Do You Know What Day January 17th Is?

Do you know what day January 17th is? Here's a hint: it has nto do with New Year's Resolutions. If you’re like most nAmericans, January brings a renewed sense of energy and nmotivation that usually results in a “New Year’s nResolution.” But if you have Attention nDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (also known as ADD or ADHD), nmaking positive changes may be more of a challenge than it nseems. nnnThere are three things that make New Year’s Resolutions ndifficult for ADDers. The first is that we can sometimes nget over-ambitious, and set goals that are not very nrealistic. An example of this kind of goal is “I will lose n40 pounds this year.” While losing weight is usually a npositive, healthy choice, setting a specific number of npounds to lose makes the goal difficult to achieve. How do nyou know that 40 pounds is the right number? How do you nknow that you can actually lose 40 pounds in just one year? nThe only way you can achieve this goal is to actually lose n40 pounds in one year. A more realistic and attainable goal nis “I will commit to weight loss and a healthier lifestyle nthis year.” This goal is about making small changes in your nlifestyle that will result in better health. If you do your nbest to make good choices, then you’ll achieve your goal. nnnThe second thing that can make a resolution difficult is the nreason behind it. Are you setting a goal to make a change nthat you really want to make, or a change that you think you nshould make? There is a big difference. ADDers often spend ntheir lives struggling to meet others’ expectations without never exploring their own. If you commit to getting more norganized this year, make sure that you are doing it because nyou want to, and not because others criticize you for your nindividual way of doing things. nnnAnd finally, the biggest reason that ADDers have difficulty naccomplishing a New Year’s Resolution is that we don’t put nthe structure in place that will provide us with support. nAs ADDers make changes in their lives, they need a support nsystem. No one is perfect, and small setbacks can be nexpected. But to stay focused and avoid falling back into a npattern of self-criticism and negative thinking, we need to nbe reminded of the benefits of our goals, and the successes nthat we have had along the way. Whatever your goal, chances nare there is a support group of others with the same goal nthat you can join. Another great way to ensure support is nto hire an ADD/ADHD Coach, whose job it is to provide ninsight, support and encouragement as you make positive nchanges. nnnSo have you figured out what January 17th is? Research nsuggests it’s the day that most Americans drop their New nYear’s Resolutions! This year, try not to be one of them. nTake the steps needed to ensure that you have the necessary nsupport to accomplish reasonable goals that meet your own nexpectations! n