Friends, I am no longer posting on ADDer World.

You can now find me at Bryan’s Paranormal Travel Blog.

I have created a new travel blog where I will be sharing my European travels, and, the paranormal encounters I have had during these trips. Not only that but in some cases, I have photographic evidence that I will be sharing as well.

To visit the main blog, click here: Bryan’s Paranormal Travel Blog.

Finally, if you would like to learn more about my new book, The Wee-Jees, which tells the true story of my childhood experience escaping from shadow figures in the haunted forest behind my childhood home, go here to read more about it.

As you can see, I have a lot of new, exciting things on the horizon.

~Bryan

Have you ever wondered why certain people are attracted to you or why certain people are not?

The answer is very simple.

It’s all about you, who you are and what you are about.

And the good news is that you are within your own control. And if you happen to have ADHD, managing your ADHD may help.

I bet you know what type of movies you like, what kind of food you like and what type of people you like to be around.

Well, believe it or not, other people are the same way.

Examine the type of people who befriend you (or who want to). They are coming to you for a reason.

Those people are likely a reflection of you in some way and therefore they feel a compelling enough connection towards you.

The question is, do you like the reflection?

If you do, that’s great.

If not, it’s up to you to change it and only you can, if you want to.

What type of friends are you attracting? Share in the comments.

~Bryan

Checked out my new blog Positive Writer. Latest post: How To Create An Ebook (or Manifesto) That Will Go Viral

This is a short excerpt of my forthcoming book 10 Things I Hate About ADHD – Laughing at Distraction.

How many times have you started reading and somewhere along the way you realized your mind drifted off and you can’t remember the last sentence you read?

How many times have you started reading and somewhere along the way you realized your mind drifted off and you can’t remember the last sentence you read?

Losing track

It’s so easy to lose track of what you’re reading when you have ADHD. What did the last page say again?

Don’t you hate that?

It is even worse if you have to start the book over from the very beginning again, and again, and again!

Love and hate and well, lost

Reading is one of the things I enjoy and love the most, but it is also one of the things I hate the most about ADHD.

I get lost when reading. No, I mean really lost.

Needle in a haystack lost! Amazon jungle lost! Where the Hockey-Puck am I? – lost!

I will start reading a page or a paragraph, or just a word, and then an hour or two, or even a day, week or decade later, I will slowly come back to reality and realize that I cannot remember a single thing I have read because my mind drifted off to fight evil aliens in a distant land somewhere.

Damn those aliens!

Book burning is not a solution

From time to time I will catch myself when I start drifting off, at which point I will return to where I last ‘remember’ and continue once again. This is a calm and planned action, but around the hundredth ‘restart’ I begin playing with my lighter and wonder calmly what pretty book flames would look like (doesn’t everyone?).

Alas, my neighbor is a firefighter and a friend, so it is not that he would frown upon my pyromaniac, witch-like book burning so much as that he would be too quick to come over and put it out!

How would I explain that the book would not let me read it or that I purchased it for entertainment and that I was going to get what I paid for no matter what?

No, of course I would never burn a book. Really.

There is way better punishment for a book that I can’t focus on long enough to read all the way through, and that is to quietly place it in a pile, never to be found again, ever. All of my books are in piles, all of them, I tell you!

I also love to hate self-help books

For people with ADHD self-help books are an addiction. We support an entire industry.

I dread going to the bookstore because I know I cannot leave without getting my fix. I tell myself, “Just one, only one. That’s all you need.” But the next thing I know I am carrying a bagful twice my weight and I have no place to put them. So I walk them home and pile them up wherever I can find space among my current piles.

I have decided that it is not about reading the books; it is more about having them. Even if I can never find them again, at least I know they’re there.

What? The same book?

You are a certified person with ADHD when you find several copies of the same book in your home, but you do not necessarily qualify if the book has an updated cover. After all, anyone could make that mistake!

-I hope you enjoyed this short excerpt. If you’re wondering why the book is not published yet, well, my wife calls it crastinating. Not sure what she means. Do you?

~Bryan

Checked out my new blog Positive Writer. Latest post: Stop Worrying About What People Think and Create Anyway ~Bryan

From Bryan: This is a guest post by Dr. Rory F. Stern. He is an author, speaker, and therapist who specializes in working with families and children affected by ADHD to make sure their children have a chance to experience success. Thetruthbehindadhd

It’s a misunderstood condition.

