Personal Development

In order to overcome ADD/ADHD, Depression or Anxiety you will have to work on changing your thoughts and behaviors. Your life is the way it is due to choices you have made to this point. If you want something different, you need to change what you’re doing.

• What do you want out of your life?
• Who do you want in it?
• Where do you want to live?
• What do you want to be doing?

These are all questions that you should know the answer. If you don’t know what you want, how can you move toward it?

Visualizing can make a big difference in your outcome.

Close your eyes and picture the life you want to have. How do you feel? Start feeling it now. See yourself doing whatever it is that you want to do. Maybe you’re planting flowers at the home of your dreams. Maybe you’re driving the car you’ve always dreamed of. Maybe you’re with the love of your life. Whatever it is, picture it.

This is bulletin board, poster or even the side of the refrigerator with pictures of what you want in your life. In addition to pictures, you should include words or quotes that inspire what you want to achieve. My vision board has words like; “Happy”, “It’s A Wonderful Life”, “Freedom from Worry”. I have pictures of vacation destinations, vehicles, athletic women with the body I strive for and other things I hope to see or do in my life. Below is a picture of my vision board.

Create your Mind Movie. This is a very inspirational project that has made a huge difference in my life. One friend of mine really noticed a difference in me. He knew something was different, but wasn’t sure what. When I showed him my Mind Movie he immediately understood and could see the change in my appearance and body language. Watch my personal Mind Movie below.

Making a personal movie for yourself can make a huge change in your attitude throughout the day. I watch my movie several times a day and it gives me a good feeling every time. Make your own movie with software from Mind Movies or download the free sample movies to use till you can make your own.

Books/Videos

If you are not currently reading or listening to books, now is the time to start. I have a difficult time reading a book all the way through so listening to them on tape works best for me. On several occasions I have the book and tape so that I can follow along in the book as I’m listening to the audio. I think I get more out of it when I’m hearing and seeing the words.

These are some of the books that have made the biggest difference in my recovery:

This was one of the first books I listened to and I refer to it often. It will really change the way you look at the things in your life and how you get what you want.

“In this book you will discover the Secret, and you will learn how to have, do, or be anything you want. You will learn how to use the Secret in every area of your life. You will hear from modern-day teachers - men and women who have used the Secret to achieve health, prosperity, relationships, and happiness. They share their incredible stories of using the Secret to eradicate disease, acquire massive wealth, overcome obstacles, and achieve what many would regard as impossible. Through them, you will begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that is within you, and the true magnificence that awaits you.”

I love the title of this book which is why I bought it. I have the book and the audio and pick up on something new each time I listen. The exercises are very helpful to see where you are and where you want to be.

"What would it take to make you happy? A fulfilling career, a big bank account, or the perfect mate? What if it didn't take anything to make you happy? What if you could experience happiness from the inside out: no matter what's going on in your life? Studies show that each of us has a happiness set-point: a fixed range of happiness we tend to return to throughout our life that's approximately 50-percent genetic and 50-percent learned. In the same way you'd crank up the thermostat to get comfortable on a chilly day, you can actually reprogram your happiness set-point to a higher level of peace and well-being. This life-changing program shows you how! In Happy for No Reason, transformational expert and best-selling author Marci Shimoff reveals a remarkable program, incorporating the latest findings in positive psychology, moving real-life stories and powerful tools and techniques that will raise your happiness set-point and enable you to experience more unconditional happiness in your life: starting today!”

If you’re dealing with depression due to a major change in your life, this is an excellent book for you. I listen to it whenever I am struggling with a change in my life.

