Taking Control: The Adhd Podcast

Do you ever find yourself stuck in research mode? Are you overwhelmed with options? Do you resent regret? If you’ve ever found yourself living in fear of making decisions, you’re not alone. It can be a debilitating cycle knowing that you’re facing the same questions over and over again either because you can’t make a decision, or you can’t live with the decisions you’ve made. This week on the show, Nikki puts on the coaching hat to walk us through some of the questions that can help you walk out of decision paralysis and conquer your fear! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Fear — PsychologyToday.com Episode Transcript (00:00) - The ADHD Podcast (00:30) - Announcements: July Break, Summer Coaching, and more! (02:30) - Support The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! (05:28) - Overcoming the Fear of Making Decisions ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The ADHD diagnosis can be as confusing as it is illuminating, unlocking doors in yourself you never knew to be closed. Just as it is a journey for you as you learn to live with these new words that suddenly describe you, it is as much a journey for those who love you. Parents, siblings, and others who care about you will experience a range of emotions as they, too, learn about your diagnosis. This week on the show, inspired by a listener request, Nikki and Pete are taking on how to talk to your loved ones after you receive your ADHD diagnosis and give you some tools you can use to frame the conversation to work toward shared understanding and growth. Links & Notes Episode Transcript (00:00) - The ADHD Podcast (01:44) - Listener Letter! (05:12) - Support The ADHD Podcast on Patreon (06:36) - Talking to loved ones after diagnosis (11:55) - The nature of 'fault' (13:28) - Truth and Fact, Education ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

ADHD Coach Caroline Maguire is back! She’s a coach, author, teacher, and speaker with a special focus in social skills supporting kids — and parents of kids — with ADHD. She’s just about to celebrate the release of her new book, Why Will No One Play with Me?: The Play Better Plan to Help Children of All Ages Make Friends and Thrive and we’re thrilled she came back to share the story of the book, and why social skills are so critical for kids and adults alike in healthy development. Her book is scheduled for launch in September, but follow the links below to be notified of availability or pre-order now. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Episode Transcript Why Will No One Play with Me?: The Play Better Plan to Help Children of All Ages Make Friends and Thrive by Caroline Maguire Pre-order Now Learn more about Caroline Maguire Caroline Maguire on Facebook (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (01:22) - Support The ADHD Podcast (02:59) - Introducing Caroline Maguire (04:48)

Adult diagnosis of ADHD is, by all our evidence on this show, an enormously liberating thing. We learn so much about ourselves, put a clear and cogent frame around our experience, that we can truly change the way we relate to the world around us. There's baggage that comes to this experience late in life, however: many of us live in a culture that puts outsized value on achievement and success in the young. There's a brewing conversation on the value of late bloomers, particularly but not exclusively in the US, and it's time to talk about the values that come along with blooming late — and what other late bloomers can learn from those who've been blooming late with ADHD all along. Welcome to the club, late bloomers. Glad to have you. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Rich Karlgaard on WAMC Late Bloomers: The Power of Patience in a World Obsessed with Early Achievement by Rich Karlgaard Why Late Bloomers are Undervalued — TEDxFargo Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg (00:00) - Welcome

For many of us, our relationship with Dr. Edward Hallowell, M.D., Ed.D., started with his best-selling 1994 book, Driven to Distraction. He's the author of 20 books on various psychological topics and is a highly recognized international speaker on ADHD, focus, productivity, and beyond. He’s the founder of The Hallowell Centers, and has been featured as a guest expert across the media landscape, not to mention he’s a terrific host of his own podcast, DISTRACTION, which focuses on, you guessed it, the struggles and distractions of this amped up world. Dr. Hallowell joins us today to talk about self-esteem. It’s a subject that creeps in and out of our community regularly with questions that angle on our perception of self, our sometimes flagging love and appreciation of ourselves, and who better to help us assess self-esteem and the ADHD role in our self-perception than one of the premier leaders in our field and the ADHD experience. Links & Notes Because I Came from a Crazy Family: The Making of a Psychia

This week on the show, Nikki takes to the mic to interview Pete and Tommy Metz III about their podcast, ‘What’s That Smell?’ Over the last three seasons of WTS, Pete and Tommy have learned a lot about sharing their anxieties with the world through the podcast, and about helping others to laugh in the face of their own fears. Today on the show, we’re going to hear what that journey has done for them in dealing with their own anxieties, and how Pete’s ADHD journey parallels his anxieties on the way. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Learn more about the show and find links to subscribe in your favorite podcast app at WhatsThatSmell.net (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (00:32) - Become a Patron Supporter! (01:06) - A Very Special Podcast Podcast: What's That Smell? (36:52) - What's That Smell? ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Optimism is about more than just parading around happily all the time. It’s a worldview that has direct and powerful connections to your social group, your productivity, and your very own health! This week on the show, we’re talking all about optimism. You’ll understand the kind of language you might be using that becomes the pessimism trap, you’ll learn about recent research connecting your worldview to your cardiovascular health, and you’ll discover how you can incorporate a daily optimism practice into your routine with ease! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Join The ADHD Podcast Public Discord Server (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast: The Choice to be Optimistic! (01:32) - Support the ADHD Podcast on Patreon (02:58) - Optimism ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

