I am a bit of an inspirational quote fanatic. I especially love Margaret Mead’s quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Her words remind me of the endless possibilities that can arise when even a few devoted individuals come together. Changes like a whole month devoted to ADHD Awareness and a complimentary eBook for you to enjoy with tips, suggestions, and advice from ADHD Life Coaches called” ADHD Life Coaches’ Best Ways to Succeed with ADHD.”
Years ago, believing in the power of community and the dedication of my ADHD colleagues, Mead’s quote inspired me to create The ADHD Awareness Book Project, a series of resource books aimed at helping people with ADHD around the world to succeed with one small nugget at a time. Later, the books were translated into Spanish and Turkish! It was a spontaneous, fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants passion project that became an annual book launch, reaching #1 on Amazon.com over five years. Having dedicated my attention solely to serving persons with ADHD for the past 20 years, I have learned that sometimes, that is the way that important changes get started. You can check out the entire series of the original “Ways to Succeed with ADHD” books on the website of the International ADHD Coach Training Center (iACTcenter).
A few determined individuals intent on raising public awareness about ADHD also brought about the first ADHD Awareness Day, celebrated on September 7th, 2004. The following year, the world celebrated the first ADHD Awareness Month in October 2005. Once again, determined individuals, groups, and organizations around the world came together to spread awareness, share resources, and advocate for individuals with ADHD, encouraging early diagnosis and intervention and providing tools and resources for managing ADHD effectively.
Since then, the understanding and awareness have increased, and there is recognition that ADHD is an authentic medical neurobiological difference and one of the least discriminating disorders that impact people regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender. However, the ADHD awareness message has not reached everyone…. I know. I hear from them every day. Too many people are still struggling alone.
Despite nearly 20 years of a whole month devoted to ADHD awareness, many individuals remain unaware of the term “ADHD” and are unjustly labeled and misdiagnosed. Instead, they believe they are broken, incapable of enjoying long-lasting personal relationships or professional achievements, doomed to constantly experiencing failures, and unable to complete tasks that others can do easily. When someone has undiagnosed ADHD, they may not realize that by understanding their neurodiverse ADHD brain, learning how they best accomplish things, and leveraging their strengths, they could succeed at just about anything!
Years ago, I founded the ADHD Awareness Book Project. Believing in the power of community and the dedication of my ADHD colleagues, I coordinated a series of five books full of tips and strategies for succeeding with ADHD, featuring as many ADHD experts as possible who sent answers to the question: “What is the best tip or strategy you have to help someone with ADHD succeed?”
In 2015, I founded the virtual International ADHD Coach Training Center (iACTcenter) with the goal of raising awareness and providing support for individuals worldwide with ADHD through coaching. Over the past ten years, our student body has grown to include individuals from every continent and over 60 countries. What started with just six students has now expanded to over 150 students annually, all of whom are actively spreading ADHD awareness and support in their communities. To honor their dedication and impact, I reached out to our current students, graduates, and faculty, asking them for their best tips and strategies for helping individuals with ADHD succeed. The result is an eBook titled “ADHD Life Coaches’ Best Ways to Succeed with ADHD”.
This eBook is our gift to you. It is complimentary and, we hope, an inspiring read. Please download your copy and share it with others. It contains nuggets of advice, tips, and suggestions from people who turned their passion for helping persons struggling with ADHD into a profession and trained to become ADHD Life Coaches. Be sure to check out the contributor’s contact information and reach out to them if what they say resonates with you. They would love to connect. You can download your copy of “ADHD Life Coaches’ Best Ways to Succeed with ADHD” here.
I am a dreamer, so I am curious about what more we will understand about ADHD and other neurodiverse brain styles in the next twenty years. I hope that we have fully embraced the appreciation of individual differences in neurodiversity, that the strengths of neurodiverse brain styles are welcomed, and maybe, just maybe, we are more than just aware of ADHD, but that we are EMPOWERED! Empowered with ADHD…wouldn’t that be something?!
Happy 2024 ADHD Awareness Month, everyone! Enjoy the iACTcenter’s ADHD Awareness Gift, and may you have someone in your life with ADHD who can show you firsthand what it means to be determined, resilient, and brilliant!
