In this episode, Tracy shares a quick method for discovering your character strengths.

Learn why it’s so important for those with an ADHD brain to focus on what we’re interested in and how we can internally motivate ourselves.

Tracy talks about the VIA Character Strengths Test and how it can help us determine if we’re moving in the right direction in our careers and life. This test:

• Looks for the personality traits that represent the essence of who you are
• Shows you what drive you, gives you energy and keeps you in integrity
• Focuses on 24 character strengths

Discover the difference between values and character strengths and the benefits of being in positive emotion. Learn also how positive emotion and our strengths are related.

Tracy introduces Dr. Martin Seligman and shares how the VIA Character Strengths Test came into being and how she initially thought it was just another personality test. Several years later she was reintroduced to it through ADDCA.

In creating the Via Character Strengths Test, Seligman and his associates looked at:

• All the world religions
• Virtue catalogues by Plato, Aristotle, Confucious, William Bennet, Benjamin Franklin etc.
• The work of psychologists including Thorndike, Erickson, Cawley, Gardner etc.

Learn the six themes or virtues and 24 character strengths that make humans their best and how the VIA Character Strengths Test can be so helpful in understanding who you are, what you should do next and/or why what you’re currently doing is not working.

Tracy then shares what Signature Strengths are and why they’re so important to our well-being and energy. She also talks about her Signature Strengths and gives examples of why it’s so hard for her to get things done when she’s not employing them.

Finally she covers common Phasic Strengths for the ADHD brain, what they are and how we can use them successfully during times of challenge or crisis.

Here is the link for the FREE VIA Character Strengths test.

• Contact Tracy:

[email protected]

In this podcast, Tracy talks about ADHD and Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria or RSD. Because Tracy doesn’t struggle with RSD she wasn’t that interested in learning about it but once she realized it was the number one requested topic among the women in her Facebook group, she started doing her research.

Discover why emotion is not mentioned in the DSM, despite the fact that all experts believe that it is an integral part of ADHD.

What do so many of us with ADHD complain about?

• Short temper
• Impulsivity
• Low frustration tolerance
• Overwhelmed by emotions
• Overwhelmed by the pain or energy of others
• Others with ADHD may be unaware of others feelings and may seem to be insensitive
• Excitability

Tracy clarifies that if emotion isn’t mentioned, that means that RSD is also not recognized in the DSM.

Learn about the 3 types of mood challenges in ADHD. Discover which one of them is associated exclusively with ADHD.

Tracy shares why it’s so difficult for so many women with ADHD to grow up with a positive self-concept and the one thing that is instrumental in success for ADHD women.  

Learn the symptoms of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria and how it got its name. Discover how it looks different depending on whether or not those who experience it internalize or externalize the emotional response.

Tracy shares how members in her group describe what RSD feels like and how prevalent it seemed to be among the ADHD women in her group.

Discover how RSD can often be misdiagnosed as social phobia, bi-polar disorder and/or depression but how it is different.

Tracy talks about how Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria can affect people’s lives and relationships. She also shares a potentially positive side to RSD.  

Learn what might help to lesson symptoms of RSD both in the way of medication and psychotherapy.

Once Tracy read about the drive to suceed and achieve, it was easy to wonder if perhaps she had RSD. That’s when she took this self-test here. Like all things ADHD it’s all about the degree of impairment.

Here are the questions. Choose Often vs. Not Often for each question.

Q1: Do you ever experience sudden, intense bouts of rage when your feelings are hurt? Choose Often vs. Not Often for each question.

Q2: Do you ever experience sudden, intense bouts of depression when your think you have been rejected or criticized?

Q3: Are you your own harshest critic?

Q4: Do you ever feel anxious in social situations because you assume that no one likes you?

Q5: Do you consider yourself a “people pleaser,” often going above and beyond to get on someone’s good side?

Q6: Do you ever pass up opportunities or avoid starting projects because you’re afraid you’ll fail?

Q7: Have you ever been called “overly sensitive” or a “head case” because of your strong emotional reactions?

