forgotten.

This time of year is perfect to do your health blitz, as the weather is mild and sunny, making hopping around town to various doctors’ offices quite pleasant. It’s not nearly as enjoyable when it’s cold and snowy outside.

There are six steps for your health blitz:

1a. From head to toe, write down which of these doctors you need to visit. It’s recommended that you visit each one at least once a year and the dentist twice a year.

• Optician
• Dentist
• Gynecologist
• General doctor (for an annual check-up)

1b. You might have special health needs, so if you do, add these doctors to your list. For example, a podiatrist for your feet, a dermatologist if you have any worries about moles, etc.

1c. Your list might include alternative practitioners, such as a chiropractor or acupuncturist.
If you haven’t been for a long time, don’t feel guilty or ashamed. It’s better to visit now and address the problem head-on than to feel bad every time the thought enters your mind.

2. Now you have a list of the doctors and practitioners to visit. If you have a doctor who you like, then write their telephone number on your list. If you have a doctor that you don’t enjoy visiting, whether it’s because the receptionist is rude or the doctor’s style doesn’t resonate with you, it’s time to find a new one.

The best way to find a new professional is to ask people in your life who they visit and can recommend. If you have one professional you enjoy working with, ask them to recommend someone in the field you are looking for.

3. Once you have got the numbers of everyone you need to see, sit down with a cup of tea and pick up the phone. Think beforehand what the best time of day is for you. You might like to go straight after work or at lunch time.
It’s probably not a good idea to see everyone in a week – you will be worn out! However, you could make a personal goal to see one doctor a week until you have seen everyone.

4. Once you have your appointments scheduled, start to jot down the questions you want to ask each doctor. This is so you don’t have to rely on your memory when you are face-to-face with your doctor.

5. Take something fun to do in the waiting room. It could be a gossip magazine to read or a Sudoku puzzle, whatever is fun for you. Waiting times can be long, so have something interesting and compelling to take the edge off any boredom.

6. Once you have seen everyone you will feel so good. There might be a few follow-ups that you need to go to, for example if you need new glasses. However, generally you will find you are in tip-top condition and all set for another year!!!

If you would like to listen to this week’s article, click here.

When you have ADHD, one of the worst tasks imaginable is… housework. Not only is it boring and mundane, it also provides ample opportunity for procrastination and distraction to take place. What could be a two-hour cleaning spree could take all day. However, even though housework, such as cleaning and tidying, taking the trash out, etc. is not a pleasant prospect, it does need to be done, both from a health and safety standpoint, and for your mental and emotional well-being. You feel much better when you have a clean and tidy house. So how can you make it more interesting and even fun? Below is a winning formula!!!

1. Get a piece of paper and a pen and write down every room that needs attention. For example:
   • Bedroom
   • Bathroom
   • Kitchen
   • Living Room

   You don’t need to write down what you need to do in each room as that will be obvious once you are there.

   By each room on your list, write down the number 10. (This stands for ten minutes.)

2. Now go to the first room on the list, set your timer for 10 minutes and blitz. Do what needs to be done. It could be changing the linens on the bed, putting clothes away, vacuuming, etc. Start and then keep moving until the timer rings and the 10 minutes is up. A golden rule is don’t leave the room you are working in (even for a second) during those 10 minutes. If you find an item that belongs in another room, put it by the door to be moved when the 10 minutes is up. This keeps your mind focused on the tasks in hand and minimizes the risk of distraction.
3. When the timer goes off, stop what you are doing, even if you are in the middle of a task. This might be hard because our mind craves completion. However, it’s because you DO stop and move from room to room that you remain motivated and energized. This is why this technique works so well. When the timer goes off, put a line through the 10 for the room you have just finished and then move to the second room.
4. Do the same for each room on the list. This technique is so powerful that it keeps you on your toes. 10 minutes does not allow you to get bored. It creates a sort of race between you and the timer and keeps you motivated to keep going and not procrastinate.
5. When you have finished all the rooms on your list (maximum 5 rooms), have a mini break. Drink some water and then start again at the beginning of your list and spend another 10 minutes in each room. By then you should have 5 clean and shiny rooms.

When you have finished, sit down for a rest and a cup of tea and flip through a magazine as a treat… you earned it!!!

On May 20th, I had my book launch at Nicholas Hoare bookstore on Greene Avenue in Montreal.

The launch was amazing, a totally A+ experience.

