You guys... I've been reading a book I needed 25 years ago: "The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation." Here's the TL/DR version: - Our ADHD is less than half the problem. - The bigger problem is that we almost all have nervous system dysregulation. - Nervous system dysregulation makes all our symptoms far worse. - If **ALL** you do is learn to self-regulate, you will dramatically improve. - Dysregulation is caused by being in fight-or-flight (or freeze or fawn). - Can't stop doom-scrolling? That's actually "freeze." - Keep avoiding miserable tasks? That's actually "flight." - Identify what it feels like for you to be dysregulated (unhappy stomach, tense muscles, headaches, urgency, overwhelm, racing thoughts, rumination, feeling paralyzed, negative self-talk, etc.) Solution: 1. Notice when you're dysregulated (right now, it might be all the time) 2. Physically interrupt: slow down, slow your breathing, relax your shoulders 3. Mentally interrupt: Remind yourself, "I'm exactly where I should be. I'm safe. I'm just going to keep doing one thing at a time." 4. Acknowledge the circumstance you're currently facing, and notice what is in your best interests to do next 5. Do the thing while you continue to move slowly, breathe slowly, relax, and remind yourself that you are safe. It takes practice but I have noticed DRAMATIC improvement in less than a week. I had posted a couple of weeks ago about the intense misery or even "pain" of doing unaligned work, and now I realize it was just that that work is dysregulating for me. Now that I'm consciously regulating while doing the work, the misery is 80-90% gone. Absolutely delighted about this and had to share it!!!

Today might be a "walking uphill" kind of day. But that doesn't mean we don't deserve to keep walking 🥰 Speaking from experience, I woke up with thoughts and feelings and fears etc... but I was able to grab my journal and say ok.. even if those fears come true, will it help me or harm me to become absorbed in them?? It is REALLLLLY challenging to do this by myself on a daily basis. Because I'm not by myself. Daughter is here. Which actually makes it harder. But that being said, my point is that even if I feel tired now and even maybe sore and confused etc... at least I know I did my morning routine. And that DOES feel better than NOT doing it. So, speaking to myself to, give yourself permission to have an "uphill" day. Give yourself permission to even have a "bad" day. But do NOT have that mean that you don't do the things that are good for you. I ALWAYS feel better when I try than when I don't. Even if I can't see it at the time. This is NOT saying to "push through" and keep harming yourself. This is saying if trauma or fear thoughts are stopping you in your tracks, and you were going to do something good for yourself (drink water, eat protein, be active, take a nap, etc), do NOT let the trauma pull you off I've started doing my qi gong on my patio. Yes a part of me is like can people see? And doesn't that say something..that I'm worried people will see me doing something GOOD for myself 🤯🥴 So therefore, I did it! And some tears even came (which is what I was afraid of), but I told myself tears can come but don't stop doing the thing I'm doing. Anyway, today might be an uphill day. That is ok. Still do what you can do for yourself, to SUPPORT yourself through it instead of punishing yourself 🥰 And if you already know and do this, that is definitely something to add to your gratitude list. I'm literally having to carve this out and it goes AGAINST everything I was programmed.. yet, I'm STILL doing it. Because the TRUTH is, we ALL deserve to be happy and healthy. Period.