Nov 23
Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I thought the topic of ADHD and gratitude couldn’t be more perfect. Gratitude is so important for every single human to feel good, but for those of us with ADHD, it's crucial. With our dopamine deficiency, we can't get anything if we’re not in positive emotion!
Positive emotion has been shown to increase dopamine, which drives our memory, our behavior, our focus, and our motivation. When we're in positive emotion, we get stuff done, we're happier, and we're more driven, and it all begins with a simple shift in mindset.
Join me for a special solo episode, where I’m sharing some easy and effective ways to change your thoughts from self-doubt to gratitude. Our thoughts have the power to create the lives we want, and I think you’ll be amazed by how different life starts to look when you make positive emotion a priority.
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"Gratitude isn't just nice; it's essential. Especially for those of us with ADHD. It spikes our dopamine, driving our memory, focus, motivation, and behavior."
- Tracy Otsuka
"The more we focus on gratitude, the more dopamine our brains can access, making us less depressed, more focused, and motivated to move forward."
- Tracy Otsuka
"With our ADHD brains, we can't get anything done if we're not in positive emotion. It's the fuel that powers our focus and drive."
- Tracy Otsuka
- Tracy discusses ADHD and gratitude, highlighting the importance of positive emotions for ADHD brains.
- Gratitude improves sleep, executive functions, mood, and focus, reducing ADHD symptoms and increasing productivity.
- Tracy emphasizes the importance of pausing and finding gratitude in difficult moments to shift one's perspective and find opportunities for growth.
[19:53 - 31:11] Gratitude practice and positive emotion tracking
- The practice is designed to help individuals cultivate a positive mindset and appreciate the good things in their lives, even during challenging times.
- Tracy creates a "positive emotion dossier" to document and reflect on moments of joy and pride in life, to combat feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy.
- Tracy keeps the dossier within arm's reach and adds to it regularly, using it as a reminder of their strengths and accomplishments.
- Tracy shares their experience with the "29 Gifts" practice, where they gave a gift to someone every day for 29 days in a row, and also acknowledged a gift they received from someone else each day.
- Tracy encourages listeners to try a daily gratitude practice, such as writing down three things they are grateful for each day, to improve mental well-being.
- Tracy recommends seeking out experts in ADHD and trauma to address any unaddressed trauma, and offers a list of resources in the show notes.
