Let's Go

TLDR I started seeing a therapist last year, found out I have ADHD, and this lil guy is a tool that helps me manage a specific behavior 🐢 for those interested ➡️ One of the things I’ve dealt with my whole life is how poorly I deal with impromptu plans. Because I’m fixated on whatever task I have going on (and there’s ALWAYS something), any spontaneous plan that comes up tends to ruin my day. I‘d describe it kinda like going to the kitchen for your favorite flavor of icecream and suddenly stepping on a bunch of Legos. Even though those “Legos” were typically close ones trying to spend time with me - or even just checking in by phone - in my head, it felt like the end of the world because it was getting in the way of that thing I had been thinking about all day (causing me to be a bit of a cranky baby - not a great look, I know 🙈). My therapist works with a lot of kids (unrelated to that last sentence) and uses D&D as a method to help them work through topics. Along a similar vein, he told me to see if I could turn this bad feeling into a good character; something I could visualize anytime the feeling comes up. That’s where this turtle came from. It’s a reframing tool: whenever a plan pops up - yes, acknowledge that it made me feel annoyed, but then take a breath and remember that the previous plan I had in my head (that I didn’t communicate to anyone btw) can probably wait. People and time spent with them matters SO much more.

I’ve been aware that do this for a long time and constantly feel guilty about letting relationships get away from me. It’s really funny to admit, but among all the learnings I’ve had in therapy, this turtle has been the single best tool in helping me manage the behavior. I’m still not perfect (if I leave you on Read, I’m sorry 💛), but actively working on it and really excited. Slow and steady wins the race anyway, right?