24 hours later my new website and blog caught a nasty virus and were down for nearly two weeks, so I didn’t write about the launch or post any photos. Here is the book launch wrap-up!!

People

A book launch wouldn’t be anything without people! I was so touched by everyone who made such an effort to be there. There were clients past and present, wonderful new people that I met for the first time, and of course, all of my close friends.

Location

The bookstore, Nicholas Hoare, is a beauty. There are three Nicholas Hoare bookstores in Canada named after the owner… Nicholas Hoare. A fellow Brit, Mr. Hoare wanted to capture the feeling of old English manor house libraries in his stores. That is achieved splendidly both with the décor (the bookshelves are wooden and the walls are green) and atmosphere. There is a magical feeling in the store that is hard to describe, but it is calm and welcoming.

Staff

The staff at Nicholas Hoare were so professional and sincerely friendly and helpful. They did a great job of both pouring wine and selling books!

Food

I had ordered some yummy food, cheese, dips, Hors D’oeuvres and special bread from Premiere Moisson. Most of it was eaten on the night, however, I did get to eat leftover for a couple of evenings after the launch. There is nothing better than leftover party food and a glass of red wine

Wine

There is a whole story regarding the wine. I wanted there to be lots of food and wine for all the guests, so I got the advice from a friend and successful wedding planner, Ciara Daykin. She and her husband sent me a detailed email of both qualities and types of wine I should offer – two choices of white wine and two choice of red wine to suit everyone’s palette. Three weeks before the big day, I carefully selected the wine from a website that offered delivery. I thought this would save myself from having to lug around heavy boxes of wine. However, the wine did not arrive. Lots of phone calls occurred from Monday to Wednesday (the day of the book launch) inquiring about the whereabouts of the wine. Finally at 4pm, two hours before everyone was due to arrive, it came to light that the delivery wasn’t going to happen. I ran (literally) to the nearest wine store, grabbed a trolley, while trying to remember the contents of Ciara and Simon’s email (but perhaps not fully.) I began to throw 40 bottles of wine in, and personally delivered the wine to the bookstore. Phew, disaster averted.

General Overview

The two hours of the actual launch went so fast. I signed lots of my books and talked to all the cool people who were there. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I drank one glass of wine and lots of water. (All that talking makes for a dry mouth!) It felt pretty amazing to be launching my book in such a public and grand way and it felt so far removed from me sitting in my bedroom typing on my laptop with Kitty watching. I am so proud of the book and I know it’s helping lots of people with ADHD, which of course was my goal in writing it. One lady with ADHD said, “This book is so helpful, I wish I had read it twenty years ago.” When I get feedback like that, I get goose bumps and a little teary.

I have posted a few photos here, but there are many more on my Facebook page. If we aren’t Facebook friends yet, don’t be shy, please request me!

AND if you haven’t read my book yet… it’s called Untapped Brilliance: How to Reach Your Full Potential as an Adult with ADHD.

Just like adults who don’t have ADHD, not all people with ADHD have the same talents and strengths. However, there are a group of positive talents that are often seen in people with ADHD and below are five of them. Give yourself credit for the things you do well. This in turn will boast your confidence and self-esteem.

Great Company

The combination of your vibrant energy and sense of humour make you a great person to be around. Friends want to spend time with you and strangers naturally gravitate towards you.

Compassionate

You are compassionate to other people, causes and animals. Your sensitivity helps you to relate because you have less inhibitions than a non-ADHD person. You will be the person who helps a lady with a stroller or speaks loudly to protest against something you believe in.

Impulsivity

Impulsive actions allow you to take action quickly. This allows you to do things that many people think of doing, but by the time they take action, the moment is lost.

You think swiftly and act swiftly. Your impulsivity also means you make decisions quickly, which can be a huge gift, as some people can spend hours agonizing over something that can take you a matter of seconds to decide.

Spirit of Enquiry

You have a spirit of enquiry and love to gather facts on many different subjects. You can hold interesting and informed conversations on a wide variety of topics. Your natural thirst for knowledge keeps you young, whatever your biological age and also makes you an interesting person to be around.

Weakness Can Become Strength

While this article is about celebrating your strengths, sometimes a weakness can become your strength. An example I see quite often is having an organized environment. Some adults with ADHD, once they discover how calm and happy they feel with a tidy environment, become experts at keeping their environment super tidy. They become more efficient at creating and keeping their environment tidy than any person who did have a clutter problem.