Q8: Do you often dedicate more time than is necessary to a project or become perfectionistic to make sure your work has no mistakes (and is above reproach)?

Q9: Do you ever experience your emotions as a physical sensation, as though you’ve been punched in the chest or physically “wounded?”

Q10: Do you ever feel shame about the “lack of control” you have over your emotions?

Q11: Before you were diagnosed with ADHD, were you told you might be depressed? Have bipolar disorder? Have a borderline character disorder?

Q12: Do you ever shy away from close friendships or romantic relationships, because you worry that if people “know the real you,” they won’t like you?

Q13: Do you assume the worst in commonplace interactions — worrying you will be fired every time your boss calls you in to her office, for instance?

Q14: Do you regularly think that you cannot go on feeling this way?

Q15: Do you ever avoid meeting new people or trying new things because your fear of rejection and criticism is so strong?

Resources:

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/rejection-sensitive-dysphoria#2

Q10: Do you ever feel shame about the “lack of control” you have over your emotions

Q11: Before you were diagnosed with ADHD, were you told you might be depressed? Have bipolar disorder? Have a borderline character disorder?

Q12: Do you ever shy away from close friendships or romantic relationships, because you worry that if people “know the real you,” they won’t like you?

Q13: Do you assume the worst in commonplace interactions — worrying you will be fired every time your boss calls you in to her office, for instance?

Q14: Do you regularly think that you cannot go on feeling this way?

Q15: Do you ever avoid meeting new people or trying new things because your fear of rejection and criticism is so strong?

Resources:

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/rejection-sensitive-dysphoria#2

https://chadd.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ATTN_10_16_EmotionalRegulation.pdf

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Symptom Test

https://chadd.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ATTN_10_16_EmotionalRegulation.pdf

https://www.additudemag.com/rejection-sensitive-dysphoria-adhd-symptom-test/

• Contact Tracy:

[email protected]

In this podcast, Tracy talks about the 10 things she wishes every teacher knew about their ADHD students.

She decided to do a podcast on this subject because she noticed that many women in her Facebook group ADHD for Smart Ass Women really struggled in school and are still struggling in school despite the fact that they are clearly bright. Tracy believes that if you can understand how your brain works, then you can start to identify your strengths and build hacks using those strengths. She believes that most ADHD students spend too much time focusing on their weaknesses.

Tracy talks about the one thing that is most indicitive of success for people with ADHD and what successful people with ADHD say is much harder to deal with than the actual ADHD traits or symptoms.

Learn what kind of educators make the best teachers for students with ADHD.

Are ADHD students smart? Discover what strengths are associated with ADHD.

Do you know about Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences? Discover the seven intellectual domains and which ones school teaches to. Hint: there are only two.

Learn what the ADHD brain is wired for, and why it’s so important that students care about what they’re studying.

Tracy talks about why she thinks ADHD is misnamed and why memorizing things that the ADHD student doesn’t care about is so difficult for him/her. Learn how we actually learn best.

Discover why these students need to buy-in to a strategy or plan in order to be successful with it.

Hear what Tracy thinks is the most useless comment that a teacher can make on a progress report about an ADHD student and why positive emotion is so important to all students but especially those with ADHD.

Learn what happens to students who rebel against school and the education system.

Discover the three ways that ADHD students can learn and why structure and consistency is so important for them.

Tracy talks about positive illusory bias and how it affects ADHD students and why self-control is so much harder for these students.

Discover the number one strength of most ADHD students and what the one common denominator tends to be for ADHD students who perform to their potential.

Resources:

Dreamers, Discoverers and Dynamos

Smart but Scattered

Smart but Scattered Teens

In this podcast Tracy talks about the ten things that she wishes she would have been told when she was initially diagnosed with ADHD.

When she was first diagnosed Tracy went into hyperfocus mode and researched everything she could about ADHD, especially ADHD as it related to women. She had spent the previous 8 months researching everything she could find about ADHD and kids. This podcast is about what she has learned and how her viewpoint on ADHD has changed.

Discover why she came to like certain ADHD experts over others and what she learned from Edward Hallowell and John Ratey vs Russell Barkley.