For a long time now I have said, “ADHD is the most misunderstood condition of all time.”  Everyone and anyone with an opinion thinks they understand ADHD.  From your doctor to the Hollywood writer to the man on the street, and everyone in between, opinions widely vary depending upon who you listen to.

And yet one thing is certain, no one can agree on much of anything.

Some people believe ADHD is a gift, while others ask for a receipt so they can return this gift.  Other believe ADHD is an illness, and that you or your child need to be fixed.  Yet we know there is no cure.  Still others believe that ADHD is about differences.

No matter your opinion, you’re not really wrong.  You just might not be right…

As harsh as it sounds, there is one thing I have learned from my own childhood differences to my years now as an author, speaker, therapist and passionate advocate in this wonderful community.

What is your mindset?

That one thing is that your mindset and how you view your circumstances dramatically impacts your ability to overcome your challenges.

As a misunderstood child growing up, I knew I was different.  I dreamed about what it must be like to be normal.

And yet I still have no idea.

Despite being identified, and testing out, as gifted and talented, everyone is convinced I have ADHD.

And maybe I do…  But so what?

I learned growing up that my differences didn’t define me.  They didn’t restrict me, and they didn’t prevent me from accomplishing what I wanted.

My parents taught me to set high standards and expectations, and made certain to give me the resources and support to accomplish whatever I set my mind to.

I am convinced that is what helped me become the man I am today, and it certainly drives my agenda as a child and family advocate for misunderstood children across the world.

We all have challenges in our lives.

Don’t be fooled that just because a person is diagnosed with ADHD, that you (or they) are the only ones with challenges around hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, time management, organization, and all the other trimmings associated with this condition.

At the end of the day, it is your differences that make you unique.

It is your differences that make you capable of accomplishing what others cannot.  And yes, at the same time, it is these differences that likely keep you from doing what others can do.

Now I ask you, which area will you focus on in your life?

Will you focus on what you can do, often times better than others?  Or will you focus on what you are not capable of doing?

If we cut through all the therapy and behavior modification, this is what we are left to consider.

That’s not to discredit the role of medication if you choose to use it, for yourself or your child.  This is not meant to spark anger or suggest anyone is making excuses.

It’s just that I’ve found over the years, personally and in my work with others, what you pay attention grows.

With the right support, encouragement, and attitude, you can accomplish anything you want. (Click Here to tweet that if you agree.)

If you have the wrong support, lack of encouragement, and perhaps, a bad attitude, you will likely continue to struggle in almost everything you do.

You must understand yourself.

When all is said and done, my work with others depends on one principle, and one principle alone:  You must understand yourself.  You must know what you are capable of.  You must know what your limitations are.

I for one know that I am no Michael Jordan.  I am incapable of shooting a basketball.  I am no Michael Jackson.  I am not capable of singing, dancing, or acting.

But I am me, and I am really good at that.

Albert Einstein is attributed with saying, “Everybody is a genius.  But if you judge a fish by it’s ability to climb a tree, it will live it’s whole life believing that it is stupid.”

I don’t know how you interpret that.  But for me, I am going to continue focusing on what I can do and not letting my struggles stand in the way.

What are you focusing on? Share in the comments.

~Rory

Checked out my new blog Positive Writer (not about ADHD). Latest post: Exclusive Interview With Seth Godin, The World’s Greatest Blogger! ~Bryan

I rarely write reviews for books on ADDer World that are not related to ADD / ADHD in some way, and yet while reading Wrecked by Jeff Goins, I kept being reminded of my own personal experiences with both failure and success and what I have learned from both.

The more I read it, the more I realize that Goins is stating something I’ve come to learn about life that is critically important. Too often we get wrecked and we allow the situation(s) to not only bring us down, but also keep us there.

However, sometimes the only way up is to have fallen. To have been wrecked!

How does Wrecked relate to ADHD?

Quite simply, we get wrecked all of the time, almost daily, but as in my case I did not consider embracing my failures and using them for the lessons they taught me. 

It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with ADHD, and finally understood the reason for my behaviors, before I could look back and have those “Ah-ha!” moments.

