Before my diagnosis, I lived with reckless behavior, substance abuse, difficulty in school, lack of concentration, disorganization, poor time management and procrastination. I had a serious impulse control problem. I discovered I had ADHD when I had a confrontation with my professor about not bringing down my final exam. It was so bad, they called campus security. The director of the Disability Services Office was also called in. The director of the DSO gave me the choice of going with campus security or to her office. My best bet was to go to her office and wait for her. By the time she came back, I had calmed down. I was a little surprised when she handed me an ADHD self-assessment and asked me to fill it out. Each statement has a score from 1 to 5. I scored a 5 on each statement. The director looked at me and said she thought I had ADHD. In fact, she said it was something she had suspected since I started there.
The next day I went to the outpatient psychiatry clinic at the University of Massachusetts, and I booked an appointment for the next day. After a three-hour evaluation with the psychiatrist, my diagnosis of ADHD combined type was official. I knew my past failures, the self-loathing, the insecurities, and the inability to stick to anything. But now I know why these things have happened and I no longer have to beat up on myself because I’m comfortable in my skin. And I’m finally out of the fog. My mentor once told me “it was like looking through a pair of binoculars that were out of focus.” Once they were focused, I could finally see things. It has made me unique, and I am finally where I am supposed to be.
Today, I am the owner of the Never Defeated Coaching. My responsibilities for my business change day by day. One of the things I use to keep me organized is doing an ADHD brain dump of all the things I need to get done that month. This includes personal appointments such as going to the dentist or seeing a doctor plus my business activities. I use this list to write plan my schedule in my Panda Planner on what I must do. There is so much more I do – life as an entrepreneur is never boring. I could write a book! Another strategy I try is to use a body double most of the time to help me with my distractions. If I can’t have an actual human at home with me, I keep the television on, and it helps me avoid getting distracted. Another thing that has helped me succeed in my business and in life is my perseverance. There are aspects of my combined type of ADHD that I wouldn’t change for anything. I love my bright, playful attitude, and I still feel quite young at heart. Being asked to brainstorm with someone is like being offered a huge bag of candy. I could eat it all at once! I also love my quick, bright mind and my gentle, compassionate, loving spirit. I’ll pretty much do anything for anybody who asks. While I marvel at everything I have been through, I am trusting and mostly optimistic. I’m genuine—what you see is what you get, to a fault. I love to learn and explore all kinds of subjects. It’s an incredible treat for me to share my ADHD hero story and then get to share it with others.