This Week’s Actions

1. Do you recognize yourself in any of the above talents? Just because they come easily to you, remember not everyone has them.
2. For each of the five points above, ask yourself:
   • Is this a trait I have?
   • When have I noticed/experienced it recently?
   • How could I maximize this trait and use it more to my advantage?
3. Keep a record of when you feel good about one of your talents, or get positive feedback from another person. You can refer back to it to this list give yourself a lift at times when you aren’t feeling so good about yourself.

Last weekend, I did something that I thought was impossible. I broke a piece of wood into two pieces with my bare hand. I was in total shock afterward, but a good kind of shock. Breaking that wood was such a stretch for me that afterward, my mind started to play tricks on me. I wondered if I did really do it. Luck for me, there was a room full of people watching me and could verify that I did actually do it. AND I have the piece of wood to prove it!

People with ADD are very good at achieving things and not acknowledging them, whether it’s a university degree, a new job, pay raise or a personal accomplishment. Often they believe that they are undeserving, that it happened by luck or that people believe they have more skills and talents than they actually do. They often feel like a fraud and that one day they will get found it.

Of course, you do deserve these things because you worked hard and the skills and talents that are required. It could be because you have struggled behind the scenes to do what others seem to do more easily. It doesn’t matter how you achieved it, the biggest challenge is making it real for yourself.

So what can you do to make it real for yourself? To really acknowledge to yourself what you accomplished:

1. Never belittle your accomplishment by saying, “Oh, well, it’s just a…” (Masters degree, middle management, etc.)
2. Never contort your face or shrug your should while you say your achievement. Instead practice saying it with a straight face and no sighs or shoulder shrugging.
3. Save all your positive feedback in a “Brag Folder.” If friends send you a card to congratulate you, or you get an email from a happy work colleague, etc., print it out and pop it in your “Brag Folder.” Then you can refer to it when you feel low and are questioning yourself.
4. Always celebrate big events. Never just let them slide by without acknowledging them. Have a party with all your friends and family to celebrate your success. (It’s fine to throw yourself one.) For smaller accomplishments, say, “Cheers,” over a glass of wine with a friend.
5. Share all your “wins” with people that care about you.
6. For big achievements, write a list of all the things that you did in order to get there, then when doubt creeps in, remind yourself of what you wrote on your list.
7. Create a wall of fame for yourself. Have all your certificates up on a wall in either your home or place of work.
8. Take photos of you performing or celebrating these achievements and buy pretty or stylish frames and pop them round your house. These act as a constant reminder of your successes.

We want your achievements to really sink into your body and your brain so that you can stand tall and say what you accomplished with a smile on your face and the knowledge that you earned it. If you have any other habits that have worked for you in the past, keep on doing them.

Perhaps no one was more surprised than me when I took up a Martial Art a few weeks ago.

It really wasn’t something that I had consciously set out to do. However a couple of things had occurred prior to me setting foot in the school, which must have planted the seed somewhere in my subconscious. I had always known if anyone tried to attack me my only defence would be to scream, (I have never been in a fight in my life, not even as a child with my brother and sister). Also I had done some research on the benefits of Martial Arts for people with ADHD and it did seem really interesting.

So when my local Martial Art school had their door open, a sign mentioning self-defence, and invitation for people to go in for a visit, I thought why not?

I asked the owner and master black belt, a few key questions. Does it matter that I have never been in a fight? Will I break any bones? And can I keep my nails? (Pointing to my freshly manicured nails) when I got satisfactory answers, “No” to all of them, I decided to sign up.

I never dreamt in a million years how much fun it would be, how empowering it would be… or how sore I would be. After my first class, I had take painkillers for following 3 days and it was a full 6 days before my body was ready for another class. However I do believe I have discovered a new passion, and there is nothing more exciting than that.

Did you know that Martial Arts lessons can help your ADHD?

As well as improving your overall fitness level and reducing your stress level, Martial Arts have extra benefits if you have ADHD. Adults with ADHD report an increase in concentration, improved focus as well as an increase in self-esteem, self confidence and self discipline. It’s thought to be the combination of using your mind and body at the same time that makes Martial Arts so great for people with ADHD.

There are many to Martial Arts to choose from, Judo, Karate and Tae Kwon Do are just a few. Even if you are a total beginner there will be adult classes for you in your neighborhood. So why not do a quick goggle search for Martial Arts in your area, and see where your nearest class is.