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The Human Movement"
August 2008 Posts
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This is a short blog about connection and ADD. I’ve noticed that the best moment of my day brain wise has to do with the brief connection I get every morning at the Starbucks kiosk at the local grocery store. Dr. Edward Hallowell talks about the importance of this “human moment” in his book Connect. This brief but regular morning connection with the same woman every day who makes me my double tall non fat no foam latte without my even having to ask since I am a regular (which adds to the intimacy, the sense of being known) not only makes me feel better mood wise but from an ADD perspective, changes my cognitive state and sends me off back into the parking lot and into my day with a much clearer mind than I had five minutes earlier. And since at that point I haven’t even had a sip of the coffee yet, we have a clue that something else is going on here! Maybe it’s simply the mood elevating brain chemicals that start to flow when you make that human connection but it seems as if it also shakes up the brain cells and clears the cobwebs. And all this time I thought it was just the expresso! Now I see it actually has a lot to do with my brief interaction with the woman who is a “regular” for me- and with ADD, anything I do on a regular basis every day is a blessing. Who can really say what is going on exactly…all I know is that the double shot of human connection and caffeine in the morning is a winning combination for me as I start my day.
Excellent point about the importance of regular, human connection.
As a woman with ADD, I think that's something I really struggled with, especially early in my adult life. Developing daily habits never came naturally to me -- and the double whammy was that until the last few years, I never grasped the importance of it either; and so never made it a priorty.
Thanks for spelling it all out so clearly. Mental clarity really helps drive behavior for me.
(also, as a sidenote, great writing with: "all I know is that the double shot of human connection and caffeine in the morning is a winning combination for me as I start my day."...file that one away for the next "book" tee hee!)
This might be related to what you're talking about, at least indirectly: One thing that I do now that helps me build "connection/intimacy/etc." both personally and professionally is brief follow-up. If I go to a friend or family's member home for a gathering; or meet with someone professionally, I try to follow-up with a brief phone call or email thanking them and telling them what a nice time I had or how productive it was. It isn't just for them. (although most people LOVE it) I don't do it all the time or even as often as I'd like, but the 'magic' of it all surprises me each time. I'd never experienced that kind of 'intimacy' before....
hope everyone is having a good day!
Whenever my husband and I have been apart for work reasons for months at a time, it was imperative that I be available to take his morning call to say nothing more than hello otherwise he said his day didn't go smoothly. I just thought he was being his controlling self. Guilt, shame ,embarrassment, just felt these emotions for not always picking up the phone. I think i'll just feel a little more understanding instead. Thank you for more insight into ADD.
Cheers ~ I'll drink to that!
BTW in John Gray's Mar's & Venus Diet & Exercise Solution (book/CD) he describes how women naturally produce good brain chemistry when we hang out and connect and that increase in oxytocin is soothing and renewing.
I never looked at my "latte" in this way, however when I do go to a different Starbucks I feel misplaced since I have to actually tell them my order. Venti, 9 pump hazelnet, non-fat, extra hot, easy foam latte. That is a mouth full. I am thankful for the Human Connectiion that I have at the regular Starbucks, it is a great way to start off the day.
I love this post! I have had such similar experiences and have been missing them recently. In fact, I was wondering if this is something I need to build back into my daily routine to help my motivation and outlook for the day. (I stopped due to the money factor but have found that I can order smaller coffees with less fru-fru...even though I do love the fru-fru!)
I once ate lunch at a bistro located in a bookstore so often that more than one of the staff knew my regular order! I have had the same connection at Starbucks and at a local coffee shop. In talking with some ADD peers via conference call, we talked about how connection in the morning can be stimulating for us with ADD. However, many thought my "connections" at the coffee shop were not strong enough for some reason. Maybe it's because they had not experienced it?!
Yes, my daily routine is about to change. Thanks so much for sharing! It certainly awakened my senses and memory to those missed connections!
Tina
