3 things to be grateful for if you're a woman with ADHD

So you’ve got an ADHD diagnosis as an adult and suddenly your whole life makes sense. You now have an explanation for all those times you forgot to do something that was SO important, or couldn’t begin to work on something that you wanted to get done, or the chaos of projects you’ve started, but never finished.
 
There’s the half-knitted sweater. That book you started writing but never quite got past the first chapter. The half a dozen books you’ve started reading. The feeling of dread because your 2020 taxes aren’t done…and it’s 2022.
 
I get it! ADHD comes with a lot of down sides.
 
But there’s a lot to appreciate too.
 
So, here are three things to be super grateful for if you’re a woman with ADHD!

1. You can multi-task. Yes, you can! People with ADHD need more input from the world to stay interested and engaged. This is especially true when the tasks are not as interesting, complicated, or challenging enough for the way their brains work. This often means that doing more than one thing at a time actually helps them to do those things better than if they were to try to do them one at a time. That means you’re able to have a phone conversation while you’re cooking dinner from a new recipe while keeping an eye on the baby monitor. If you don’t think that’s a superpower, you haven’t been a busy Mom! I have a friend who listens to podcasts she’s super interested (on double speed) while working on mundane, routine tasks. Keeps her engaged, alert, and on task – both of them!
2. You can get hyper-focused on some things that you’re super interested in. That might mean you’re not getting other things done, but, it does mean you’re getting this one thing done really well! And you’d be able to finish it if you were left alone to engage deeply in this work. If it’s something that’s important, you’re going to reap the benefits. The trick may be having alignment between the things you enjoy doing (and are more likely to get hyper focused on) and the things that are important, so you’re getting super important things done really well! That could mean you need to take a step back to make sure that your choosing to take on roles (in your home, career, or community) that play to your strengths and interests. But once you’ve done that, you’d be a rock star at it!
3. You feel things deeply. And yes, I get that your emotional sensitivity might be the thing that can easily throw you off course. Your emotions can feel like they’re running the show which may not always be ideal. Heck! Sometimes, it may be down right disastrous. However, if you learn to work with your emotions so they serve you, your emotional sensitivity can be your most valuable strength. You’ll be able to see, hear, and understand what you need and what your loved ones need. Mostly this takes knowing that this is possible and having a set of skills (or a roadmap, if you will) to be work with.

*If you’d like to learn to transform your emotional sensitivities from a struggle to a strength, book a free 30 minute consultation to learn how I can help.