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The Unique Benefits of ADHD Life Coaching for Adopted Women

I’ve been reflecting recently on how much ADHD life coaching has supported me, not just in how I manage my day-to-day life, but in how I feel about myself. For a long time, I felt like I didn’t quite fit in. When I received my ADHD diagnosis in my early 50s, everything began to shift. Not only did I gain a new understanding of myself, but I also began to connect with others who share similar experiences. I found my community and a sense of belonging I was desperately missing.  ADHD Life Coaching played a huge part in that journey. It helped me see how ADHD shows up in my life, sometimes in ways I wasn’t even aware of. For example, I used to push myself harder whenever I felt overwhelmed. I thought that was what I should do. But coaching helped me realise that this only made things worse. What I actually needed was rest, compassion, a softer, kinder approach. I’m still working on resting without guilt (it’s a process!), but I’ve already come a long way. Adoption and ADHD: A C...
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"Why Didn’t Anyone Spot This Sooner?” — The Quiet Struggles of Late-Diagnosed ADHD Women

  For many women, receiving an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood is both a revelation and a reckoning. It's the moment when years of self-doubt, internal chaos, and misunderstood behaviours suddenly make sense. Yet, it's also a time of mourning—for the years lost to misdiagnosis, for the potential unfulfilled, and for the self-compassion that was absent when it was needed most. The Invisible Struggles ADHD in women often presents differently than in men. While boys might exhibit hyperactivity and impulsiveness, girls are more likely to internalise their symptoms. They become the daydreamers, the ones who are "too sensitive," or the perfectionists who spend hours rewriting notes to get them just right. These behaviours are easily overlooked or misattributed to personality traits rather than recognised as symptoms of a neurodevelopmental disorder. As adults, these women often find themselves overwhelmed by daily tasks that others easily manage. They might struggle with tim...
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Rethinking Motivation: How to Get Things Done Without Relying on Willpower

Introduction If you have ADHD, you’ve probably been told to "just try harder" or "use more willpower" to get things done.  But here’s the truth: ADHD brains don’t work on willpower alone . Unlike neurotypical brains, which can rely on discipline and routine , ADHD motivation is interest-based .  If something is fun, urgent, or exciting, you can do it effortlessly.  But if it’s boring, repetitive, or lacks immediate consequences?   It feels physically impossible. The good news?   You don’t need more willpower—you need better strategies.   Let’s explore how to work with your ADHD brain, not against it. Why ADHD Motivation Works Differently 1. Interest-Based Nervous System ADHD brains aren’t wired to respond to "shoulds" or abstract rewards.  Instead, we thrive on: ✔  Novelty  – New and different things grab attention. ✔ Interest -    If we care deeply, we can hyperfocus for hours ✔ Challenge – If something is ex...
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ADHD in the Real World – How to Function When Life Doesn’t Slow Down - Doing Life with ADHD: Messy, Honest, and Still Possible

  Managing ADHD is hard enough in theory—but real life doesn’t come with ideal conditions. You’re dealing with emails, bills, family responsibilities, packed schedules, and a world that often expects “productivity” without understanding how your brain works. The Challenge of Real-World Functioning ADHD and Everyday Admin : Things like paying bills or returning messages can feel disproportionately hard. Competing Demands : Work, home, relationships—all pulling on limited executive function. No Room to Recover : Life doesn’t always allow space to reset when you’re overwhelmed. What Can Help? Micro-Routines : Small, repeatable actions that reduce decision fatigue. (e.g. same breakfast daily, a weekly reset ritual) Choose Your Non-Negotiables : You can’t do it all. What has to happen this week—and what can slide? Create External Support Systems : Lists, alarms, reminders, body doubles, support groups. Build in Compassionate Flexibility : Life gets messy. So will your systems. That does...
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ADHD and Emotions - Why Everything Feels so Big - Why Rejection, Frustration, and Overwhelm Hit Harder with ADHD

 If you’ve ever felt like your emotions are too much—or come out of nowhere—you’re not imagining it. ADHD doesn’t just affect focus and organisation. It also impacts emotional regulation, often in big, invisible ways. Emotional Sensitivity in ADHD Many people with ADHD experience: Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) : Intense emotional pain in response to perceived rejection or criticism. Difficulty Regulating Big Feelings : Struggling to come back down once you’re upset, angry, or overwhelmed. Mood Whiplash : Going from calm to crisis, or happy to shut down, in a moment. This isn’t immaturity or overreaction—it’s neurological. The ADHD brain often processes emotions in a more intense, less regulated way. What Can Help? Name the Feeling : Sometimes just saying, “I’m overwhelmed” can take the edge off. Create Emotional Routines : Movement, music, a go-to “calm kit”—rituals can help your brain feel safe. Validate Yourself : Remind yourself that this isn’t a failure—it’s part of how y...
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Productivity Without Burnout-ADHD-Friendly Ways to Get Stuff Done-How to Get Things Done with ADHD (Without Hating Every Minute)

  We often think of productivity as getting as much done as possible, as fast as possible. But for ADHDers, that approach can lead straight to overwhelm and burnout. So what does ADHD-friendly productivity look like? Common Productivity Pitfalls for people with ADHD:   Time Blindness : Struggling to estimate how long tasks will take. Overplanning, Then Avoiding : Making perfect to-do lists... and then hiding from them. All-or-Nothing Thinking : "If I can't do it properly, I won't do it at all." Shame Loops : Feeling guilty for not doing enough, then freezing and doing less. So What Actually Helps? Work With Your Energy, Not Against It : Plan around your natural rhythms—do focused work when you have focus, and lighter tasks when you don’t. Use a Focus Menu : Create a list of different ways to start focusing (e.g. music, timers, body doubling) and pick one based on your current state. Try the “First Five Minutes” Rule : Just start for five minutes. That’s it. Often, mom...
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Stuck in the In-Between: Why Task Switching Feels So Hard with ADHD

  If you have ADHD, you've probably experienced the strange 'stuckness' that happens when you're trying to shift from one thing to another. Even when the next task is simple—or something you want to do—it can feel like hitting an invisible wall. This isn't laziness or lack of motivation. It's your brain's wiring. Why Are Transitions So Hard?  ADHD affects a set of mental skills called executive functions. These are the processes that help us plan, prioritise, start, and shift between tasks. For people with ADHD, shifting—also known as "task switching" or transitioning—can be particularly challenging. Here’s why: Cognitive Inertia : Once you're in a task (or a state of not doing), your brain tends to stay there. Starting is hard—but stopping can be just as tough. Hyperfocus or Freeze : ADHD brains can either get deeply focused (and lose track of time) or get stuck in a freeze state, unable to get started. Time Blindness : Without a strong sense ...
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