ADHD ADULTS - The Ultimate Success Guide. (2)

Practical tips, tools and techniques.

Author

Jim Livingstone
February 01, 2024

Hello, and welcome aboard the ADHD Express.

I grew up feeling like the odd one out. Described as ‘overactive, stupid…a problem child. After forty-five years of trying to fit in, I was finally diagnosed with ADHD.

Since my diagnosis, I have spent the last twenty-five years researching and actively testing a massive amount of ADHD information.

I still don’t have all the answers, just a place to start.

I haven’t won the race because there is no finish line!

But here are a few things I’ve learned along the way…

ADHD Diagnosis?

You are not defined by your ADHD abilities, but by how you use them.

You are not defined by your ADHD challenges, but by how you respond to them.

You are not limited by your ADHD Diagnosis, but by the meaning you attach to it.

 You were built to conquer challenges, solve problems and achieve goals. Without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve, there can be no real satisfaction or joy in life.

ADHD is one of your challenges.

Paying the ADHD Tax

My ADHD still causes me a few headaches.

Yesterday I spent two hours filling out an online building contract. It is something I try to delegate, but failing that, I leave until the last minute.

First, I had to calm my emotions and stop doing anything else, turn my mobile to silent, remove visual distractions, and close my office door so it was just me and my girl Charlee, an American Staffie, who wanted out after about an hour.

Lots of minutiae, so many details that is a struggle at the best of times. I had to find all the information from fifteen or twenty different files in different folders in different locations. (That’s another ADHD tax)

Then, painstakingly insert them in the right boxes and double-check that the details are correct.

After finishing, I had all these open files I had to close and exit from. At the same time, I realised it had taken longer than expected, and I was late for another appointment. I quickly shut everything down and left the office.

This morning I went to send the contract to my client and couldn’t find it!

I had put it away but forgot where I put it. After twenty minutes of emotionally charged hunting, I realised I hadn’t saved the changes before closing the document. Here was the original BLANK twenty-page document with the cursor blinking on the first line telling me I needed to do this again!

Fortunately, no one was around as my emotional gorilla ranted and raged at my stupidity and distractibility. Then I caught myself and thought, mmmm, what’s the benefit?

There is no f’ing benefit! What idiot came up with that saying? Then, I did a quick Calm the Circuits exercise (Innercise), 6 deep breaths, and an awareness of the choices I had. I chose to take responsibility for my f*ck up and start again.

With a calm, deep focus, I completed the contract in under thirty minutes and ‘saved’ as I went along. Lesson learned?….maybe.

Only people with ADHD truly understand how much work goes into fitting into the neurotypical system when we have to.

7 ADHD Rules to Live By.

Be true to yourself and your ADHD traits, be kind to yourself and others. However, you must live your life to capitalize on your strengths. This will help build your self-confidence.

 You don’t need harsh and misguided feedback from neurotypical people who have zero understanding of your challenges and abilities.

 You need to give yourself positive feedback for small and large achievements and encourage yourself with regular positive thoughts that reinforce your self-worth and self-confidence.

 1. Stop trying to conform to how other people think you should behave.

 Just because you feel and do things differently doesn’t mean it’s wrong, it’s just different.

 Be your best supporter and stay positive as you work out how to benefit from your different abilities. Don’t condemn them. They are part of what makes you unique. Believe you are a good person!

 Don’t criticize yourself for things that are impossible for your ADHD brain to accomplish.

 Allowing yourself to be ‘different’ is critical to your success and happiness.

 2. Be totally honest with yourself and those closest to you. Some relationships will thrive, and some will move on in their journey, and that’s to the benefit of all.

 Spend time with those that accept and support you and allow others to live a life that suits them.

 3. You are here to create ‘different’ value and contribution!

 Take immediate action and trust it’s moving you closer to your major pre-selected goal.

 4. Train your subconscious mind to work for you! Learn to control and cultivate your subconscious mind.

 Your subconscious mind has stored all your life’s stories and has given all your life experiences meaning.

 However, the meanings are not necessarily correct, and this limits your view of reality and what’s possible in your world. Control your inner conversation.

 Don’t talk sh*t to your subconscious, it is always listening. Stop poisoning your mind!

 Impress your subconscious mind with empowering and uplifting thoughts.

 5. Your ADHD imagination creates stories that can be either positive or negative.

 Cultivate positive stories. Imagine your goals already achieved. How would you feel? How would you attack the day? How much energy would you have? Use your imagination to power you forward, forget willpower.

 6. Don’t rely on others to make your life interesting.

 Be proactive and take the first step to engage your powerful talents and abilities. Challenge yourself to improve your personal best on any variety of things, and then give yourself an appropriate reward.

If your ADHD brain is bored, create a sense of urgency, and develop enlightened self-interest. Set your own deadlines where none exist to develop and use your natural skills & abilities.

 7. Always be kind and respect yourself and others.

 Enjoy the roller coaster ride, with all its challenges, it is much better than flatlining through life.

"Having ADHD means that I am never bored, always engaged, and constantly finding new things that I am passionate about." - Jessica McCabe

My

I invite you to join me on my journey of writing my next book. ADHD ADULTS – Late or No Diagnosis? 

Each week, I will detail my ADHD writing challenges and results to get the chapters and content roughed out. Then start on the first manuscript draft.

I will insert a link Read more. for those interested in being involved. I just have to work out how to do that! . I am still working on it. I am setting up a new page on my website, www.jimlivingstone.com.au

I have managed to write a rough draft of the first three chapters, and I plan on doing a rough draft of each chapter each day until I have finished. I am doing this from 6 am to 7.30 am, then I work in my building business.

I invite you to think about setting yourself a challenge

I would love to hear your story and with your consent, include it in the book, newsletter, or articles. Sharing your trials and tribulations helps everyone understand and accept we are all a bit different…together. Click here. 

Readers Review

“Read Jim's book and learn how to prosper with ADHD" 

- Thom Hartmann, -- Multiple New York Times Bestselling Author.

ADHD ADULTS

The Ultimate Success Guide

Millions Of Adults Are Diagnosed With ADHD—But Few Find Solutions Needed To Thrive…

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‘Think Different’ - ‘Live Different’ - ‘Do Different’

Thanks for reading.

If you’ve got a second, I would love to hear your thoughts. [email protected] 

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This site is not intended to provide and does not constitute medical, legal, or other professional advice. The content in this newsletter is designed to support, not replace, medical or psychiatric treatment. Please seek professional help if you believe you may have Mental Health Issues.

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