10/19/2026
It is ADHD awareness month and, wouldn't you know it, I've been meaning to make a post for most of the month and kept forgetting to actually write the dang post 😅
A few facts about ADHD:
- It is classified as a learning disability
-There is a stigma around the treatment and management of ADHD symptoms
- It is estimated that around 75% of women and girls with ADHD will go undiagnosed
- It is a lifelong condition that cannot be cured, as ADHD is a difference in the way your brain is wired
- It has a genetic component, which means it is inheritable
Another fact is that I was part of the 75% of women that go undiagnosed, until 2016 when a psychologist realized that I was struggling with more than just anxiety and depression.
Growing up, I was a straight A student that didn't struggle (outwardly) with school. I loved reading and a good challenging assignment; learning is something that seemed to come pretty easy to me.
On the inside though, I was a wreck. Constant fear of forgetting an assignment or misplacing something important to me led to the creation of compulsions as a means to cope. Rigidity in routine would help for a period of time, until it would inevitably faultier and all come crashing down.
Now, as an adult with a greater understanding of this disability and how it permeates every aspect of my life, I'm better able to cope with it. I have an understanding of the blind spots in my day to day life. I won't be quirky and say "it's my superpower" because the truth is? I don't feel like it is. More often than not it's a great hindrance and causes a great amount of stress in my daily life.
I once heard a speaker describe ADHD like having the task of carrying 100 marbles throughout the day, only to realize later that everyone else is given a bag except for you.
Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change my diagnosis; but I don't love it. At the end of the day it *is still* a disability. I struggle with full time employment, which is why my day job is only part time. I struggle keeping organized, which is when I lean on my family and friends for assistance. I struggle with time blindness and forgetting the things that I love, so I am constantly setting timers and keep a list of things I enjoy in my notepad.
I would argue that my ADHD is a huge part of why I started my business; it's a means of being creative, being in charge, being challenged, and helping others. It has also stretched me in ways I cannot fathom to say right now.
That being said, it *isn't* all doom and gloom. Learning how my brain works, specifically with hobby cycling and figuring out how I best rest, has been huge. If you know me, you know I love my hobbies. From painting, to pastels, to crochet, to cross stitch, to beading, and so on and so on.
Through a combination of finding the right medication to help me with my executive dysfunction and organize my thoughts better, and setting up my life in a way that actually supports me, I love my life. Yes it's chaotic, yes sometimes I do struggle (it's a DIS-ability, remember?), and yes sometimes I get so overwhelmed by my thoughts it gets hard to breathe; but all in all, it's just *part* of what makes me, me.
If you think of your brain like the sky, having storm clouds on the horizon doesn't mean you suddenly despise the sky as a whole. You recognize that rain is coming, and grab a jacket. Tomorrow is a new day and the sun will rise again. It's all in learning how to dance in the rain, and enjoying the sunshine while it lasts.