By the age of 12, children with ADHD hear 20,000 more negative messages than their peers. Those messages are teaching lessons about self-esteem, courage, confidence, initiative, and decision-making that become deeply rooted in their identity. That's kids, but what happens to those kids as they grow up? 20,000 negative messages grows exponentially as we move into college, or our first jobs, our careers. And what about those of us diagnosed later in life? Those of us who heard all those same negative messages, but had nothing to attribute them to? This week on the show we’re talking all about resilience, that state of being that allows us to rebound from short-term setbacks, and adapt to long-term change, without letting our ADHD get in the way. Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (03:40) - Support The ADHD Podcast on Patreon (07:12) - Resilience (17:21) - Assessments of Friction ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Language is an important factor in how we integrate ourselves with the world around us. It determines our worldview and can go a long way toward determining how well we succeed in what we’re trying to accomplish toward our goals but simply giving us the intrinsic motivation to keep moving forward. To set yourself up for success, you might want to explore whether you’ve adopted a growth mindset, or if you’ve adopted the inner language of fixed resistance. This week on the show, we’re exploring the Growth Mindset. Thanks to some innovative work in how we approach our challenges, we have all the tools we need to improve our confidence and avoid getting mired in the resistance. Sponsor: Our research for today’s show is anchored in the work of Dr. Carol Dweck and her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. If you’re interested in the book, you can get it today for free by visiting audibletrial.com/theadhdpodcast and signing up for a new account. Browse the catalog, search for Mindset, and download it today. I

A mind map can be a truly transformational personal tool for integrating new information into your system — and your memory! With a little exploration and practice, you can learn how to develop a mind map that presents information the way your brain actually interprets it, through concepts, images and ideas. What is it that makes mind maps such a unique tool, and what do you need to learn to make mind maps that allow you to capture quickly without overwhelm? Join us this week to find out! Links & Notes Coggle Mindly iMindMap MindMeister Mind Node (00:02) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (03:54) - Question: Advice on the PRAXIS for Teachers? (06:52) - Question: SQ3R? (09:34) - Support The ADHD Podcast on Patreon (11:28) - Mind Mapping ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