Tracy mentions some of her ADHD symptoms but also some of the strengths that she’s certain are attributable to her ADHD and why she wouldn’t trade her ADHD for anything.

Learn why:

• creating solutions for what the ADHD brain struggles with can be so difficult
• ADHD is not a disorder, but a difference.
• Tracy thinks ADHD is actually not a deficit of attention at all
• ADHD is not a behavioral disorder, moral failing or character flaw

Learn what:

• you should focus on every day
• what our brains are wired for (and it’s not importance!) and why we need to learn how to engage our hyperfocus

Learn how impulsivity and creativity are linked.

Tracy teaches you the difference between positive and negative emotion and why you should know the difference. She then gives you a simple test to show you how to increase your own motivation whenever you’re feeling stuck and build a successful day, week, month or year.

Learn what our brains are meant to do. You’ll be surprised to discover that they’re not designed to remember. Despite this we sabotoge ourselves daily when we don’t remember.

Find out what ADHD women typically resist but need more than anything and how if we implement it it reduces anxiety and makes us feel happier, smarter, more organized, focused and creative.

Discover how Tracy overcame procrastination in a few simple steps and her favorite hack for getting things done.

Tracy then talks about her number one superpower, interpersonal intuition and how valuable it is in her life. She shares that the ADHD brain focuses on connections and relationships over specific bits of information.

Discover what to do if medication doesn’t work for you and why Tracy’s actually happy that it didn’t work for her or her son. Find out some workarounds to try if medication doesn’t work for you.

Learn what Tracy thinks is the biggest mistake we can make as ADHD women and what we should do instead.

Other Resources:

Edward Hallowell: http://www.drhallowell.com/

John Ratey: http://www.johnratey.com/

Russell Barkley: http://www.russellbarkley.org/

Pomodoro Application: Iphone App Link

Datexx Cube: Amazon Link

Tracy talks about ADHD and intuition in this podcast. She starts by sharing an experience that happened to her in college that made her start to really trust her intuition.

She shares how and why her intuition has gotten her into trouble and what she does differently today.

Learn what Dr. Lara Honos Webb said that convinced Tracy that her symptoms were the result of ADHD.

Discover what intuition looks and feels like and why we often don’t pay attention to what people are saying because our brains focus on the connections and relationships between things more than on specific bits of information.

Have you ever felt like you know people better than they know themself?

Learn:

• what therapists and women with ADHD have in common.
• the definition of intuition
• and that intuition may come from subconscious experiences that you may not be holding consciously
• that there’s nothing psychic or woo woo about intuition
• what it means to be a scanner

Tracy talks about intuition as a non-conscious level of thinking that is related to attention. It is always also based on knowledge or expertise that you have.

Learn about the danger of not listening to our intuition and how important it is that we pay attention to that little voice inside of ourselves.

Tracy mentions an ADHD women who shared her story and said that her anxiety gets worse when she doesn’t trust her intuition. Not trusting her intuition may be responsible for her anxiety. She also shared that she sometimes confuses anxiety with her intuition and how she’s learned to distinguish the two.

Learn the definition of interpersonal intuition. Do you have high emotional intelligence? If so, you won’t want to miss this.

Blocking extraneous stimuli is great if you’re sitting in a classroom trying to memorize facts but if you’re trying to figure out what makes someone tick and/or who they are, it may be better to take in extraneous stimuli.

Discover how interpersonal intuition and connection are interrelated despite the fact that interpersonal intuition can wreak havoc with connection and why Tracy loves being around other ADHD women especially if they’re also entrepreneurs.

Tracy shares what a non-fiction book group she started years ago with non-ADHD women taught her about social hierachies, connection and authenticity and what her rule for relationships is today.

You’ll be surprised to learn why you blurt out insights and how that can prevent you from connecting with others.

Tracy then talks about the Meyer-Briggs personality test and what she discovered about ADHD, intuition and a correlation between certain Meyer-Briggs types.

In this podcast I answer Amanda’s question who is one of our Facebook Group members. Amanda asked what she should do if she’s bored in her career and knows she needs a new or different challenge.

