If it were easy, you’d just do it.

Background image of “Do Not Enter” and “Detour” traffic sign in a stack. Text overlay reads, “If it were easy, you’d just do it.”

Do you ever (or perhaps often) find yourself asking, "Why can't I just DO this simple task!?!", or “Why do I keep putting this off!?” There are many reasons ADHDers struggle to get things done, but it’s doubly disheartening when we make a plan that seems foolproof, and we STILL miss the mark. It seemed like the new routine or planner was going to change everything and make you the most productive you’ve ever been, and it just falls flat. This may mean you’re missing part of the larger picture. What part of your plan didn’t work? Was there something that did go well? What didn’t you anticipate that became a barrier?

No system or routine works perfectly all of the time, and it takes time to experiment and tweak until you find what works best for you. Also, there are going to be days when things don’t go well despite your best efforts: you had a lousy night and didn’t get enough sleep; you have a child, a partner, or a dog that got sick; your boss surprised you with a new project; there was a plumbing disaster…and now everything feels like it’s off track.

Being ADHD means we have barriers our neurotypical (NT) counterparts just don’t have. We have cognitive function differences, emotional hyperarousal, neurodivergent trauma, distractedness from nervous system overwhelm, lack of chemical rewards that NTs receive, or expectations of ourselves that are unrealistic. If it were easy, you’d just do it.

So, give yourself a BIG break. THIS IS HARD. You’re doing the best you can with the knowledge and tools you have. There are ways to make life easier to reach your goals, and the place to start is with radical self-acceptance. In a place of fierce self-compassion, your brain will function a lot better, and you’ll be much more capable of looking at the issue objectively so you can come up with creative solutions. This isn’t just feel-good talk, this is neuroscience.

#adhdlatediagnosis #adhdwomen #adhdsupport #adhdroutines #adhdexecutivefunctionskills #adhdlifecoach #adhdlifecoaching #adhdcoaching #adhdcoachingworks #adhdneuroscience #neuroscience #neuroplasticity