I remember the first time someone told me I had ADD or ADHD, Attention Deficit (Hyperactive) Disorder. I was like, “No.” Just wasn’t having it, end of story. Fast forward a couple years and I’m reading this book called, “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” by John Ratey and it’s listing symptoms of ADHD and talking about how exercise helps to regulate the brain and enhance it’s ability to concentrate. One example after another describing people with this condition is pretty much describing me so the shoe fits, and I’ll wear it. And because he’s breaking down the actual science of what happens in the brain when a person has this condition, the unattractive title that once repulsed me is sounding less like a disorder or illness and more like a scientific way to describe how some peoples brains work in a unique way. I’m like, wow, this is a brain condition that can be understood and managed through natural means. I’m understanding now why I need hyper structure and organization in my day and why without it my mind can wander all over the place, and I wonder where the time went. I’m understanding how exercise can help me concentrate and give me the benefits of a Ritalin pill and I’m looking at this thing (ADHD) not so much as a disability (as the name implies) but as a condition that must be accepted and matched with other things like exercise and organization so that I can self-regulate and flourish. I’m looking at ADHD now, not as a disability but as something as neutral as a color. If I was in denial that my shirt was blue, I wouldn’t be able to match it in the right way with other clothes and make a fly outfit. Now that I’m accepting that I have a blue shirt, I’m going to match it with some cool black pants (exercise), a fly grey jacket (scheduling and hyper-organization) and maybe even some blue sneakers (you get what I’m saying?) And maybe later I’ll have a different color shirt-I’m not attached to blue and am open to changing shirts, but if this is what I’ve got to work with now, I’ll rock it. Not excusing myself for being mismatched but intentionally making a fashion statement (metaphorically speaking). Life is too fun and God made me too unique to waste time worrying about what some call a disability when I can learn about how my brain works, and allow God to function through me with His ability. Many people with ADHD end up being entrepreneurs precisely because they’ve learned how to manage their so-called disability into a gift. What I once thought of as a disability to shun is becoming something I’m thankful for and understanding. Blue might just become my new favorite color.
