Do You Need Some Rest?

Dear !fname,

In my new book, Odd One Out: The Maverick's Guide to Adult ADD, I talk in-depth about slowing down in order to break the cycle of overwhelm that so many adults with ADD get caught up in.

Today I'd like to share with you some wise words by Thich Nhat Hahn, a Buddhist monk and author. I'm not a practicing Buddhist, but I often find solace and calming in the words of Thich Nhat Hahn. Here's his take on slowing down:

If we have wounds in our body or our mind, we have to rest so they can heal themselves...when animals in the forest get wounded, they find a place to lie down...They just rest and they get the healing they need. When we humans get sick, we just worry!...Even when we go to the beach or the mountains for a vacation, we don't rest, and we come back more tired than before. We have to learn to rest.

From the book The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching.

Overwhelm and stress are certainly some of the "mental wounds" that Thich Nhat Hahn refers to. And if we believe his words, which I do, then many of us adults with ADD spend a great deal of our lives running around wounded.

It makes a lot of sense to follow this metaphor. Stress and overwhelm take a toll, and moving faster to cope with it all only results in more pressure. The only way to effectively break the cycle of overwhelm is to slow down, and rest.

Slowing down can take a variety of forms, including:

• Making time for hobbies and other fun activities
• Taking a day off to recharge
• Stopping to take deep breaths during times of stress
• Letting go of extraneous responsibilities

I visit the topic of slowing down often in this newsletter because it's so important to ADD management. You can't learn new skills and adopt new strategies if you're constantly stressing out and burning out. Breaking the cycle of overwhelm really is the key that will allow you to address your ADD challenges like disorganization, time management, and attention inconsistencies.

I hope you'll use this email as a cue to slow down and rest. Start cultivating this new habit today!

And if you'd like to read more about slowing down to break the cycle of overwhelm, pick up a copy of my new book, Odd One Out: The Maverick's Guide to Adult ADD, at www.odd-one-out.net.

All My best , Jennifer Koretsky, Founder, Head Coach & Chief Visionary Officer ADD Management Group, LLC

 

P.S. Check out the Odd One Out website for a 5-page excerpt from the book!