THRIVE: Unlocking Your ADHD Potential opens on May 1st, click here for more information!

Inspiration

Notable Figures With ADHD - Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. He has spoken publicly about how swimming helped him manage his symptoms. In an interview with CNN, Phelps said, "I have a lot of energy, and I need to use it. Swimming gave me an outlet for that." Check out the full interview here!

Intention

Use visual cues to remind you of your intentions - If you struggle with forgetfulness, try using visual cues like sticky notes or reminders on your phone to remind you of your daily intentions. Seeing these reminders throughout the day can help you stay focused and motivated.

• Place reminders near where you will notice them most often, like by your computer or coffee maker
• Set your phone lock screen to an image or text of your daily intention
• Write down your intention in multiple places if it will help you notice it! 

Action

Embrace your unique strengths - Rather than focusing on what you struggle with, embrace what makes you stand out. Your ADHD may come with its own set of challenges, but it also comes with unique strengths and abilities that can be incredibly valuable. For me, my ADHD allows me to hyperfocus on tasks that I am passionate about, which has led to some of my greatest achievements. So, instead of feeling ashamed or embarrassed about your differences, try to embrace them and use them to your advantage. Try this exercise today to help you become aware of all of your strengths.

1. Grab a pen and paper and draw 2 vertical lines down the page, separating it into 3 columns
2. In the first column, write down as many things as you can think of that you did well this past week
   • These can be small, like remembering to brush your teeth, or bigger things like acing that school test or nailing that work presentation
3. In the second column, write down some situations that didn't go your way this past week
4. In the third column, next to each negative situation write down at least 1 thing that you still did well, despite the situation not turning out as you hoped
5. Reflect on how your unique strengths helped you create a "silver lining" in those negative situations. There is almost always a positive takeaway from the negative situations in our lives. Reflect on how you may be able to use this to your advantage in the future!