There has been a pattern throughout my life. I used to call it “high achievement” or “perfectionism.” Now, I call it “doing too much.”
Also, I now know that this is a classic sign of having a neurodivergent brain. (I shared about ADHD in the podcast.). I spoke with my mental health therapist about this, too. She explained that this can be true when this pattern of doing too much is consistent over your lifetime.
As I continue moving ahead, I am taking better care of myself. I am learning to understand the signs that I am doing too much. I recognize when this is leading me into burnout. This awareness has helped me stay more even or balanced. And now I reach out for extra support sooner. I choose not to “thug it out,” as my teen would say.
At the end of spring and start of summer, I spent weeks with elevated high blood pressure. It was usually easy to manage in the past, but not this time. I finally realized that this was probably a sign that I had already burned out. Unfortunately, I totally missed the earlier signs that I was heading in that direction. By the time I recognized it, it had become an urgent situation. And it took me a while to get the help I needed so that I could recover.
I am grateful that I am recovered now. Still, I felt like I missed out on half of my year. It took me so long to get the right help. I regret that it took so long. This regret motivates me to prevent burnout from now on. I don’t ever want to lose six months of my life again. I want to make sure I tackle it faster, if it ever happens again.
So, now how am I moving forward as an older late diagnosed woman with ADHD?
So, now it is time for me to use what I have been learning about how my brain works. I have been restructuring and reshaping my life to serve me better so that I can serve others better. This has been helping me reduce my stress and anxiety. It is making me healthier and happier. I am able to have more energy for my regular daily routines (e.g., work and cooking) and for hobbies (e.g., blogging and vlogging) and side hustles (e.g., coaching and tutoring).
Again, I am so grateful. I can honestly say that I am genuinely happy. I am a better wife, mom, daughter, sister, cousin, and aunt. This is because I am a better human when I am more grounded and balanced. I am keeping my cup overflowing so I have enough to pour into others.
I hope what I am sharing is helpful for you or for someone you care about. If you need help with a similar struggle (i.e., burnout or depression), please ask your healthcare provider for extra support. If you want some suggestions, please check out my other blog. It covers how to advocate for your own health and well-being. “World Mental Health Day“.
