Are you annoyed you have ADHD? Do you wonder, “Why me?” Some people are frustrated that they have to deal with ADHD annoyances. There are plenty of people who are happy to know that they have ADHD because it explains why they are the way they are, but if you are in the frustrated camp, ADHD feels like a lifelong curse.

Something I have found helpful with clients who feel like this is to reframe how you view ADHD. From something that is annoying and spoiling your life, to a challenge that will help you grow and be the catalyst to making changes you wouldn’t have otherwise.

When Michael J. Fox learned that he had Parkinson’s disease, he said it was the best thing that happened to him. Parkinson’s societies and charities were outraged. They felt he was sending the wrong message to the world, and people wouldn’t understand the debilitating effects of the disease. Even though he was experiencing the same physical effects as other sufferers, Michael was speaking about his personal internal experiences. Prior to being diagnosed, he was living a life that wasn’t in line with who he was. He was abusing alcohol and there was distance in his marriage. Parkinson’s gave him the chance to change how he was living his life. He and his wife became close again; he gave up alcohol, he began appreciating his life, his career and the opportunity to spread public awareness and help find a cure.

We hear similar messages from people who experience an array of challenges, from health issues to life changes such as an unexpected divorce. A challenge forces us to grow in ways we never would have otherwise.

You can do this with ADHD too. For example, you could see ADHD as:

1) The vehicle that propelled you to live a life that is healthier. That got you physically active and knowledgeable about nutrition and got you experimenting with alternative practices like meditation and hypnosis.

2) The catalyst that made you get to know yourself really well and learn about what makes you happy, what you love, what irritates you, what makes your ADHD symptoms worse, what makes them better, what motivates and drives you, and what goals you want to achieve in your life.

3) The thing that made you learn about finances and how to de-clutter etc.

In the US, two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, and the average person watches 6 hours of TV a day and is $12000 in debt. If you are treating and managing your ADHD, you are already ahead of the average.

This week, take stock of your life and write down a list of all the things you have done for the better because you have ADHD.