The Gift Of Adult ADD: Translate Restlessness Into Productive Energy

Stop right now and translate your restlessness into productive energy with five simple steps:

1. Stop; stand still and consider opening up to a new perspective. Take a few deep breaths, and put your attention on the feeling of restlessness.
2. Ask yourself, “Where in my body do I feel this restlessness?”
3. Direct your attention to this physical, bodily sensation of restlessness.
4. Visualize an image that captures the essence of this restlessness.
5. Ask yourself, “How does this image show me the gift in my restlessness?”

Just the process of feeling the sensations on a physical level will give you more control over your activity level. On a deeper level, the visualized image will actually contain some of the energy. And finally, the image you come up with will provide you with a creative reframing for your restlessness. For example, when doing this exercise I once came up with the image of a waterwheel. Because waterwheels are sources of strong, clean energy, this image challenged my idea that I was just “spinning my wheels.”nnn- Excerpt from THE GIFT OF ADULT ADD: How to Transform Your Challenges & Build on Your Strengths (New Harbinger Publications)