Rinse. Wash. Repeat.

Rinse. Wash. Repeat.
When the thoughts about starting Orchid became a reality, I was got a dose of executive dysfunction served to me on a silver platter. Starting a practice seemed completely overwhelming, with so many details and steps. Several times, I ran through a cycle that I talk with clients about all the time — “overwhelm – avoid – repeat.” This is what happens to people when they get overloaded with projects or tasks and start feeling a sense of paralysis in the frontal lobe, and then basically do nothing at all. Rinse, wash, repeat. Those of you with ADHD who have continued to read this far will know exactly what I’m describing. You start feeling overwhelmed and anxious, spinning your wheels, and then avoid the stressors by procrastinating with nonessential tasks — like clipping your nails, brushing the dog, watching Netflix, or scrolling through Facebook. Think about the little rainbow circle that runs on your Mac screen when the computer has too many tasks processing at one time and then forces you to turn off your computer — that’s what’s happening in your brain.
Unlike a computer whose only option is to hit a hard reset button, humans have the ability to ground ourselves in other ways, to gain traction and get moving in a productive direction. We can draw on what excites us about the process, reach out to others for support and help, and use our intellectual strengths to help lead us toward that desired outcome.
The process of “unsticking” or mobilizing after a “frontal lobe paralysis” is certainly not a one-size-fits-all solution. Each unique person and challenge calls for its own recipe. When you figure out your patterns, cycles, and barriers to success, and reconnect with the inner drive that got you to where you are right now, the anxiety begins to wane, and you can start taking baby steps toward your goals. In my case, this meant listening to my gut, taking a risk, and listening to the people around me who were telling me I could do it. One foot in front of the other….