Bob Ross Would Be Proud

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR EVERYONE

I know I'm not the only on that needs to hear this:

It's ok to recognize that you're not doing all that you should be and you need help to get there. It can feel like there's a block between you and your goal and the thought of trying to climb over it might stress you out. You just procrastinate to relieve the stress saying you'll do it later knowing that putting it off will just cause twice the amount of stress later on.

Going and getting help to reach your goal doesn't mean that you're stupid, weak, lazy, or unmotivated. It doesn't mean that you're not good enough. It doesn't even matter what the thing you're stuck on is! It could be as big as getting a job or doing a huge school project, or as little as taking out the trash or doing laundry. Even the best of the best hit these blocks too.

Find a coping mechanism to help you get where you should be that works for you. Whether it's asking a friend to remind you to stay on task, using apps that organize your work, using notecards or writing on your arm, pretending your a more responsible version of yourself, or even role playing that your favorite celebrity or character is watching you and is amazed at how productive you are. Look online at how others cope, experiment with different things, find all the things that work for you in each situation.

It's not embarrassing to use coping mechanisms to get over these blocks. No one is going to judge you for getting help. (If they do then they are just bootys' that are to self absorbed to admit that they struggle too). They'll see that you are getting help and think "Wow, they are working really hard to do *thing*. I'm really PROUD of them." Even if you use a method like role playing, people wont know you are role playing unless you tell them or you speak in role play out loud. It may be embarrassing to admit to others that you use roleplaying as a coping mechanism but you don't have to tell others that you do. They'll just see that you are working harder and doing better. And most people outside your immediate family and friend group won't notice you because they are working on their own problems.

For some, these coping mechanisms will disappear over time as your mentality about the obstacles you face changes. You'll find that you can do more and more things without having to resort to using your coping mechanisms. Others may use their coping mechanisms their whole life and that's ok. Everyone is different.

Personally, I use role playing, pretending I'm a more responsible version of myself, and playing house to cope with my ADHD every day and I'm not afraid to admit it.

I'll play house like I did when I was a kid to get my chores and household things done because it makes it to where it's no longer work in my mind but a life sized version of a Barbie game I used to play with my sisters growing up. Chores and cleaning become setting up Barbie houses in preparation for the game. I can do somethings myself but I still rely on this coping mechanism a lot to counteract my executive dysfunction.

I used to pretend a lot that I was a more responsible, non-ADHD version of myself that can do all the adulting things I struggle with. Im able to do things that used to bring me a ton of anxiety like grocery shopping, making and attending dr appointments, and even simple things like walking around in public. Now I can do all those things without pretending I'm a better version of myself because I've realized that I can do those things as my original self. But it took years to get to where I am today.

It's kinda embarrassing to admit this to others for the first time but roleplaying played a huge part of my life in middle and early high school. I used to pretend my favorite characters were watching me in class, during tests, and while I was studying and I wanted to impress them by how well I was doing. Today roleplaying plays the exact same part in my life as it did when I was 12 but it's no longer roleplaying. The reason for this is that over the years, I've slowly turned things I could only do while roleplaying into things that I can do without it by changing my mentality about them. Today I no longer want to impress my favorite characters but rather I want to impress myself and my family. I want myself and my family to see the product of my hard work.

I believe all of you can do this too.

Ja ne~
Significant_Otter