ADHD Coach – Session 1

So today I met with a really incredible Certified Life & ADHD Coach, Lynda Hoffman.

I read about this all the time happening to other people but this was the first time that I really felt like I could let my guard down and place myself in a professional’s hands. I have been incredibly hesitant in the past few months while i was trying to wrap my head around what ADHD was, how I can help myself and what I need. I would meet people and professionals who weren’t exactly specialized in ADHD. My own doctor was trying to prescribe me medication for ADHD while reading off a medication chart! I was beyond not okay with that!! I am also soooo into energy, feelings, vibes or whatever you want to call it. I get this feeling; call it anxiety, call it intuition, call it whatever you want. Basically it comes down to the way that the person that I am with makes me feel. I have such good vibes from Lynda; the perfect balance between “let’s get shit done” and staying in touch with your feelings. I can already feel that I am gravitating in the right direction!

Let me explain the above chart that Lynda drew and helped me see.

The Brown

These two are what get in my way the most. They are holding me back at “0” or close to it.  Once I can get these two out of the way then I can really achieve my goals and be true to myself (soul).

• Anxiety – This ties hand in hand with overwhelm. Overwhelm is one of my anxiety triggers. Unfortunately, overwhelm isn’t my only trigger for anxiety – but one step at a time here!
• Overwhelm – When I have a lot going on at the same time I don’t know what to do or where to start because all of my thoughts are rotating in my head on a big loop.

The Purple – Soul (True Self)

Once all of these aspects are met, I will be able to move at full throttle in my y axis! For those of you that aren’t math friendly, that’s the vertical (up and down) line in the chart.

• Being – I write a lot more about this below but basically instead of just being I was trying to fix myself and have a solution for all the signals that my body was sending me. I am going to try and “Just Be” rather than try and fix myself.
• Balance – This one is so tough and huge for me. Once I start a new project, start a new job or anything is new in my life I become so wrapped in it and throw all of my energy into said project or experience. Unfortunately, I burn myself out and this isn’t good for anyone. I would like to learn how to maintain balance on a daily/weekly basis. Lynda gave me a solution for this that I am going to try! Right now my planner shows each day individually. I am going to print a paper that shows my schedule on a weekly basis to better demonstrate if I am doing “too much” of one activity or working too much (I am about to start a second job).
• In My Body – This makes me so emotional because I didn’t realize how mean and cruel that I was being to my vessel that is carrying me through life. I also talk more about this below

Red/Orange

This is everything that I either have and want to maintain or would like to have in my life.

• Support Group – have & want to maintain
• ADHD Coach – started school, on my way!
• Harmony – working on it
• Friends/Family – have & want to maintain
• Leisure reading – would like to start simply reading for pleasure again rather than only for learning.
• Financially Independent – working on it

Through making this chart and chatting with Lynda, I realized that I was becoming so annoying and anxious trying to fix myself rather than just being. I was getting so overwhelmed by the auras that I was getting, the pain/tightness in my shoulders, my stomach issues that I went into hyper fix everything mode. This is what I realized to help change perspective:

My body & I are on the same team, at least we are supposed to be! Lately I have really been feeling like my body has been letting me down. I have never been comfortable with my body. No, not in terms of weight or looks but actually physically being present in my body. Due to my migraines, anxiety, and now stomach issues I have been wanting to escape more than ever. Lynda helped me realized that my body & I are one. Instead of fighting my body I need to work with it and eventually love it.

Lynda taught me this beyond amazing technique “hook-ups” to help get myself grounded. I made my first ever Missleadingly ADHD YouTube video to show you! And, let’s be honest, to help myself remember what exactly I should be doing. Check it out:

These are the goals that we came up with for myself in the next month:

1. Breakdown how many work hours I will need to obtain my financial goals.
2. Put the work hours into my planner
3. Protect some empty spaces “what’s doable?” This is so that I don’t overwhelm myself and try to do too much!

Even at the end of the session I asked Lynda about what brain gym was and we used an example of how I feel while public speaking. My body was swaying back and forth. Honestly – as she was telling me that my balance was off I was telling her “this is my posture, I’m always like this” and then she said to me now think about your friend who just had a baby and how it makes you feel. I was so unaware at first but my feet were firmly planted on the ground, I was no longer swaying!! The power of positive thinking is beyond incredible!

The results that I saw in just one session are super exciting and also very inspiring since being an ADHD & Life coach is what I want to do!