When it comes to ADHD

It ain’t no VD

But let’s not fool or bluff

It’s indeed a double edged sword, no guff

There are gifts within the debris of this great hurricane

Supers Powers potent and buried, not to be feigned.

Some folks say “treat the person not the symptom.”

Look beyond the problem, seek a greater purpose… I call that wisdom.

The ancient stoics would say, don’t ignore the math

The obstacle is the path

Instead of 2D diagnoses which flatten our complex reality

What if we embrace the difficult and stunted parts of our humanity

Our very wild and wonderful nature

Ain’t some random disorder painted into caricature

It’s what we be wise to nurture

To build a better culture

To get there sure we need to factor in our deficits

Never letting ourselves call it quits

What we need when we are weaker in some places

Is not judgment and disappointed faces

What they give us are the promise from a little pill

Whose powers never last, nor do they grow our will

Only leaving us wondering HOW…

So we need to be humble and bow

At the dojo of life, kicking our asses every day, every hour

Calling us to surpass our pride and not get sour

Take one for now as it may help some

But come come…

Do not bet your future on the PILLS

Come instead and learn some essential life SKILLS

Like how to cut through mental fog

Teaching our minds to focus like a well trained dog

How to optimize

By learning to organize

Rallying our resources to do what we normally avoid

Finding pride and accomplishment where there was previously a void

This ain’t for the faint of heart or those content to live with a diagnosis inside the BOX

It’s for the brave and the powerful who dare to take charge, every day, every hour, any where and any time… pulling up our SOCKS.

Defying expectations

Slowly burning our past limitations

I ain’t no guru

Make your own Voodoo

Follow your own map

There ain’t no end to this path, this life or even this rap…

WHERE to grow our skills…?

I get that question daily…here’s my best short answer:

In these pandemic times, I would recommend seeking out online communities of practice where you will learn skills and be encouraged to actually practice them.

Rather than following my recommendations (my top three disciplines are the martial art of Aikido, Playback Theatre, and learning from nature). I would suggest looking for local and international dojos, yoga studios, innovative schools, meditation sanghas (groups) which inspire you.

That last part is key.

True learning is not filling our heads like a bucket, but about lighting a fire in our bellies and hearts.

If you are a parent, I would suggest starting here to learn a skill to earn and increase the most valuable currency between your child(ren) and yourself = attention.

If you are struggling with conflicts and overwhelmed, read this piece to discover your primary conflict style and the skills needed to start to transform your stupid fights into points of healthy tension and growth.

May our learning never end.