The shame began to fade and clarity started to take its place. I admit that it was too easy to become embarrassed and ashamed of my failures and I all too often asked myself “WHY ME?”

Why not me?

What makes me so special that I shouldn’t fail or that I shouldn’t make mistakes?

We all do. And, of course, those of us with ADHD have more than our fair share.

The problem I had was that I would stay focused on my problems and curse the fact that life wasn’t fair, without ever taking into consideration that perhaps there’s some good I can learn from my failures and finally get back up and clean off the gravel and dirt and do something worthwhile.

ADHD is serious business and it takes not only work, but real strategies to manage the symptoms. Wrecked is not a book on strategies or how-to’s per se (although, you might find that it is), it seems to me Goins is asking us to look at things that have gone wrong, sometimes terribly wrong, differently.

What can we learn? What value can we derive from our failures, our mistakes and our setbacks, and sometimes from unfortunate circumstances over which we have no control?

Wrecked is a thought provoking read, so much so that it may need to be read several times and at least for me, the more I read it, the more inspired, hopeful and energized I become.

In every situation and experience, good and bad, there’s always something from which to learn and grow.

But (and there’s a big BUT) are we going to slow down enough to deliberately take time for self-reflection?

Stop and smell the roses!

It’s more difficult than it may seem, and is another reason why Wrecked is an excellent book, because in order to reflect clearly we must put aside our frustrations, doubts and dissapointments so that our view is not clouded with hightened negative emotions.

Not easy, I know. But it is possible and perhaps necessary.

Sometimes good can come from bad, or, from being Wrecked! (Click Here to tweet that, if you like.)

If you would like a copy of Wrecked, I have included it in our bookstore, click here.

Think of a setback you’ve had, what did you learn from it? Share in the comments.

Bryan

Checked out my new blog Positive Writer. It’s about inspiring, encouraging and motivating you. My latest post: Why Your First Draft Isn’t Crap!

From Bryan: This is a guest post by Caryn Talty, B.S.Ed., M.A.  Caryn Talty is the editor at Healthy Family, an organic living blog that has been online since 2007. She spends most of her days hanging out with her four wonderful kids.

Vitamins and minerals are great for memory and concentration problems that come with ADHD. A lot of people don’t know about this, so I thought I would talk a little bit about vitamins and minerals for ADHD.

If you are a parent I know what you are probably thinking about now. The last thing you want to do is give your ADHD kid vitamins that are going to give him or her excess energy. I hear you. More energy seems counterproductive for a kid who likes to hang from the ceiling fan and jump on the hoods of cars in his spare time.

But hold on for just a minute, because I’m going to blow open that myth about vitamins and minerals.

First a little Background on Why Vitamins and Minerals Might be Good for ADHD

Bryan wrote a story early this year where he talks a little bit about food and how it can affect ADHD. That was our family story. One of our little boys was having some food intolerance problems back in 2007. They were making his symptoms worse, but we didn’t know it for a long time.

In our case we learned that our son has celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder where the body’s small intestine attacks itself every time gluten is eaten. We had to change our son’s diet to avoid foods with wheat and gluten in them. After almost a year he got better, but until then our doctor prescribed a compounded vitamin and mineral supplement. He said this would help our son concentrate, improve his memory, and make him calm down a bit.

Why Vitamins are Good for Boosting Brain Power in People with ADHD

Certain vitamins are excellent for the brain. Did you know that the B vitamins are essential for proper brain function? Vitamin B6 is the most essential supplement for ADHD symptoms. If you are deficient in it you will get the jitters. But don’t just get B6 vitamins. You need a complete B complex vitamin that also has plenty of Riboflavin and B12 in it too. These vitamins are found in green leafy vegetables. So if you’ve got a kid who doesn’t eat greens, a good B vitamin supplement is vital for brain power.

Why Minerals are Important for Boosting Brain Power in People with ADHD

The number 1 mineral for calm is magnesium. If you’ve got a kid who can’t sleep and is doing Olympic sized floor routines instead, you may be dealing with a magnesium deficiency. Are you seeing symptoms of irritability? A magnesium deficiency will also cause memory problems too. It’s not common in the general population. But a magnesium deficiency is very common with celiac disease patients. So if your ADHD symptoms are connected to a food sensitivity, you can probably now see how fixing the diet can really help.