That little voice in your head? The one telling you that you have no business doing what you're doing? That's the resistance. And you can tell it to shove off. This week on the show, Nikki and Pete review some of the reasons you might be feeling the resistance. Sure, you might be accustomed to calling it procrastination, but is there more to it than that? Have you reflected on the underlying conditions that might be getting in the way of accomplishing your goals, from planning thoroughly, from trying something new? It's up to you do do some healthy resistance house cleaning... and we're starting now! Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (01:15) - Support The ADHD Podcast on Patreon — Join the Community! (02:00) - Can we talk about resistance? ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Our community is full of learners — students of all stripes. But the act of learning is different for those living with ADHD. It puts new pressures on different parts of the brain. Sitting and digesting new information is a challenge over long periods, and building a map to structure your own learning path in an environment of uncertainty can cause deep anxiety. Whether you're pursuing a degree or testing for a new certification, this week we offer tools and strategies to help you be a smarter and more effective student with your ADHD! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Learn more about College Coaching for ADHD with Nikki (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (01:51) - Support The ADHD Podcast on Patreon — Join the Community! (03:32) - Strategies for Students with ADHD! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You're busy enough as it is. But what happens when you're offered a new project, grand opportunity, great chance to show off? How do you know if you can afford to say... yes? Today on the show, Nikki breaks down the process you can use to shed the stress of saying yes, and build strong and confident boundaries that help you decline with love. From crafting smart priorities so you better understand the time you have available, to determining if you’re ready to make the emotional commitment to a new project. Jump in! (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (01:13) - Spring ADHD Coaching is now open for registration! (02:15) - Become a Patron — Join The ADHD Podcast Community (03:39) - How do I know when to start new things? ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Living with ADHD is a mystery. Sometimes, we’re completely present and aware of our symptoms, sure. But most of the time, we aren’t completely aware of what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, or the impact our symptoms are having on others… until we’re thrown in a laboratory. Today on the show, Pete shares his experience in just such an environment. A perfectly benign social engagement offers the opportunity to see just how ADHD symptoms are triggered and resolved over minutes thanks to some clever puzzles… and the urge to escape. Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (01:24) - Spring ADHD Coaching is now open for registration! (02:31) - The Complex is back! (kind of...) (06:27) - Become a Patron — Join The ADHD Podcast Community (07:51) - The ADHD Escape (Room) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It’s paper day! Dealing with your paper piles requires a unique approach that is more of a cousin to the four steps we’ve been practicing thus far. First thing to note: paper organizing has no end! Once you wrap your head around that, we can get started in building a system to efficiently categorize and stay up-to-date on the paper without becoming overrun by piles! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Take Control ADHD Course: The Paper Solution Luke Barnett’s Author Life chat with Pete Tools They Use Podcast from Keep Productive chat with Pete (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (03:00) - The Opening Question: Letting Someone Down (09:34) - Support The ADHD Podcast on Patreon (11:58) - Oranizing Paper ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You’ve done the hard work. You’ve purged and sorted, and you’ve found a way to effectively assign spaces to your things, things to your spaces. But how do you keep those spaces and systems functioning? You turn to maintenance. Maintenance does not mean that you’re in a constant state of organizing. That would be exhausting! This week on the show, we’re talking about what maintenance is and how to set up smart systems to support your new organized self. Plus, we answer a bonus listener question about managing passwords in the age of epic breaches. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Wikipedia — Have I Been Pwnd? Wikipedia — Troy Hunt (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (01:42) - Follow-up: Have I Been Pwnd? (07:41) - Support The ADHD Podcast (09:34) - Organizing Step 4: Maintenance ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’ve made it! For those who have been listening to our organizing series and wondering where all the organizing is, this week is all for you! But remember, each step in the organizing process is critical — especially for those living with ADHD! — so just as you’re taking the organizing step seriously, that can only come thanks to your efforts in sorting and purging before it. This week, we’re talking about effective use of your space, how you think about space, and how you approach turning your space into a home for your things! We are proud to be guests in Linda Roggli’s 4th Annual ADHD Women’s Palooza! For a whole week, 30 top ADHD experts gather online to present about ADHD as it specifically relates to women. Registration is open now, presentations begin on February 25th! Oh, and did we mention it’s free to attend? That’s right, as long as you can make time to watch the sessions during the Palooza, it’s free. But you can get all kinds of great bonuses with a paid ticket so check it out! Links & Notes

In part 2 of our organizing series we're taking on sorting and purging. How do you handle making the tough decisions that will ultimately lead you to reclaiming your space? You build some new muscles... starting today! First, we’ve got a listener question that takes us deep into the avoidance spiral hole, and a reminder that if you haven’t invested in a password vault to keep your usernames and passwords secure, 2.2 billion reasons just hit the open network. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! “Security firm identifies hacker behind Collection 1 leak, as Collection 2-5 become public” by Catalin Cimpanu Download 1Password (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (01:08) - Safety Update: Make sure you have a password vault! (03:16) - HaveIBeenPwned.com (04:32) - Opening Question: How do I break the Avoidance Spiral Hole! (11:24) - Support the Show (12:54) - Follow-up: Kondo and ADHD (15:04) - Organizing Step 2: Sorting and Purging (40:40) - Homework! ★ Support this podcas

If you haven’t noticed, there is a lot of energy around getting organized in the air right now. Spurred on by the new Marie Kondo show on Netflix, we’re getting more and more questions about the so-called magic of tidying up and, most importantly, is this an ADHD-friendly way to handle your stuff? As you can imagine, we have opinions! This week on the show we’re digging into our roots to talk about organizing with ADHD, kick-starting a five-week mini-series on the organizing process, and how to get organized in a way that is kind to your ADHD. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Organizing Your Space Your Way with Nikki Kinzer Tidying Up with Marie Kondo (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (02:00) - Question: Is Marie Kondo ADHD-Friendly? (10:47) - Support The ADHD Podcast! (12:55) - Orgainzing with ADHD (18:22) - The Four Steps of Organizing Your Space (19:33) - Step One: Planning, and the Definition of Organization (25:16) - Is tidying up really a special event for A

Some call hyperfocus the hidden superpower of ADHD. It’s characterized as this amazing reserve of focus that you can turn on to accomplish great things, health and wellness be damned! If you’re living with ADHD, you know what a misunderstanding this can be. Sure, hyperfocus can be a massive reserve of energy, akin to firing a glass cannon into the open ocean — it’s a reserve that too often destroys itself with no ultimate reward. Today we’re talking about what goes into hyperfocus with an eye on creating a more productive, targeted experience for ADHD that the experts have dubbed flow. Is it possible to build a model of understanding our hyperfocus states such that we can train our brains to get better at it? Join us and share your experience, too! Along the way, we wrapped up four questions you can ask of yourself to determine whether you're likely to find a state of flow in a project. Consider: Do you have the tools required to meet the project expectations? Do you have the skill required to meet the proj