Hello Brains!
I've always loved having ADHD.
My favorite aunt had it too,
so when I was diagnosed as a kid, it was like getting to join this cool club!
But after a year of research,
I've discovered it's responsible for a lot of challenges that I didn't realize.
I still love my ADHD brain but some days
when I'm sleep deprived, when my symptoms are worse than usual
and I'm buried under piles of research talking about the potential negative consequences of having ADHD,
I have to wonder...
Would I rather not have it...?
[Intro Music]
It's easy to fall into that kind of thinking when you're focused more on
what you've done wrong than what you've done right.
But as somebody told me recently:
"ADHD is not a failed version of normal."
Our brains just work differently,
and with those differences
come a lot of strengths!
So yeah! Even on my worst days,
I'm glad I have ADHD!
And here is why:
Here are my 10 favorite things about being a Brain.
Number 10.
We are enthusiastic!
Does this mean we might talk over you somet...?
ABSOLUTELY!
But it also means we give the biggest hugs,
get excited about smallest successes,
and you’ll never have to worry about awkward silence!
Number 9.
We're willing to take risks!
Yes this can mean we burn ourselves with steamers sometimes!
But it also means we jump head first
into challenges and opportunities when others would rather play it safe.
According to my research, ADHDers are 300% more likely to take the risk of starting their own business.
And sometimes, those risks pay off!
[Ding!]
Number 8.
We’re resilient.
Failing a million times means coming out stronger.
Things not going according to plan is just another day at the office.
So, when everybody else is freaking out
we’re working on solutions.
Number 7.
We are funny.
Failing a million times, also means developing a sense of humor.
You can't walk into walls,
pull your keys out of the freezer,
or show up 15 minutes late to work...
...on your day off...
...again
without learning to laugh about it.
That sense of humor not only helps us get through our challenges,
but makes life fun for everyone else around us.
Number 6.
We’re generous.
I’ve never met an ADHDer who wasn’t willing to help when somebody needed them.
You don't have to go very far to see that for yourself.
We have the best community on YouTube.
And that's because of your generosity
in sharing your own experiences
and helping other people through theirs.
Number 5.
We're creative.
We create stuff!
Whether this comes naturally
or is something we develop as a result of having to find our way
in a world that's not built the way we are,
ADHDers tend to think outside the box,
find solutions where other people see walls,
and are generally pretty imaginative.
We love to create
and our constant stream of ideas
might make it hard to finish any one of them.
But the fact that we get bored easily
and seek novelty
means the things that we do create, tend to be pretty cool.
Number 4.
We’re forgiving.
We aren’t perfect, and we don’t expect anyone else to be.
You’re running late? Me too!
Said something you didn’t mean?
It’s okay! I’ve been there.
Forgot to message me back?
[laughter] It’s fine.
I love you anyway.
We've learned, or are still learning
that being a good person, doesn't mean you never mess up.
So just let us know you care, and don't worry about being perfect.
[scoffs]...We'd probably get bored if you were.
Number 3.
We can hyperfocus.
Yes, technically hyperfocus is an inability to switch our attention
when we probably should.
It’s also how I can write for 10 hours straight
or stay up all night researching how
ADHD affects our ability to sleep.
Accomplishing anything worthwhile means doing a lot of work
and when we're passionate about something,
"a lot of work" is not a problem for us.
In fact, a lot of creative types
credit their success to their ADHD for this reason.
...and they say ADHDers are lazy.
Number 673.
We’re full of surprises.
You never know what we’re gonna say
and we never know what we’re going to find when we finally clean our room.
With us, everyday life is an adventure.
And my number one reason I love having ADHD...
Drumroll Edward!
[Drumroll]
Thank you!
Number 1.
We are not alone.
If I had to be the only person in the world with ADHD,
I might get tired of being singled out and feeling misunderstood.
But I'm not.
I'm not alone.
I have you.
We have each other.
We have doctors who have it and understand what we need.
There are champions who have it and can remind us that ADHD doesn’t have to hold you back.
There are ADHDers who coach,
who create organizational systems,
who teach,
who are friends that can understand.
So yeah, even on my worst days...
And yeah, I have them too.
...I’m proud to be part of this tribe
and I wouldn't give it up if I could.
That’s it for this week.
There are a ton more perks that come with having ADHD.
I will link to articles in the description below.
Let me know what your favorite things about having ADHD are!
Comment below, hit me up on Facebook or Twitter
and leave me questions for question time.
Oh and subscribe! Bye Brains!
Question time!!!
I finished watching all your videos, can you make more videos?
Thanks to the donations by our Patreon supporters,
it looks like not only can we keep making these videos,
we should be able to start making even more.
So if you’d like to join them in supporting us and want to be able to say you did it from the beginning,
you have until September 1st
to sign up. For those of you who can’t
don’t worry, you’re still supporting us by liking, sharing, commenting
watching and especially subtitling and translating
and I am so grateful to you for that because
it means I get to keep helping you and I really love doing that!
So thanks...
...for helping me...
...help you...
...help me...
...help you.
Hey look! More videos!!