Tracy first shares why major life decisions are so hard for everyone to make but especially hard for those with ADHD.

Learn what should be the driving force in any major life decision and why big life decisions and seemingly easy decisions can both be hard decisions to make.

Find out what makes a decision easy to make.

Tracy then gives advice on what to do when you’re trying to decide between two equal jobs.

Learn why values and purpose are so important to any hard decision you need to make and why we often get it wrong. Hint: it’s all related to how we’ve been taught to make decisions and logic, analysis and research is not always the best way.

Discover who’s the best expert to go to when making a big life decision and what you should pay especial attention to.

Tracy talks about how there is no such thing as a mistake or a bad decision unless you keep doing the same thing over and over again and hate the results.

We learn to pay attention to our brains as a guide for what we should do but Tracy teaches us that there’s something even more important to focus on when we’re making major life decisions.

Discover why not making a decision and letting others make them for you is the worst decision you can possibly make.

Learn what the two big questions are that you should always ask when making a decision?

Tracy then shares a strategy for testing if you’re moving in the right direction and making the right decision. This strategy can also increase your motivation and help you move forward even quicker.

Tracy talks about what a body double is and how it can help us get our work done.

We’re taught from childhood that if we need to get serious work done we must lock ourselves in a quiet room. Find out why this is likely not true for those of us with ADHD.

Learn a counter-intuitive and effective method for those of us with ADHD to get our work done.

Tracy shares ADHD coach, Linda Anderson’s, term body double which is a way that her clients successfully complete repetitive, boring tasks.

• You’ll learn why those with ADHD may feel more focused by the presence of another person.
• You’ll learn about the mirror neuron theory
• You’ll learn how balancing positive and negative energy may actually help us get things done.

Learn why adding structure stimulates the brain and brings clarity and focus.

Tracy outlines what a body double should do and not do and who is and isn’t a great candidate for your body double. You’ll also learn when it makes sense to consider a body double and when it doesn’t.

Tracy also shares strategies that work for her teenage son in getting his homework done as well as how she uses the body double concept to complete big, unpleasant projects around the house.

Tracy then shares how members in her Facebook Group use a body double, why it works for them and the various body double options.

Tracy introduces her virtual body double Study Hall that is part of her free Facebook Group.

Learn how a body double can:

• Help us activate and start a task
• Generate momentum and keep us going
• Provide social interaction which can serve to motivate us
• Provide accountability
• Provide a clear intention that helps to focus the ADHD brain
• Stop us from wandering off inside of our heads

Finally, Tracy will share a hack for cleaning your house so you don’t feel so alone and bored.

Tracy reads non-fiction exclusively and hasn’t been an avid fiction reader since she was 12. She’s often wondered if those with ADHD read more non-fiction than fiction so she asked her Facebook Group of smart ADHD women.

Here’s what Tracy covers:

• Do those with ADHD really have a preference for non-fiction?
• What are the reasons that might be so?
• If you struggle with reading non-fiction books you might be interested in this hack to actually finish them
• This feeling that many of us have that there’s never enough time to learn about everything we’re interested in
• The character strengths that so many of us share which is apparent in our love of non-fiction books.
• How non-fiction books help us to make connections and generate new ideas
• How audiobooks can help us when we lack focus
• What to do when you’re afraid you’ll hyperfocus on a book and can’t stop reading until you’ve finished reading the book
• Do you read non-fiction for knowledge or recreation?
• What about the women who only read fiction, how do they feel about reading non-fiction.

What’s Katy’s hack for reading non-fiction, learning and remembering what you learn?

While running her Facebook Group, which is for smart, positive, ADHD women Tracy noticed that there were some brilliant women who just seemed stuck. They weren’t \acknowledging or working in their area of brilliance and were just focused on what’s not working. They had lost sight of what was working and Tracy realized they had just given up. She believed that this was in part because of their ADHD. So she did some research and discovered learned helplessness.

Tracy explains what learned helplessness is and introduces you to Martin Seligman who coined the term and is a psychologist and the godfather of the positive psychology movement.

