Setting Real Intentions
Brett Thornhill
by Brett Thornhill
3y ago
You've seen them: memes that float around social media, shared by your friends and family, that supposedly give you tips on how to improve your life. "Don't sit on the couch and wait for it," they might say. Or "Do things that challenge you" or "Be brave" or "Make a change." I don't disagree with them and you probably don't either. (What's to disagree with, after all?) The trouble is that they're very general statements, and we absorb them in a very general way. We read them, think "Yes, I SHOULD make a change," continue our scroll and forget about it. In order to make these memes have act ..read more
Visit website
Anatomy of Overwhelm
Brett Thornhill
by Brett Thornhill
3y ago
The weekend is just around the corner, and like everyone, I always look forward to the weekend. However, today I woke up feeling a little overwhelmed and it got me thinking of the different mindsets that the weekend can put you in. On opposite sides of the coin you have, “The weekend’s coming so I can take it down a notch and relax,” and, “Oh my god, it’s the end of the week! What have I done? What have I not done?” And that can cause feelings of overwhelm. Overwhelm is an interesting thing. It gets you stuck. It can firmly plant your feet in the concrete. When you get overwhelmed ..read more
Visit website
Eliminating Choice… an ADHD Strategy?
Brett Thornhill
by Brett Thornhill
3y ago
"You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine." - John C. Maxwell I used to think I was picky. Things had to be done a certain way, in a specific order, in a manner that made sense to me. But when I was diagnosed with ADHD, I realized that I wasn't just picky - I had unconsciously developed routines and strategies to help me survive in a non-ADHD world. I like to say that people who have ADHD love routine as a noun but hate it as an adjective. So, having routines that help us plan, schedule and remember se ..read more
Visit website
Fake It ‘Til You Make It!
Brett Thornhill
by Brett Thornhill
3y ago
Who hasn't heard that expression? Put another way... "Act as if ye have faith, and faith shall be given." But no matter how you say it, the strategy behind it is simple. If you don't feel confident, pretend that you are until you gain the experience, skills or tools that you need to develop the confidence for real. The trouble for people living with ADHD is that "fake it 'til you make it" doesn't always feel like a strategy... it just feels fake. I've often noticed that people with ADHD seem to have a highly-developed sense of fairness and authenticity, which likely stems from our ..read more
Visit website
Permission to Pause
Brett Thornhill
by Brett Thornhill
3y ago
How often do you pause to think? ADHD minds are usually running at full speed. From one thought and task to the next, we rarely stop to breathe, let alone think about whether we're focusing our efforts in the right places. People who have ADHD don't have built-in downtime, which is why giving yourself permission to pause is one of the most powerful tools you can use to effectively manage ADHD. What do I mean by "giving yourself permission to pause?" Quite often, people are afraid to pause because they're afraid of being judged. Some people may be afraid they'll look anti-social or unen ..read more
Visit website
What Can We Learn From Adele?
Brett Thornhill
by Brett Thornhill
3y ago
You know, I've been thinking lately how the suffering artist image has a lot to do with ADHD... The tortured souls... They're destined to suffer for their work since creativity and genius cannot be born out of happiness. Or, can it? Think about Adele. Now let me be clear, as far as I know, Adele does not have ADHD, but that's not the point. Her first album, "19" was released back in 2008? It did fairly well, but it was her second effort, “21” that really launched her career. As is now widely known, “21” was born of a broken heart. It was brilliant and game changing, but she has been quite o ..read more
Visit website
Comparison is no Way to Build Confidence
Brett Thornhill
by Brett Thornhill
3y ago
When you're surfing around Facebook, do you ever catch yourself thinking, "Everyone else's life is way more fun and exciting than mine"? They say that comparison is the thief of joy and this is the prime example.  For many of us, Facebook posts can trigger a lot negative feelings about our self-worth. We tend to compare ourselves to everyone else because we have such easy access to the "highlight reels" of their lives. For a lot of users, Facebook is a place to showcase the most exciting and brag-worthy events of their lives and because of this "highlight reel effect" it can give viewe ..read more
Visit website
Stuck Between Priorities
Brett Thornhill
by Brett Thornhill
3y ago
Do you ever just feel STUCK, like your feet are planted in cement? Trust me, you're not alone. As a coach, people often think that I've got it all figured out and don't struggle with the same things they do. Well, sometimes I certainly do! Recently, I found myself feeling stuck because I couldn't identify my priorities. This came after a talk I presented at a MoMonday event. I'd spent about a week preparing for this talk and it was the #1 priority on my list. Of course, I wasn't spending every waking hour practicing my speech but there were things to prepare so it was a point of focus for m ..read more
Visit website
Are You Wearing Out Your “Rewind Button”?
Brett Thornhill
by Brett Thornhill
3y ago
We all know that feeling. You go to bed satisfied that you had a great night. You talked to some cool people, had interesting conversations and enjoyed yourself. Then, the next morning, you wake up and hit that rewind button... "Did I talk too much? Was I too opinionated? Did I look like an idiot?" With the holidays upon us, we're likely to find ourselves in more social situations so let's make them as painless as possible. The anticipation of social events can be anxiety-producing because of our tendency to hit that rewind button over and over again, making the situations seem worse each t ..read more
Visit website
Trying To Make Change Stick
Brett Thornhill
by Brett Thornhill
3y ago
I was recently issued a challenge that I was hesitant to accept. I'm a part of a coaching group (yes, coaches get coaching, too) and, last week, we were focusing on building positive habits. One of our tasks was to get up, get dressed and go outside for a walk first thing in the morning. Sure, this sounds easy enough but if you live in Newfoundland I don't have to tell you that staying in bed is often a much more appealing idea. I decided to try accepting this habit-building task for a few reasons. First, I was invested in this course (both financially and mentally) so it wouldn't ..read more
Visit website

Follow Brett Thornhill on FeedSpot

Continue with Google
Continue with Apple
OR