What’s magnesium for, anyway? Well, in the body magnesium is used to regulate pretty much all aspects of your body. It’s sort of like the engine oil for your car. If you don’t keep it available in good, fresh supply, your car’s engine will start to break down. It won’t run right.

Guess what? Magnesium can help that. It acts as a muscle relaxer. Do you get a lot of painful leg cramps? It can help that too. So if you’ve got ADHD and these symptoms as well, it’s possible you could benefit from a little magnesium.

Don’t Just Start Dosing Yourself with Vitamins and Minerals for ADHD

It’s important for people to understand that vitamin and mineral supplements for ADHD be given in a proper dose. In our case we went and have some lab tests done through our doctor after our son was diagnosed with celiac disease. He gave us a report that showed our son’s vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Then he explained the vitamins he prescribed and why.

It’s very important for people to understand how to supplement properly for ADHD. Have you ever had your foot fall asleep? There are several reasons for this. But did you know that one reason could come from improper B vitamin dosing? Here’s the thing: there are a lot of articles out there about vitamins for ADHD. They are pretty basic and they only talk about generalities. They don’t often talk about the synergistic relationship that supplements have.

What do I mean when I say synergistic? Let me explain.

It’s possible to take too high a dose of B vitamins. If you do and you don’t take enough magnesium you could cause numbness and tingling in your arms or legs. Also, if you take too much magnesium you could give yourself diarrhea. This is not cool when you’re on stage for a school play or about to score a goal in a championship soccer game.

My best advice for people with ADHD who want to try vitamins and minerals to boost their brain power: get some blood testing done. Do you also have some symptoms of a food allergy? Tell your doctor. Ask to get a complete blood count and test your vitamin mineral levels. Be sure to mention magnesium, too. This isn’t often checked automatically.

ADHD people are some of the most imaginative, high energy, and creative people I know. In a lot of cases vitamin and mineral supplements can help them gain more focus, ability to wind down to sleep, and remember important facts. If you think this could be you, consider finding out more for yourself and talk to your doctor about vitamin and mineral supplements.

Have you had specific testing for your vitamin needs? Have supplements helped? Share in the comments.

Caryn

**Checked out my new blog Positive Writer. It’s about inspiring, encouraging and motivating you. My latest post: How to Not Destroy Your Creativity! Lessons from Steve Jobs.

Photo Credit Creative Commons by manoftaste.de

If you have ADHD then you are probably familiar with the fact that incentives such as rewards help us focus and accomplish tasks. But have you considered using these incentives as an advantage?

What excites you, what enthralls you and what motivates you? Take note of those things. They are important.

Usually we reap rewards for accomplishing something, but the experience is too fleeting. We don’t take the time to bask in the reward and take note of it.

Here are a few examples of what I mean…

Is your desk covered with clutter? Have you ever cleaned it and put it in such an organized order that made you feel comfortable and proud of its appearance? If so, consider how that felt, really think about that a moment and take it in.

Have you ever cleaned out your car, gave it a tune up and went on a joy ride afterward, happy it was clean and somehow your car felt ‘new’? If so, think about that for a few moments, reflect on your hands holding the steering wheel, you’re smiling and enjoying the smooth, pleasant ride.

Maybe you can think of something else. Consider a moment that you were rewarded for your efforts simply because of the result.

In my experience when I can put myself into the moment of how I felt after accomplishing something I realize that is my true reward and by absorbing myself in that feeling it helps me accomplish the task again and again.

But, here’s the hard part, stopping to smell the coffee. It is critical to take in the moment of accomplishment and acknowledge the results (the reward).

Try it. You might like it. And, more importantly, it just might work.

~Bryan

Special Announcement: I have started a new blog, Positive Writer. Click Here to check it out. It’s a blog to inspire, encourage and motivate you. It is not about ADHD, but I think you will enjoy it!

Photo Creative Commons by Dsevilla

Last night I watched the Pittsburgh Steelers game against the Washington Redskins and it was an amazing game. The Steelers won!