Learn what happened when Seligman conditioned dogs to expect a negative situation even before it happened and how this can apply to people as well.

Discover the most harmful attributions that you can apply in a situation when something bad happens and why these attributions cause learned helplessness.

Find out what kinds of health problems can result from learned helplessness and how it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Tracy then talks about how learned helplessness can be applied to ADHD women especially those who aren’t diagnosed or were diagnosed later in life.

She cites a study on learned helplessness done on ADHD women by Julie Rucklidge.

Tracy gives an example of a recent situation where she used an internal attribution and just assumed that the problem was with her ADHD brain rather than the fact that an article was just poorly written.

Learn what workarounds you can employ for learned helplessness.

Tracy shares Carol Dweck's research on motivation. She authored the best-selling book Mindset.

Find out the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset and which one of these two mindsets successful people in all fields possess and which mindset causes those with ADHD to give up.

Learn how ADHD can help us build the right mindset and work ethic and why what we say to ourselves matters. You’ll also want to know why praising your kids’ intelligence doesn’t make sense and what you need to do today to get back control over your life.

Tracy talks about giftedness in this podcast.

Learn what the term 2E or Twice Exceptional refers to and that just because you’re gifted in one or more areas (for example mathematically or artistically) doesn’t mean that you might not also be challenged in other areas (you may learn differently or have an emotional or social delay).

And did you know that you can be gifted and have ADHD?

Do you know that here is no one definition of giftedness. In fact, all states have a different definition.

Tracy shares Julie Skolnick's three layer cake definition of giftedness:

• You’ll learn about asynchronous development
• You’ll learn about perfectionism and how harmful it can be
• You’ll learn about the five areas where children can exhibit intense behaviors known as Kazimierz Dabrowski's overexcitabilities or supersensitivities.

Tracy outlines the overexcitabilities and shares that she never thought her son was gifted but is now wondering because he exhibits many traits in all five of these areas.

Tracy also assumed that you can’t be gifted if you struggle in school. Then she discovered AEGUS, The Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving Students

Find out what else gifted people need to succeed and how giftedness and ADHD can look identical.

Tracy talks about her concern that perhaps we’re medicating bright children so that they can fit into the school environment when really these kids may just be unchallenged.

She worries that it’s the smart capable kids that fall through the cracks in our educational system because when they don’t perform, teacher and parents automatically think it’s because they’re lazy.

Have you ever wondered what does it even mean to be smart.

Learn about Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Could it be that ADHD is connected to specific intelligences?

Tracy then talks about what questions experts ask if they are working with a bright child who isn’t applying themself and what she’s planning to bring into her son’s school to aid in his learning here.

Other resources:

https://www.verywellfamily.com/dabrowskis-overexcitabilities-in-gifted-children-1449118?print

https://www.positivedisintegration.com/Piechowski1999.pdf

We all know that exercise is good for us – but can exercise take the place of ADHD meds? You’ll love to hear about Tracy’s fitness routine and how she incorporates it into her day. What we often don’t think of is how exercise helps with focus, anxiety, mood, etc. It’s not just for looking great! Today, we are going to learn how exercise can help us feel better and start the day off right.

Why does exercise make us feel better?

Hear Tracy speak to the connection between exercise and a reduction in not only ADHD symptoms but also anxiety and depression.

Tracy shares the issues with our culture – sitting for long periods of time, eating crap, and how the first line of defense for mental health issues seems to be medication. Hear how exercise may benefit our mental health and with no side effects! The connections may surprise you!

How does exercise help your brain? Tracy shares some fascinating facts you won’t want to miss from John Ratey's book Spark.

Tracy has always exercised and she thinks that that's what helped her focus in school – but her motivation definitely changed from looking good to feeling good.

Could exercise work better than medication for those with ADHD? Hear Tracy’s scientific explanation.

How does exercise improve our ability to learn? Listen as Tracy uses a scientific study to show how extreme the results can truly be. You definitely won’t want to miss this.

Hear how exercise primes the brain for learning and changes the brain’s neurotransmitters, protein growth, and neurogenesis. Hear how you can continue to grow your brain, all throughout your life.

