While I usually write about leading with ADHD in the workplace, I want to carry that leadership into another place in our lives where it is desperately needed. ADHD is powerful fuel for advocacy and activism.
Things feel very heavy right now
I wrote an earlier version of this article right after the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, TX. Through teary eyes, and with my heart beating out of my chest, I wrote about how much we are all carrying right now. The ongoing pandemic, irreversible climate change, racial injustice, school shootings and mass shootings in general, and the human rights being taken away by the government all live rent-free in our heads. Barely a month passed since I wrote this centered on the school shooting, and now we are mourning the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and the implications it has on women/AFAB and the people who love them.
To say I am hurting as an American, a woman, and a parent is an understatement. I’m scared for our collective future. While this fear, anger, and sadness feels like it could swallow me whole, I am channeling this energy into something more. Whether you have ADHD or not, I hope you join me.
The grown-ups will take care of this
Events like these have shaped my life in more ways than I realized. Although I grew up across the country from Littleton, Colorado, the Columbine High School shooting is forever etched in my mind. If something so heinous could happen in that suburban community, it could happen anywhere. At the time, I was in high school, and I remember parents and teachers doing everything they could to remind us we were safe. Whether it was stated or implied, the message I received was “the grown-ups will take care of this.” I held on to that message for too long.
As the years went on, I realized the grown-ups hadn’t taken care of the problem, and I began to see a pattern. A horrific event takes place. People would ignite conversations on what needs to change so the unimaginable never happens again. Other people would say it’s too soon or not the right time to talk about such things. Memories would fade and the issue loses the momentum we all felt in the wake of a tragedy. Then, another tragedy strikes, and the whole cycle repeats.
The biggest lightbulb moment I had about America’s gun control problem (and most issues the country faces), was years after the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. I saw these students speaking at rallies, meeting with politicians, advocating for safer schools. Those elementary school students who witnessed and survived the unthinkable, were now high schoolers. The old refrain from 1999 came back into my head that “the grown-ups will take care of this.” In that moment, I realized I’m not a scared high school freshman. Somewhere along the way, I became one of the grown-ups.
ADHD Saved the Tribe
I found the article The Evolution of ADHD: Social Context Matters by Dan Eisenberg, PhD, and Benjamin Campbell, and learned how the genetic traits of nomadic tribe members differed from those in settled tribe members in Kenya. Some of the traits shared with ADHDers did not work as an advantage in the settled community. However, in the nomadic tribe, the same traits may have been the key to evolving.
Nomadic tribes would have faced extinction due to famine, draught, raids, and more, by staying still. And traits like energy, curiosity, hyperfocus, spontaneity, and innovation quite literally saved their lives.
Leveraging the same ADHD traits to save our lives now
Let us use the heaviness of current events to fuel us in ways we’ve never imagined. It’s unrealistic to tackle all problems at once, but I encourage you to pick a topic that you feel particularly connected with, and see where you can lend your support. All of the current issues from racial injustice, to climate change, to gun control, to human rights would benefit from writing letters to politicians, donating money to trusted charitable organizations, volunteering your time, and supporting communities that are most impacted.
Energy
If you are a hyperactive ADHDer, embrace it! If you need to be moving, help an organization with handing out flyers or marching for something that is important to you. Find out about the local, state and federal officials that represent you. If their values are aligned, use your energy to amplify their message. Otherwise, research their opponents and help shake things up with the next election cycle. Want to channel your energy into a walk or run? There are charity 5Ks for almost every cause!
Curiosity
Bring your curious and inquisitive nature to a trusted non-profit if you can serve on the board, or volunteer in some recurring capacity. The one-off volunteer efforts are also hugely valuable, but the curiosity you can bring to process reinvention, fundraising strategy, or community engagement may be the game changer they are waiting for. Keep asking “why”.
Hyperfocus
This may be the trait that leads ADHDers to miss meals or lose track of time, but we can also use it to really serve the cause that fuels us. If you are passionate about a topic, or impacted individuals, distractions seem to melt away. Picture your future, your children’s future. If there is something that scares you, channel some energy into meaningful action and change.
Spontaneity
This can show up in the form of being motivated into action immediately after reading this article. It might show up as being ready to act in the wake of another tragedy. It might show up as doing something that others’ may deliberate on for weeks. However it shows up for you, (as long as it’s within your means) welcome it.
Innovation
“The way it’s always been done” might sound like nails on a chalkboard to you. If you thrive in new spaces, lean on this to change the status quo. Maybe this looks like changing the communications intended to attract donors to a non-profit organization, or dreaming up some really thought-provoking event ideas.
Each of these traits may show up differently (or not at all) in you. That’s okay! We are all wired a bit differently, so lean into YOUR strengths, and fuel your advocacy and activism in your own personal way.
Today We Grieve; Tomorrow We Act
In the wake of tragedy, we all grieve differently. Some people may feel that mobilizing immediately serves them. Others need time to work through a series of emotions before they can act. For me, the Texas school shooting was a chilling reminder that “the grown-ups” include me now, and the grown-ups need to take care of this. This is the leadership we need right now. I’ve joined local chapters of organizations aligned with the changes I hope to see in our community and country, and encourage you to do the same. Let’s lead with empathy, energy, curiosity, spontaneity, and innovation.
I know this was a bit off course for the usual ADHD @ work content, and hope this struck a chord with you. If it didn’t, know I’ll be back to leadership and ADHD content soon, and you can check out other blog posts in the meantime. Thanks for your support!