It was amazing because the Steelers were controlling the game with the running game, something they failed to do for most of the last 4 years. It was thanks in no small part to the young running back named, Jonathan Dwyer. Jonathan was getting his start due to injuries to other players.

Dwyer so far has two games in a row with over 100 yards rushing. The Steelers haven’t had back to back 100 yard rushing games, again, in 4 years!

Dwyer is a great running back, clearly, and the Steelers find themselves lucky to have him. He’s so good that he’s created a running backs controversy with the Steelers because he’s only filling in at the moment, but that looks as if that may change soon.

This is all well and good, but it was during the fourth quarter that the announcer stated something that caught me by total surprise:

Jonathan Dwyer has ADHD!

What? I had to look that information up online and see what I could find.

I discovered that Dwyer was diagnosed with ADHD at an early age (5), and according to what I read he can thank the support of great teachers and coaches for earning a 3.6 GPA at The Georgia Institute of Technology .

That’s no small feat for anyone, with or without ADHD, and now Dwyer is running the ball for the Steelers as if he is still on a mission to prove himself. And, like so many of us, he’ll probably never relent in proving himself.

Good for him!

I had no clue that Jon Dwyer has ADHD and really, if it had not been mentioned on last night’s telecast I still would not know. There’s really not much information about him in connection with ADHD to be found online.

However, I did find a press release about him hosting a three day youth football fundamentals camp in support of neurofeedback treatment for ADD / ADHD and I smiled when I read this:

The key component of the camp however is the mentoring segments, which will encourage the campers to make good choices, reject negative influences and live a healthy, positive lifestyle.

I’m still surprised at how underestimated a positive attitude and positive influences are when it comes to coping with ADHD. And thankfully, we have someone like Jonathan Dwyer living the example of what a positive attitude can do, along with great teachers, coaches and mentors.

Here’s another quote from the press release:

“There are so many misconceptions about ADD/ADHD and my goal is to share my story as an example and encourage others. I want to do what I can so that kids in similar situations have the opportunity to learn and build their confidence. With the proper tools and support system you can overcome and succeed, if you work hard.” ~Dwyer

Indeed, Jonathan, indeed. Keep up the good work and continue to be a positive role model for kids, and even us adults, to follow.

The Steelers lead the way.

As many of you may know, Jonathan is not the only Steeler who has ADHD, Terry Bradshaw also has ADHD and we all know how much he helped the Steelers win 4 Super Bowls in the span of only 6 years!

Obviously, the Steelers are a great leader willing to put the ball in the hands of someone who openly reveals he has ADHD. It’s good to know this because so many must still keep quiet about their diagnosis because of the stigma.

While searching a little more this morning, I found another article on the Steelers Official Blog about Jonathan Dwyer and his ADHD, here’s another quote from Dwyer from that article:

Dwyer said it was the “greatest thing that happened in my life,” getting the diagnosis, because he could now move forward, treat it, and fight back.

The Steelers blog article also revealed that it was a teacher at Shiloh Hills Christian School in Georgia who suggested that the fifth-grader see a doctor and that’s how he learned what the problem was.

What do you think of Jonathan’s story? And / or tell us about one of your favorite ADHD role models. Share in the comments.

Pass this on!

~Bryan

IF you’re fed up with the STIGMA surrounding ADHD, get the free eBook (click here) about the stigma and the conspiracy, and pass it on.

Reading, Memory and ADHD

As you well know reading is one thing, remembering what you’ve read is another. Dang it.

I love reading. Truly, I do. But it’s often been a frustrating experience because I have ADHD.

I read for minutes or for hours and then when finished I come to realize I don’t remember a thing. Nope. Nothing. Blank. Nada.

I’m lucky to remember the book title. This was a pain in the booty back in my school days. It’s kind of weird, but I tend to remember things better two weeks later rather than after 2 hours. Go ahead, try and explain that to your teacher.

However, the good news is that over the years of beating my head against books (paperbacks, because hardbacks hurt), I have come up with strategies that help me remember. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t.

So below are the top 7 that have been the most successful for me. Keep in mind that I can use some help, so if you have any good tips on how to remember what you’ve read, please share in the comments.

7 Strategies I Use to Remember

1) Change up reading speed. I read as fast as I can. Speed reading. I thought if I read slowly I would remember more, but it turns out that I remember much more when I read faster. I still can’t wrap my head around how that works but it does.

