Overcoming Distractions

On this episode of Overcoming Distractions, we talk about a common buzzword lately and that’s the topic of pivoting. You can call it pivoting, change of direction, or change of course. Whatever you want to term it, some of us are going to make a major change in our lives more than once.

For many with ADHD, we can get pretty good with this. But this podcast is a great discussion for anyone who is considering a major change in their life. You do not have to have ADHD to benefit from this discussion.

The guest this week is Sherry Dutra of Dutra Associates. Sherry is a professional certified coach working in New England but has had clients all over the world. She works in the areas of talent development, career management as well as serving as a retirement coach for many. She has a wealth of expertise when it comes to making major life and career changes.

We often hear the word Pivot so Dave asks Sherry what pivoting really means. We talk about some of the more common reasons that would cause someone to want to make a major change and if she has seen more people take “inventory” of their career during the COVID 19 crisis.

Sherry walks listeners through the steps a person can take to minimize any mistakes when making a change in your career life or business.

Does it always have to be a big change? Or just a small shift? Sherry answers this question about maybe making small changes that help us feel renewed.

What does Sherry caution people with before going out and making a pivot? She talks about real motive, adequate finances, education and training.

Sherry wraps up the conversation with her top tips for pivoting, making a career change or starting a new business.

You can find Sherry Dutra at her website:

https://dutraassociates.com/

We have Dr. Lara Honos-Webb back on Overcoming Distractions to talk about how to make your gifts shine with ADHD. Many of us with ADHD need to work extra hard to find our gifts as well as believe that our ADHD can be a gift. With so many negative thoughts about our attention span and other traits, we often feel that our ADHD is a total curse.

Dr. Honos Webb gives is a sense of why there is so much stigma in the public associated with having a differently wired brain. And we reverse that question to find out why so many with ADHD have a personal sigma about themselves and not believe in their own gifts.

She also helps listeners understand how we can actually convince ourselves that we have gifts associated with our ADHD. We may fall into that negative talking trap and she walks us through how we can all better understand our gist and positive qualities.

We talk about the workplace and ADHD and how we can gain more confidence in the workplace and how we can thrive and show our boss or our employer how valuable we can be to an organization. And, how we can have more confidence in ourselves in business and in life.

Dr Lara gives us her top tips for ways we can identify our gifts and put them into action including some great tips on self-care and mindfulness to help of foster more creativity and harmony in our lives.

You can find out more about Dr. Lara Honos Webb here including many of her books on ADHD: www.addisagift.com

The power of positive self-talk is the topic for this important podcast this time. There are many ways to thrive with Adult ADHD and many ways to focus on your strengths. This episode is decided to having a positive mindset and learning how to be nice to yourself.

The guest this week is Lara Honos Webb, a clinical psychologist based in California and the author of many books on ADHD.

We talk about how many of us, ADHD or not, get stuck in a trap of negative self talk and where that negativity comes from. For many with ADHD or other types of different brains, school was not a great place for us and in many cases, it was the cause of negative thoughts and patterns.

We discuss they types of things you may find in common with people that get in this habit of negative self talk and how this can progress into other areas of life.

Lara talks about how negative self talk can affect us and affect others around us and why it is such a negative force in our lives.

We discuss the benefits of positive self talk and why it is so important to our wellbeing and mindset. And what brain scans can tell us about how to talk to ourselves.

Lara walks us through how we get on a path of minimizing these negative behaviors and some final tips for everyone, whether we have ADHD or not.

Find Lara’s article on Psychology Today here. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-gift-adhd/201903/self-talk-solutions-adhd

Lara’s website for more info. https://www.addisagift.com/

This week, Benjamin Cheyette, M.D. is back on Overcoming Distractions to speak about how you can embrace your ADHD brain. Many of those with ADHD do struggle with many of the negative aspects of having ADHD but countless also embrace that ADHD brain they were given and have used it for forge great careers and launch successful businesses.