Should individuals with ADHD become karate masters? Learn how structured activities, such as martial arts, ballet, and even skateboarding along with aerobic exercise help those with ADHD focus and learn better.

Could exercise decrease the need for medication or get rid of the need all together? Hear the science behind it all as Tracy explains how the chemistry in the brain can vastly change with exercise.

Is exercise timing important? Hear Tracy’s discovery in her personal life, and through scientific research.

Listen as Tracy explains the importance of nature, sleep, exercise, and balancing them all together.

Can you even learn while you exercise? If you’re listening to this podcast in the gym, you may already be there!

Tracy shares how nicotine can help us focus but it's unique in that it reduces anxiety as well – but since it is not healthy – Tracy shares how we can cut out nicotine, improve our focus, and live our best life for a long, long time.

Those of us with ADHD often struggle with time. We like to do things when we feel like it. We cannot see or feel time, and we’re easily distracted. Often, hyperfocus can get in our way as well. We start, can’t stop, and have to finish. We also struggle with working memory issues. What was I doing again?

And I don’t know who doesn’t struggle with emotional regulation/dis-regulation – or the “I just don’t feel like it!” feeling.

We must understand why we are the way we are in order to create hacks to be better.

We must learn to pause, even though it’s against our nature because are time optimists and often underestimate how long something will take.

Hear Tracy’s tips for developing time management skills and planning more effectively for the future.

See how Tracy uses the positive emotion of success to motivate her through the planning process.

See how Backward Planning can teach you how to see and feel time, as well as set reasonable goals.

Listen as Tracy shares some hacks for developing Executive Function Skills

How can we create practical methods to get through day-to-day tasks? Listen as Tracy explains how she taught herself to understand how long things take. You won’t want to miss the helpful tool she uses!

Starting the day off right is important. Hear how Tracy sets herself up for success so she doesn’t run late every day- even if it means doing makeup in the car.

Maybe playing a game of “beat the clock” is just what we need! You’ll definitely want to learn how to play this game that can change the way you get things done.

Hear all of Tracy’s hacks and try them out on your own.

• Is the Apple Watch Worth It? Hear how Tracy uses it as her “manager.”
• What calendar may be best for you? Simple may be better! Could it be possible to manage your week on just one page?
• What is the Datexx Cube and how can you use it in your daily life?
• Can working near others help you access your hyperfocus? Find out how Tracy can help you do this with a Body Double Meetup.
• What kind of person do you want to be? Hear how asking yourself this question can help you prioritize.

You won’t want to miss Tracy’s humorous story with her creative approach to time management.

Tracy was inspired to talk about this topic from one of the members of her Facebook group. She shared this member's story about always being late. Not intentionally, but because she doesn’t have a good grasp for how long things will take. When she made the effort to be on time (because it is important to her) it took every bit of her focus. “Why,” she asked, “is time so hard for me?”

Here are Tracy’s insights about time in this part one episode.

Why does the ADHD brain struggle with time?

The first part is understanding why we do what we do. Once we understand why only then can we find actual work-arounds and resources that will work for us. We’ll cover that in detail in part two in the next episode.

You have to hear Tracy’s dating story about showing up late – and then being less than truthful about it. This was one of the experiences that helped her realize that time was an issue for her.

The ADHD brain is time blind. It doesn’t have a good understanding of time because we can't feel time. Often we can't even see time. We don’t know how many minutes or hours a project can take. Find out why this skill is so hard for us.

Cooking a meal and hosting guests is another example of how the lack of time-awareness can cause issues. Hear Tracy’s go-to solution and results.

Hear what she learned when she decided to time herself on a few kitchen-related tasks. Hint: her estimate was not at all accurate!

Being on time professionally is a value for Tracy. Is it a value for you?

Tracy’s research on time explains that time has to be learned. Many ADHD people do not have a fluid awareness of time because we can’t see it or feel it.

Find out why distractions can impact our best time-management strategies.

Time issues are also related to memory issues. Tracy explains why they are linked and how one impacts the other.

Tracy explains future myopia and how it impacts the ADHD person’s understanding of time. You’ll no doubt see yourself in this explanation.

