ADHD diagnosed 💔 : A Glance at a (LOST) Professional LiFe.
ADHD and The Slow Burn (out) of Persistence.
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Hitting the benchmark of 40, and what did I do with all this time? Quite a lot, I guess.I broke many boundaries in my industry—more than many would have dreamed of. Traveled to numerous countries, mostly for work. Met hundreds, if not thousands, of new people from all around the world, learned from them sharing profound experiences.
What the Heck Happened?!
On the surface everything seemed fine… and yet, I could not sustain any of it. My brain was not playing the same long game I initially wanted. My mind simply couldn’t commit beyond a few weeks, sometimes only days or even hours. A complete misalignment with my long-term dreams. Like paralysis, Time Collapses beneath my horizon, achieving nothing.
“Many adults with ADHD feel a profound sense of loss when they realize how much their undiagnosed condition has impacted their lives.” Dr Ned Hallowell.
The Impossible Challenge.
“I can only imagine how unreliable and weird I might have seemed.”
Everything that required long-term engagement was an issue. The simple idea of doing the same thing on a very long-time frame freaked me out. Knowing where I’ll be in 3 months was daunting. The excitement, the buzz, the stamina were nowhere to be seen anymore.
From Me: “Yes, I am all in"… to vanishing from the surface of the earth… sometimes indefinitely.
I just could not keep up with any long-term endeavor consistently. Cognitively not engaged anymore. Incapable of pushing whatever needed to be done further, mentally checking out. I can only imagine how unreliable and weird I might have seemed.
Self Discovery Through Pain.
“I just could not push through the slow burn of persistence.”
I then realized I needed short-term goals to keep my brain engaged. Not too long, to keep me in the game and interested. Short-term activities or jobs worked fine. I love intensity; it keeps me and my mind fired up. As an actor; being on set was and is a perfect fit, every day is different, it can be intense and you’re emotionally engage at every stage of the process.
Once I understood this, I started to cut myself short of any productive impulse that required long-term involvement with other people, specifically with friends. I would rather protect my friendships than try to pretend I could actually do the things we were all excited about. I didn’t know what was “wrong” with me, but I knew I couldn’t do it. I just could not push through the slow burn of persistence.”
It hurt at first. Why couldn’t I be like others? Drifting, a witness of my own life. All these ideas and thoughts constantly hammering my mind derailing me from my initial plan. I wanted to do it all. I was genuinely interested in everything, but I just couldn’t filter any of it. And I knew it was pointless to even try… decades of experience proved it to me; it would be short-lived.
“When we make a friend of what we previously could not face. Once what haunted us now becomes a visible ally.” Haunted by David Whyte.
At first, this shift felt like a surrender, a resignation to my limitations. But it wasn’t. It was a pragmatic adjustment. I stopped pretending, stopped apologizing for who I wasn’t, and wanted to build a life around who I actually was… But who I am. I felt like a Stranger in my own heart.
Meet the Stranger.
It was now inevitable. I knew about his existence, there was no going back. So I bravely did it, I met the stranger in the mirror. We have been ignoring one another for far too long. I dared to smile at him and… he smiled back at me. His smile was warm, solar and so familiar.
“Finally,” he cheered.
Or I said. I don’t know who started first. I am playing catch-up with this stranger who knows me by heart. Peeling my own reflection, one layer at a time.
Grief isn’t just about loss.
Looking back… it is painful. The “what could have been” if only I had known. The Days Lost Battling my own paralysis or The opportunities I turned away from, offers I turned down… just because I knew I was different. Not like them. I wouldn’t have been able to control any impulsive, self-destructive behavior that would have turned a lifetime opportunity into a social self-sabotage crusade.
Some doors are closed, some forever, but there are others still ajar… I cherish them. I am rediscovering myself, understanding who I am and rebuilding stronger foundations. To become the person, I set out to be 10 years ago before I had to pull back.
Your ADHD is Not a Weakness.
It’s a rare way of thinking that gift you with unique strength. Hack it, you deserve to Unmask the real you.
Let Go of the long-held idea that you should be someone else.
😅 It is done. You need to move on. Tough Love.
Make peace with your Mind.
Stop Fighting your true Nature. Nothing wrong or nothing to Fix there.
💥 This is your Feature and it can turn into your advantage… Explore.
Crack open that Door in your heart and let the wind rip it open.
💚 Learn to Love that Stranger.
♻️ again T I M E T O L I V E again ♻️
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💭 How Can You Reconcile With Who You Truly Are?
🔹 Did you lose or break any friendships for being perceived as irrational?
🔹 Did your boss ever constantly tell you that you were too slow or unfocused?
🔹 How many "yeses" would it take to break free of your chrysalis?
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🍀Next Read:
The Illusion of the Wealthy:⚜️Money Will not Get you Happier.
ADHD & ✍️The power of Journaling. ⚔️ Meet the Stranger in your Heart
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 | A guest post by
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Absolutely thrilled to put it out there after almost a year of fear of stigmatization and never getting work again. I believe showing the real you opens doors to more opportunities by realigning with your true personality. I went through all the pitfalls you can imagine and if I can be of any help to you or a loved one, please reach out. Have a great day!