1-21-09 Yes We Can too:Hope, Diversity, and ADD

Yes We Can too : Hope, Diversity, and ADD

From Sari Solden, author of Journeys through ADDulthood and Women with Attention Deficit Disorder.

Jan. 21, 2009

We all have a great deal to celebrate right now. As a nation we can take great pride in what we have accomplished this week.

From an ADD(ADHD) perspective, whatever your politics, during this week of  Martin Luther King’s birthday and the inauguration of a president who represents hope and coming together, we have a chance step back for a moment and consider how the themes of the week apply to those of us who struggle with invisible differences. We in the ADD community can celebrate the ushering in of a new era in this country with its emphasis on valuing diversity and accepting differences.

During this week of new beginnings, I encourage you to take this “defining moment” as a time in your lives to pause and begin to value your differences instead of hiding in shame, as a time to begin to move forward in the direction of your values, instead of living so much in your pain and struggles. I wish you, men and women with ADD,  freedom –freedom from your own harsh judgments of yourself.

 Most of all, I encourage you to begin to hope and dream again.

To all of you who doubt yourselves, to all of you who because of your negative past experiences doubt that it is possible to realize your dreams, to all of you who are afraid to hope again, I encourage you to remember and take to heart the message of our brand new president: “Yes you can!”

During the inaugural month our new online community at www.ADDjourneys.com , we hope you can begin to find this acceptance, this new hope, and a new beginning.