News from Getting Clear

Linda Anderson, MA, MCC, SCAC

         September 2010             

Featured Article:   New Beginnings - Changing Negative Thinking

Tips, Tools and Wisdom:    Practice Forgiving

Getting Healthy:   Five more healthy foods that you just might not have tried

Upcoming Events:     "Prioritizing The Stuff of Life" - A Webinar  3rd Annual Virtual AD/HD Conference 
                   October 4, 2010, 2:30- 3:30 EST  http://gettingclear.com/calendar.html                     

New Beginnings  - Changing Negative Thinking  

For some of us, the beginning of September brings with it a sense of hope and the possibility for a fresh start.  As each new school year began, I always had hopes for greater success and accomplishment than experienced the previous year.  I wanted to do better.  Each September, I still get that feeling of a new beginning, opportunity ahead, and the hope for more success.


However, September may not bring about the same feeling for you and for some adults who have ADHD.  Instead, it might actually evoke a feeling of apprehension or even sadness, linked to all those Septembers spent anxiously anticipating having to work ten times harder in school then everyone else, knowing that there will be missed deadlines, lost homework, last minute cramming, failed tests, grumbling teachers and parents.


You knew something was wrong.  You worried, and you waited for someone to catch on to your failings. You continually disappointed yourself.  Over those years, one thing improved drastically, that nagging inner self-critic.


So, how can you possibly transform the habit of negative thinking? You work at it.  Here’s my basic one, two step approach based upon experience.  

  1. Read, learn, connect.  Connect to people who "get it," who understand ADHD.  Connect to information. Understanding can lead to acceptance.  Every year we learn something more about ADHD and the brain.  Keep learning.
  2. Practice forgiving.  Forgive others.  Most of all, forgive yourself.

 

Tips, Tools and Wisdom - Practice Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a choice, or is it?  You can decide to forgive someone, but it could be that forgiving someone is something you have to also grow into, because you are still angry, sad or disappointed.  That means you may have to practice forgiving others and practice forgiving yourself.  It may not be a simple immediate change of habit or attitude, but instead a choice to practice forgiving with an end reward in mind - acceptance, more happiness and less stress.  Start by being aware of how often you make negative self-judgments. 


The way I see it, you have only two choices in front of you when you become aware of one those negative self-judgments.  Just two.  The first, you don't forgive, you don't accept having ADHD, and you spend a lot of time, unhappy, angry, arguing and fighting what is.  Or two, you practice forgiving.  Forgive yourself first.  Close on the heels of forgiveness comes acceptance and greater possibilities for happiness.  So choose to practice forgiving.  You don’t have to be perfect at it.  You just make it a choice.

Getting Healthy - Five more healthy foods that you just might not have tried.

Taking care of your health is not about being selfish.  How are you taking care of yourself, today?


In August, I highlighted five healthy foods you just might not have tried.  Some of them were unusual.  Here are five more foods, not so unusal, from the "25 Ridiculously Healthy Foods," article mentioned in the last e-newsletter.  Is there any doubt that a healthy body supports a healthy brain?


From Prevention magazine http://prevention.com/25healthyfoods/?cm_mmc=Spotlight-_-02262010-_-Nutrition and Recipes-_-25 Ridiculously Healthy Foods


  • Oats - Fiber rich, you can add them to other foods.  Eat them for breakfast or put them in your chocolate chip cookies.  A Finnish study tracked 4,316 men for over ten years.  Those who ate the highest amount of fiber were 61% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.  Get your fiber!
  • Flaxseed  - A potent source of omega - 3 fatty acids, in one study, women who ate 10g (I rounded tablespoon) everyday for two months had a 25% increase in the ratio of breast cancer protective to cancer promoting chemicals in their blood.  Sprinkle on cereal or in yogurt.  Get your fatty acids!
  • Broccoli  - Reported in n  a John Hopkins study, just four weekly servings of vegetables like broccoli (cauliflower, cabbage) cut the risk of dying from any disease by 26% among 6100 people studied over 28 years.   Read that statement again and go green.
  • Yams  - Loaded with beta carotene which converts to Vitamin A in your body, this is a fiber rich food and the calories are lower than you think - 130 calories per potato.  Calorie counters rejoice!
  • Chocolate  - The good news--it's true! Dark chocolate (70% or more cocoa) is loaded with antioxidants (3X that of milk chocolate).  It might even help with weight loss.  Two tablespoons of dark chocolate chips, add some blueberries or apple pieces and you have a healthy snack.  Rejoice!

 

Upcoming Events

I will be presenting at the 3rd Annual Virtual AD/HD Conference!

http://www.gettingclear.com/calendar.html


 "Prioritizing the Stuff of Life"

Monday, October 4th 2:30-3:30pm EST

http://www.gettingclear.com/calendar.html

 

When you have ADHD, it's a challenge knowing how to prioritize everything on your list.  How do you figure out what to focus on first?


And what about you? Are you at the top of your priority list?

Listen for my podcast on the ADHD virtual conference website

                        http://www.adhdconference.com/podcasts.shtml