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