On this podcast, we discuss how adults with ADHD can embrace their strengths that come with ADHD and learn how to live with and manage some of the limitations that they might be experiencing. We also first take the time to discuss why some individuals may or may not identity themselves as ADHD or having ADHD and we do address how some may struggle with getting to a place where they can feel they are thriving in life.

Dr. Cheyette also talks about the fact that some run away from their ADHD and decide not to address it or even characterize themselves as someone who just might have a different brain. We discuss the pros and cons of that situation.

How do we work toward embracing ADHD or the brain we were given? Dr. Cheyette talks about how we can look inward and find the good in our ADHD. We also discuss why it is important for people to focus on the positives and Dr. Cheyette offers his perspective from a clinical point of view

Ben also discusses the difference between an ADHD coach and a psychologist like himself. When should you see someone like him and when does it make sense to use the services and guidance of an ADHD coach. Having a professional by your side can help you embrace your own ADHD in different ways.

Find Dr. Cheyette’s article we mention in the podcast below.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/1-2-3-adhd/201709/thinking-focus

The title of this podcast interview is interesting and so is the project by the same name. What would our world look like without the minds of those with ADHD? The ADHD mind is responsible for so many of the inventions, discoveries and other things we enjoy and many of us are unaware of that. Those with ADHD are thinkers and problem solvers and so much progress has been made by the minds of neurodiversity.

This podcast has Dr. Kirsten Milliken and ADHD Coach Kris Mitchell as guests. Their project “Would You Want to Live In A World Without ADHD?” is meant to show the world that there have been many positives from the world of ADHD.

We always hear about negatives with ADHD but the three talk about some of the positive aspects of ADHD.

They discuss why those without ADHD should change their perspective about ADHD as well as individuals with ADHD. Both can have a negative view.

The group talks about why so many with ADHD need to chart their own course including some of the professionals they profile on the website. www.worldwithoutadhd.com

How does someone really find out what their strengths are? Dr. Kirsten and Kris have some thoughts on how to really home in on what you are good at.

Dr. Kirsten and Kris talk all about the project “Would You Want to Live In A World Without ADHD?” Why they launched it, what they are trying to achieve and how you can be a part of this groundbreaking effort.

They also answer the question- What life lessons do you feel can be taught through the lens of ADHD? To anyone regardless of whether they have ADHD or not.

This is a great discussion about looking at ADHD through a different and positive lens.

You can be a part of the project by logging on to their website: www.worldwithoutadhd.com

For most of us, we want to be truly happy and that involves finding out who we really are, what we were put on this earth to do and our purpose in life. Not the meaning of life, but our purpose. And that’s what this podcast is all about. Back again is Grandmaster Chris Berlow from Empowered Mastery and he talks about how to identify your purpose and get to know yourself a little better.

Chris talks about ways to find happiness in your life and how to identify your own personal values as well as why that is important to everyone. He also defines happiness as he sees it and it is not all related to money.

Chris also walks us through what Empowered Mastery calls the LAB Report which is the Life Alignment Blueprint which he walks many of his clients through to help them create clarity in their lives. And he talks about how to draft a Worthy Ideal which is a personal statement of what is important to you in life as an individual.

You can find Grandmaster Chris Berlow at: https://empoweredmastery.com/

What is ADHD? What role does dopamine play in the brain? How does dopamine work in the brain? These are some of the questions we answer in this episode of Overcoming Distractions the podcast this week.

Benjamin Cheyette, MD, Ph.D is the guest this week and we go back to some basics of ADHD and the brain. Maybe you were diagnosed with ADHD but don’t really know more about the how ADHD really works and what some of the characteristics are. Ben breaks ADHD down beautifully and with a lot of detail.

Ben and Dave spend a lot of time on dopamine. What dopamine is and how it works in the brain. Dopamine is not an ADHD thing. Every human relies on dopamine as well as animals and Ben walks us through a very detailed explanation from the neuroscience point of view. Ben says that it is the reward system for the brain, and we all need it.

Ben also takes time to distinguish between short term dopamine rushes such as when someone likes your photo on social media and longer term dopamine such as when you find the job and career that you love.