Arguing with time is a thing. Do you find yourself doing this?

How do your beliefs impact your timeliness or lack thereof? Do your time-beliefs work for you?

Recurring appointments, yes or no? Does putting everything on the calendar work for you?

Tracy shares how asking for help with planning and scheduling has helped her.

Emotional regulation is a part of why we struggle with time and Tracy explains how it can impact you. 

Next week Tracy is sharing what’s working for her and others. It starts with understanding ourselves and what matters to us. Having that information is imperative. That’s why Tracy created Coretography.

Entrepreneurs and those with ADHD have some undeniable similarities. But could ADHD itself be the secret to their success? Today, Tracy explores the similarities between entrepreneurs and those with ADHD. We will dive into some scientific evidence, as well as personal examples that show the differences in those with ADHD that make them perfect for being successful when pursuing their passion.

Here are the key connections that Tracy makes between entrepreneurs and those with ADHD.

Listen to Tracy’s anecdote of the first business she ever started - an unsuccessful Christmas Card business in her childhood. It may give you a chuckle.

Tracy’s entrepreneurial spirit spurred her on to even more endeavors in adulthood.

Listen as Tracy explains the pros of entrepreneurialism - from new experiences, never being bored, learning something new every day, etc.

Tracy lists some ADHD characteristics that most entrepreneurs tend to share: hyperactivity, distractibility, and impulsivity.

You won’t want to miss the statistics Tracy shares that show a shocking connection between ADHD and entrepreneurship.

Hear Tracy explain how those with ADHD are “left over hunters in a farmer driven world.”

Listen as Tracy shares how the resilience of those with ADHD helps them weather the storms they will face in their entrepreneurial ventures.

Hear how it all may boil down to biology and neurological responses to our environment. 

Tracy explores impulsivity from a scientific standpoint and links it to intuition and impatience/boredom.

Tracy also explains how those with ADHD use intuitive decision making, proactiveness, and risk-taking to succeed.

Entrepreneurs and those with ADHD often love flexibility and love being their own boss. Hear how Tracy explains this from a personal perspective and a scientific point of view.

Find out why acting and seeking novelty are traits that explain the entrepreneurial brain.

Hear how she explains how creativity is impulsivity “gone right.”

Tracy explains “hyperfocus” and how it is the key to success for entrepreneurs. You won’t want to miss the evidence she shares about why it is so important for those of us with ADHD to discover and pursue our passion(s).

We have executive functions that help us in life. They help us organize, plan and control our life
so it’s manageable. It’s how we can take care of ourselves and get things done. Most of us with
ADHD have trouble with one or more of the six executive functions. Today, I am talking about the executive function that involves emotion. It’s what helps us manage frustration and it gives us the ability to regulate our emotions.

Here are the key elements Tracy has learned when dealing with emotions and situations that can become emotional.

Tracy explains emotional dysregulation and how it shows up and how it impacts us.  

How does stress impact our emotions and how do recognize it in ourselves and in others?

Tracy shares how perfectionism and time management affect her emotions and how she’s learned to work around these situations.

Intensity is a big part of ADHD and it’s a big part of managing emotions as well.

Tracy’s experience with the Apple watch, and how it’s helped her be able to cook again!

What can you do when emotional intensity comes up? Listen for some go-to solutions that can help you manage or even remove an emotionally charged situation.

You can choose. Tracy shares that awareness is separate from emotion and thought. How to identify and name what is causing the emotion and doing this exercise can help.

Don’t miss Tracy’s bull frog story. It’ll make you smile.

Why allowing ourselves to feel the feelings can ultimately help you eliminate the feeling.

If you want different results, you need to change your behavior. Emotions don’t always lead to a behavior; sometimes it’s the opposite.

Self-control is a neurobiological trait. It requires the ability to have hind-sight and fore-sight and the ability to wait. Understanding how this impacts behavior is key to managing emotions.

Perry Janssen, Psychotherapist gave us great tips you’ll find helpful.

Join us for more discussions in the ADHD for Smart Aleck Women Facebook Group