2) White noise. A fan or a washing machine will work and I tried the blender, but I couldn’t hear the words I was reading in my head and Joan threatened to make me read in the garage. For the sake of our marriage I now listen to soft ambient music while I read. Headphones help, too.

3) Turn things off. I turn off my cell phone, the TV and the PC monitor and yes, even my ipad (unless I am reading on my ipad, then it stays on and I shut off all the little background alerts).

4) I use a highlighter, but not always to highlight something. I focus better when I have something in my hand to fidget with. A highlighter works perfectly and if I do happen to want to highlight something, well, I’ve got a something handy to do just that!

5) Use a ruler. Or some other guiding device. It helps keep my mind on the page, but frequently becomes another object for me to twirl.

6) Drink coffee or tea! Yes, this is the key ingredient to remembering what I have read, sipping coffee while I read. It’s magical, delightful and effective. Oh, and tasty, too. Not a good idea at bed time, though. Bummer.

7) I read what interests me. When I have the option, I read what enthralls me. I am currently reading something of interest, but for the life of me I can’t remember what it is right now.

Xtra -8) Punt. Self-explanatory. See. Book. Fly.

Your turn: What reading strategies do you use to remember what you’ve read? Share in the comments.

Bryan

Photos via Flickr creative commons 1) by John Morgan, 2) by Moriartys.

From Bryan: This is a guest post by Andrea Nordstrom. Andrea is a mental health therapist and the author of the blog The Art of ADD. Be sure to check out her blog and get a copy of The ADD Artist’s Toolkit (free).

Having ADD sucks.

Did I just say that? Hmm, looks like I did.

Not being able to breathe under water also sucks. Why are fish and a limited number of mammals the only sentient beings blessed with the ability to navigate life fully immersed in water? I would love to frolic under the sea for hours without coming up for oxygen.

But I wasn’t born with gills, so I can’t.

I also really hate the fact that I can’t fly. I could get to work a lot quicker if things like traffic and gravity wouldn’t get in my way. The view would be amazing and the commute a heck of a lot more exciting if I could soar above it all, the wind in my sails.

But my bones are too heavy. And then there’s the little matter of having no wings. As fate would have it, I can’t fly either.

Come to think of it, there are a lot of things that suck about being human. Dependency on clothes for dignity and body warmth is quite a hassle. Having wisdom teeth that force their way through your gums like a latecomer onto an over-capacity commuter train, only to be ripped out years later when they never fully emerge – is irritating and pointless. And don’t even get me started on the pain of child birth (or child-rearing, for that matter).

Being human sucks, when you think about it.

But guess what? We don’t. We don’t think about it because we’ll never be anything but human (in this incarnation anyway). So we don’t waste much effort wishing we were birds or fish or any other sort of being because… we are what we are:

Human beings.

While we can’t fly or breathe under water, we are capable of love. We are aware of ourselves and our world, and are capable of innovation to make the things around us better. We can make ourselves better. And we don’t eat our offspring or defecate on unsuspecting passersby (my apologies to those of you who do – I’m not judging, just making a generalization).

The point is that as humans, we accept we have limitations. And though we may stretch our abilities and boundaries to endless lengths, we still have limitations. But we find a way around them.

You and I just happen to be human beings of the ADD variety.

Clearly, certain aspects of having ADD suck. I don’t need to point out which parts – I’m sure you know what sucks for you. But some of it can be pretty good too, when you come to think of it. Ah, but there it is! We don’t often think about it. The sheer obviousness of our limitations makes it so much easier to focus on them rather than the fact that we are capable of so much more.

What’s good about ADD anyway?

I’m glad you asked. It’s about time I got to the point. My first answer to that question is … a lot. Too much, in fact, to get into it here. My suggestion is that a good starting point in discovering the answer to this question would be to get yourself a copy of Bryan’s The Brilliant Reality of ADHD.

How’s that for avoiding the question?

I can be a stubborn, insolent creature who won’t be told what to do unless there is a darn good reason. I suspect I may not be the only one. As such, I am going to ignore the “what” and delve straight into the “why” of the matter. In my experience, long before people will consider shifting their perspective on an issue, they need several good reasons as to why they should even bother.