Ben wraps up by discussing what it takes to be you. At least in the world of ADHD, many of us must find out who we are and what we like and dislike. Ben says to start with writing down your values and finding what you want to accomplish and what you ultimately need to say no to and cut off.

Ben is also the co-author of the book ADHD and the Focused Mind. He talks briefly about the book and some of the lessons in the book.

You can find the book here; https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0757004148

Find his blog here on Psychology Today; https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/1-2-3-adhd

This week on Overcoming Distractions, we talk with Brendan Mahan about what he calls the Wall of Awful. Brendan who has been on the podcast before and was featured in the book, Overcoming Distractions talks about how those who struggle with various takes can find a way to tackle those responsibilities that might be plaguing them to no end.

Brendan is also the founder of ADHD Essentials and coaches individuals of all ages. He runs the popular podcast by the same name.

Brendan says that there is a progression that many with ADHD go through when it comes to getting things accomplished. They run from failure, disappointment, rejection, worry, self-doubt and the emotions run high sometimes. There are just some days when anyone, regardless of whether they have ADHD or not, can run into this Wall of Awful and we need to find ways to tackle this wall.

Brendan talks about the ways in which you can tackle the Wall of Awful. Some ways are much better than others. He talks about putting a door in the wall, smashing though the wall and going around the wall. He talks about the strategies involved in trying to get from goals and tasks to done and accomplished.

Brendan and Dave also spend time on the topic of email and how it can slow our days down. Brendan shares some of his tips for making email more manageable and fun at the same time.

In this podcast, Brendan answers the common question, why is it so difficult some days to get things done! And he has the answers.

Find Brendan Mahan at his website which includes ADHD Essentials the Podcast. www.adhdessentials.com

This is an important episode for anyone that has had their work environment abruptly altered due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus crisis. Many of us are now working from home and may not be ready for that change to our working environment.

Dave sits down with Casey Dixon of Dixon Life Coaching about how you can continue to work and stay productive during this drastic change in our work and home life. Casey works with professionals including lawyers, professors and others in high-demand careers to help them stay on track and stay productive.

Dave and Casey talk about how in a time of crisis, there can be a shock to a person’s work environment and they talk about what can happen. However, many with ADHD who have become successful, have systems in place and can transition during these times. But there still can be challenges.

They discuss how to set up a place in your home if you don’t already have a dedicated space to work from. And they walk through how to set priorities when you suddenly have a house full of children that do not have a school to go to.  

Casey also talks about what happens when you suddenly have nothing to do. Many in the COVID-19 crisis lost their jobs or had a sudden drop in client work. While we hope this is temporary, Casey talks about how to stay active during these times.

And Casey goes through a checklist if you have suddenly had to change your work environment. She talks about time management, routines, staying healthy with mind and body exercises, blocking distractions and negotiating some structure with the rest of the family.

You can find Casey Dixon here: https://www.dixonlifecoaching.com/

If you want to improve your focus with ADHD, this will be a great podcast for you to listen to. Back for round two is Dr. Sarah Cheyette, a specialist in ADHD and the author of Winning with ADHD and the title of our podcast, ADHD and The Focused Mind.

In her book, Sarah and her co-authors Peter Johnson and Ben Cheyette walk readers through how you can use the techniques of athletes and martial artists to achieve greater focus when you have ADHD.

Sarah and Dave first talk about the myth that those with ADHD cannot focus. In fact, people with ADHD can have tremendous focus when they want to and on things that matter to them. They address both the public’s perception as well as the self-talk that many with ADHD tell use to tell themselves otherwise.

Sarah and Dave discuss our need for goals, how we have our best performance when we have practical and achievable goals and how self esteem comes from achievement. Sarah also goes through the concept of SMART Goals and how to implement them in your life.

Sarah talks about the will to train versus the will to win and how they differ.

And Dave and Sarah discuss how to how mind and body work together to help those with ADHD including nutrition, sleep, exercise, a healthy breakfast and positive visualization. How to keep your spirit up and the importance of believing in yourself.

Find Sarah Cheyette and the book here: https://sarahcheyette.com/