“Has a change happened in your life that you are having trouble accepting? Is there a change you would like to make to help you love life more? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then this is the book for you. This year alone, many of us will fall in love, get in shape, and start new companies, while some of us will lose a job, deal with health complications, or get divorced. Although we often try to ignore change, whether good or bad, it is the one constant. Now, with The First 30 Days, we can learn how to embrace change, move through it, and successfully navigate the twists and turns of life. The First 30 Days reveals how the beginning of any change is a pivotal time that can either leave us stressed and stuck or lead us forward in our lives with clarity and hope. Change coach Ariane de Bonvoisin provides the tools to make each change a new beginning, whether it is a change you want to make or one brought on by a situation out of your control. Ariane introduces nine principles that will help you develop an optimistic mindset toward change, an attitude that encourages you to see that life is on your side and that good can come from even the most difficult circumstance. With real-life stories, practical exercises, and inspiring action points, The First 30 Days teaches the skills you need to face any change - skills that will help you today and for the rest of your life. Topics include: How to develop a positive approach to change - it can make all the difference. The Change Guarantee - from any change, something good can come. Your Change Muscle - you have one! Find out where it is and how to use it. How to combat your Change Demons - the negative emotions that want to hold you back. How to build a Change Support Team - who and what makes the most difference.”

Driven to Distraction was recommended to me by my first therapist when I was diagnosed with ADD. It was such an eye-opener! I finally understood why I was the way I was. If you struggle with ADD or have someone in your life that does, you need both of these books or audios.

“In 1994, Driven to Distraction sparked a revolution in our understanding of attention deficit disorder. Now a second revolution is under way in the approach to ADD, and the news is great. Drug therapies, our understanding of the role of diet and exercise, even the way we define the disorder, all are changing radically. And doctors are realizing that millions of adults suffer from this condition, though the vast majority of them remain undiagnosed and untreated. In this new book, Drs. Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey build on the breakthroughs of Driven to Distraction to offer a comprehensive and entirely up-to-date guide to living a successful life with ADD. As Hallowell and Ratey point out, "attention deficit disorder" is a highly misleading description of an intriguing kind of mind. Original, charismatic, energetic, often brilliant, people with ADD have extraordinary talents and gifts embedded in their highly charged but easily distracted minds. Tailored expressly to ADD learning styles and attention spans, Delivered from Distraction provides accessible, engaging discussions of every aspect of the condition, from diagnosis to finding the proper treatment regime. Inside you'll discover: whether ADD runs in families, the links between ADD and other conditions, how people with ADD can free up their inner talents and strengths, the new drugs and how they work, and why they're not for everyone, sexual problems associated with ADD and how to resolve them, strategies for dealing with procrastination, clutter, and chronic forgetfulness. ADD is a trait, it only becomes a disorder when it impairs your life. Featuring gripping profiles of patients with ADD who have triumphed, Delivered from Distraction is a wise, loving guide to releasing the positive energy that all people with ADD hold inside. If you have ADD or care about someone who does, this is the book you must read.”

Hypnosis

Don’t let the idea of hypnosis scare you. I thought it was a little strange at first but after doing some research and listening to some hypnotic audios I was amazed at the difference it made. I have actually downloaded mp3 audios from several websites. These websites have many issues that hypnosis will help in addition to depression, anxiety and ADD. Be sure that you listen to the audios on a device with headphones so that they will work properly.

Super Mind Evolution has a lot of information to explain how hypnosis works and the research behind it. They provide free reports for thorough explanation of each audio so that you can feel confident when listening. The complete package is superb.

Change Your Mind…Change Your Life also has a lot of great information and has many individual downloads. With this website you can pick and choose which audio is best for you and purchase it alone. If you have any struggles in your life you should check out these downloadable files to start listening to immediately.

Addictions

Many times people that are struggling with ADD/ADHD, Depression or Anxiety also deal with addictions. You may be a chain smoker that can’t seem to stop. Or you may have to have a drink each night just to wind down. Or you may have a drug or gambling addiction. If you are struggling with any of these addictions, you are blocking your happiness. These may bring you temporary relieve but they do not solve any of your problems. You have to get help.

There are many local groups that you can become a part of to help you quit. A therapist may be able to provide a list to you.

Each of these addictions not only affects you, they affect your friends and family. Those who care about you want you to be healthy and happy. Be sure to let them help you on this journey.