So let me reframe the question…

Why should you consider having ADD as something positive?

For several reasons and here they are:

1. Looking for the positives helps you improve.

We know the ADD life isn’t an easy one. But no one ever said that “positive” was synonymous with “easy”.  One definition holds the word positive as “tending towards progress or improvement; moving in a beneficial direction”.

ADDers are always in motion – in motion of thought and/or body. When you focus on the positives, you are pushing yourself in the direction of progress, improvement and beneficial direction.

2. Focusing on the negatives is futile.

Some people hold the opinion that seeing ADD as a positive thing is merely a “self-congratulatory delusion (that) makes a mockery of ADHD” (yes – an actual critical comment on one of my blog posts!). All they can see are the negatives.

I understand how easy it is to get trapped in this perspective. Sometimes experience makes it difficult to see anything but the downfalls of ADD, especially when the infrastructure of modern society is built on systems that favour organized, linear and didactic operating styles (aka non-ADD).

But still, when I meet someone who argues incessantly about the curse of ADD, I like to ask them:

How’s that BELIEF working for you?

While ADD is a real phenomenon, the idea of it being a curse is nothing more than a belief. “It is neither bad nor good, but thinking that makes it so” (some guy named Shakespeare). Focusing on the negatives won’t make them go away but it will keep you stuck. Building on your strengths will crowd out the effect that the negative aspects have on your life.

Is it a curse that you can’t fly? Maybe – but not if you have other ways of getting to your destination.

3. ADD makes you unique.

 “A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament.”

~Oscar Wilde. (Click Here to tweet that if you like.)

Normal is boring. Innovation, progress, creativity … all come from seeing and doing things in a different way than they have been done before. The ADD brain is built to be different for a reason. Yes, that is only my opinion. I can’t prove it scientifically, but no one can prove me wrong either.

We experience our environments through movement, get distracted by connections others don’t see, find roads less travelled inspired by unexpected impulses, and intuitively sense the less salient characteristics of any given situation simply because we can’t help but notice it all.

It’s not normal. But it’s not bad either. If there was no “different”, there’d be no Edison, Einstein or Branson.

4. Challenge inspires growth.

“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.”

~Bernice Johnson Reagon

No one has ever understood the meaning of life but I happen to think that the endeavour of it is not the pursuit of happiness (that’s just one tangent), but the pursuit of growth. No one and nothing can stop you from growing as a person. You take that ability with you, no matter where you are in life or what your circumstances are.

Having ADD means that every day, often multiple times a day, there are opportunities of growth.

After metamorphosis, a butterfly lives on average 10 days. Seems a bit pointless to go through all that hard work of changing for such a short reward doesn’t it? But what would the world be like without butterflies?

ADD is your challenge. But you, along with your challenges, are important threads in the beautiful tapestry of life.

5. It is what it is.

“If you can’t have the one you love baby, love the one you’re with.”

~Crosby, Stills & Nash)

And if you can’t be the one you want to be baby, be the one you are.

The ADD way is how you are built. ADD isn’t going anywhere. You can rue the fact that you can’t fly, but you have feet made for walking and running and dancing my friend, so why neglect them in search of wings that will never manifest?

Having ADD, like being human, has both good and bad qualities to it. One quality doesn’t nullify the other. Focusing on the positives makes the experience a lot more enjoyable. Being okay with your “negatives” makes the experience much more authentic. And being authentic makes the whole thing a lot more beautiful.

6. Self-acceptance is not only for you, but for others as well.

I happen to believe that as ADDers, we are ambassadors for each other. Accepting my ADD self, as it is, has been extraordinarily helpful for me. But more importantly, it has opened the doors for others in this tribe to accept themselves as they are.

Lead by example. Nothing is better learned through example than self-acceptance. And most of life’s challenges are much easier tackled when you begin from a stance of self-acceptance.

I haven’t given you a lot of “how to’s” here but I hope I have given you some darn good reasons why you should start looking for the positive sides of your ADD.

What positives has ADD brought to your life? Share in the comments.

~Andrea

As you can tell I have opened my blog for guest posts. If you would like to guest post, please do read the guidelines and then feel free to send me your idea. ~Bryan

Photo by macieklew via flickr creative commons.