Self-Care Strategies: “How I Make Happiness a Priority”
Managing symptoms is a daily strain, so adults with attention deficit should make self-care an item on their to-do list.
ADDitude asked: “What would you put on your to-do list to make yourself happy and eliminate stress and anxiety?”
1. I try to stop taking things personally and remind myself that I’m not the reason people around me are upset. —Francesca, Germany
2. Find a therapist who understands adult ADHD and the repercussions of a late-in-life diagnosis! —Beth, Massachusetts
3. Smile, even if you don’t feel like it. —Susan, Louisiana
4. I take 10 minutes (at least) a day to look at the good things in my life. When I reaffirm the positive things, it makes my day more doable. Happiness is as happiness does! —Michelle, Oregon
[Free Resource: Make Mindfulness Work for You]
5. Reduce clutter in my house; it reduces clutter in my mind. —Janet, Kentucky
6. Take a class at the Cleveland Institute of Art. —An ADDitude Reader
7. I would be happy if I could hire someone to help me with the laundry and housecleaning, so I could spend more time with the kids and family. —An ADDitude Reader
8. Get more outdoors time by myself, play my cello, finish college. —Elizabeth, Missouri
[Free Resource: Finish Your To-Do List Today]
9. Have a hobby that is strictly for me. —Christina, Ohio
10. Pay all of my bills on time and get a massage, manicure, and pedicure. —An ADDitude Reader
11. Ride in a rodeo. That would be great. —Kim, Hawaii
12. Always be true to yourself and “just say no” to situations that don’t make you happy, no matter what other people think. This was a costly lesson for me to learn. —Katrina, South Carolina
13. A nice, hot bubble bath behind a locked bathroom door. That does the trick. —Nancy, Ohio
