The Creative ADDer

Creativity is one hallmark of ADD — and another of the reasons I call ADD/ADHD a gift. The best part is that creativity isn’t limited to the arts! Creating something new, be it for science, technology, gardening, cooking, music, acting, sculpting, or painting, is creativity. Creativity is the ability to generate new or better ways of doing things, connecting “dots” that weren’t connected before, and thinking outside the box to solve problems. That’s a big part of what entrepreneurs are fueled by.

It is seen in science, architecture, travel, puzzle solving, computer programming, business, and in the arts too. When you have creativity you have vision, inspiration, or resourcefulness to pull from. I’ll repeat — creativity is not limited to the arts.

Creativity comes from reacting to stimuli. This may not be unique to ADDers, but it does set ADDers apart. The passion you feel is what leads to acting on the stimulus reactions. It’s important to not stifle that passion or creativity. Think of your creativity as a muscle that needs to be used regularly. The world is waiting for your creations.

Feeling depressed? Create something, because that’s one of the best antidotes for depression. Everyone with ADD should make sure they create something every day. Creativity is an important need to be filled in an ADDers life. It’s not like the basic needs of survival, but it is a need for proper brain functioning for ADDers. When you utilize your originality and resourcefulness you not only keep your mood up, but also stay more productive in other areas of your life. Creative thinking stimulates dopamine production. A dopamine-flooded brain is more focused and clear, so you can produce more work and stay on track with what you planned for the day.

Another bonus of exercising your creativity muscle is that it reduces stress, as exercise does. And as you must exercise regularly to keep your ADD brain in check and your stress levels down, so must you do something creative regularly.

ADD brains are attracted to “sparkly objects”, and creative thoughts and patterns fit into that category of “sparkly object”. When an ADD brain lights onto a creative thought it works it around and around until satisfaction is achieved. The “sparkly object” can be internal, as in creative thoughts, or external, as an innovative project. It’s all food for the ADD brain.

Use that talent and create your magical life. Your ADD is a gift extraordinaire.

What makes people with ADD more creative? For one, they tend to have esoteric interests, so they study a wide range of topics. That diversity of study provides a broader perspective that improves problem solving, development of ideas, and the creation of the arts. ADDers create order out of chaos. Furthermore, they tend to be risk-takers and distractible. All of this combines to allow for — support even – new discoveries and creations.

Playfulness and child-like wonder go hand in hand with creativity. Maybe that’s part of the reason some people describe creativity as impulsivity gone right. Let your inner child out more often; you may be pleased with the results.

To pull from your creativity as you need it, you need to support a healthy body with proper eating, exercise, and sleep. While this is critical for ADDers, everyone benefits from this kind of lifestyle. Proper eating means a high protein, low carb diet void of sugar and artificial ingredients. Exercise means daily stretching and three weekly cardio workouts. The amount of sleep your body needs to activate creativity is seven to eight hours per night. Daily meditation is another important habit that supports creativity.

Combine these ingredients of nutrition, exercise, sleep, and meditation, and you will light the world on fire with your initiative and inspiration. Besides being a skill to help solve problems or create art, creativity becomes a tool to help you learn to manage your ADD and to earn a good living. Maybe this becomes the source of your self-employment even! Bonus!

Many of my clients have started their coaching program thinking they aren’t creative. As I have gotten to know them and experience their thinking patterns, and the subsequent results, I love pointing out to them their own patterns. What a treat to watch the acceptance of their creativity light their face (or voice) up and then to take that acceptance and start treating their creativity as a superpower.

Think about all the brilliant and successful people you’ve heard of — they are exhibiting inventiveness, innovation, and resourcefulness. Think about how many more enterprising people are out there expressing their originality in imaginative ways. Are you one of them?

Creativity is an ADD superpower. Step up and take ownership of your ability. Let your talents shine on the world.