| Attention Deficit Disorder presents | | | | with ADD. Lilly had a hard time in |
| different challenges to different | | | | school. She didn't have very good |
| people. Some of us have the most | | | | grades, and was often told she was lazy, |
| trouble focusing and concentrating, | | | | but she persisted. She graduated high |
| while some of us have great difficulty | | | | school and, even though her parents |
| regulating emotion. Whatever your | | | | discouraged her from going to college, |
| greatest challenge is, there is one | | | | she went anyway! She started off in a |
| sure-fire way to be successful in spite | | | | community college, where she discovered |
| of it: the ability to be resilient. | | | | that when she could choose her course of |
| Miriam-Webster online defines resilience | | | | study, she actually did quite well. |
| as "an ability to recover from or adjust | | | | From there she transferred to a very |
| easily to misfortune or change." | | | | good state school. |
| Applying this to adults with ADD, we | | | | Lilly decided that she wanted to teach |
| might adjust the definition to "an | | | | high school. She wanted to be "one of |
| ability to recover from or adjust easily | | | | those teachers who makes a difference." |
| to misfortune, change, setbacks, | | | | Her college advisor told her she was |
| challenges, and failure." | | | | crazy. She said "A woman of small |
| In order to be successful adults with | | | | stature and quiet voice, like you, can't |
| ADD, we have to accept the undeniable | | | | teach high school. You won't be able to |
| fact that we will have challenges, we | | | | discipline the kids. They'll eat you |
| will have failures, and we will have | | | | alive." |
| disappointments. But we cannot let | | | | Lilly was crushed for two days. But in |
| these setbacks stop us. | | | | her heart, she knew better. She made a |
| Let's take a practical look at | | | | conscious choice not to listen to her |
| resilience by comparing two adults with | | | | advisor. In fact, she petitioned the |
| ADD, "Jane" and "Lilly." | | | | school for a new advisor who would be |
| Jane is an amazingly smart woman, but | | | | more supportive, and she got one. |
| she doesn't think so. She works in a | | | | Lilly has now been teaching high school |
| high-pressure office where people are | | | | history for 7 years, and was even voted |
| frenzied. She is a general assistant to | | | | "favorite teacher" in the yearbook |
| several VIPs. One of her bosses | | | | superlatives! |
| frequently blames his own mistakes on | | | | Jane has lost her resilience in this |
| her, and another boss often calls Jane | | | | situation. She lets the words of others |
| stupid. | | | | shape her thoughts about herself, and |
| Jane spends her evenings worn down and | | | | she no longer trusts herself. |
| upset. She feels defeated. Once a very | | | | Lilly, on the other hand, has amazing |
| confident and happy woman, she has let | | | | resilience. She trusts herself, and she |
| the messages of a few jerks bring her | | | | does not let others negative messages |
| down. She wants to find a new job, but | | | | bring her down. She allows herself to |
| she doesn't think anyone else will hire | | | | be disappointed, but not for too long. |
| her. In the very first week of her job, | | | | She gets right back on track. And she |
| Jane knew it wasn't a good fit for her | | | | has great successes to show for it. |
| and she should quit, but she didn't | | | | Resilience in adults with ADD is all |
| trust her intuition and therefore stayed | | | | about moving forward. If we want to be |
| put. | | | | successful adults with ADD, we simply |
| Lilly is also an amazingly smart woman | | | | can't let disappointments hold us back. |