About My Why
Why do I do what I do?
Why ADHD Coaching?
Because I was broken.
Or at least, that’s what I thought.
When people ask me why I became an ADHD Coach, the short answer is, “I want to help kids and parents know that they aren’t broken.”
Here’s a bit of a longer answer.
I have ADHD and I was that child who was weird and different.
I was told that I was lazy, wasn’t living up to my potential, and talked too much.
I was too talkative, too messy, too bouncy, too day dreamy, too oppositional, too emotional….generally just too much.
School was difficult for me, I had what I now know was my first major panic attack when I was in fourth grade.
School became a constant battle as I became intensely school-avoidant.
I knew something was “wrong with me”, but had no idea what.
I have ADHD and I was that teenager who gave up on school
I rebelled against authority, changing schools multiple times.
I began to experiment with drugs and alcohol, was mental health arrested, and spent some time in foster care twice.
Ultimately, I dropped out of high school in my senior year when I got pregnant.
I have ADHD and was that young woman with little aspirations.
I had few dreams, very few aspirations.
I did not consider asking the universe for things that seemed impossible.
I believed I was too lazy, too incompetent, too broken to aspire to be anything more than a great mom.
I have ADHD and was that mother who felt like she was failing.
I was raising a couple of kids with wildly different presentations of ADHD.
The mom who never felt like she was a good mom because she could not find the tools, the support, or the resources needed.
I have ADHD and was convinced that I was a failure and that my family was broken.
I have ADHD and was that lost empty nester.
I have ADHD and was the empty nester who felt completely unprepared.
I was unsure of my identity and uncertain what to hope and dream for.
I have ADHD and believed, still, that I “couldn’t” or “shouldn’t” dream big.
Who did not know what to ask the universe for, never mind how to ask.
I have ADHD and was finally treated for ADHD in my 40s.
Three official ADHD diagnosis later, I finally began being treated, and found the right medication and dosage.
I felt so much shame and guilt to battle and release.
I was angry, bitter, and frustrated that no one helped before now.
I was grieving over missed opportunities and untapped potential.
I have ADHD and I have found my passion, and discovered what I was meant to be when I grew up.
I have ADHD and became first a life coach, then an ADHD-specific coach.
I have ADHD and in my late 40s, became a business owner, an entrepreneur, and a conscious business and community leader.
I have ADHD and found my purpose – working with ADHD folks and their parents is the thing the lights me up inside.
Helping a child to see they aren’t lazy, crazy, or dumb.
Helping an adult release shame and guilt.
Helping a parent to understand their child and be the parent that their child needs.
Helping a student feel confident and successful going into adulthood.
Those are the things that drive me, that keep me going, that give me hope and light and strength.
Those are my biggest “why’s”.
I have ADHD and I have begun to heal, take back my power, and fight back against my inner negative thinking.
I have been kicking that ADHD guilt and shame to the curb.
I have been taking back my power.
Questioning my inner critic.
Forgiving myself.
I have begun significantly healing.
Rewiring those negative thought patterns. Treating my inner child, and inner teen, with love and kindness. Compassion and empathy.
While working with parents and a few later diagnosed clients, I discovered that my inner child still had some healing to do, and so I wrote her a letter.
The video above is what I wrote to my precious six year old inner child.
I did it as an experiment exercise to consider recommending to folks I work with, but it turned out to be one of the most cathartic, healing things I’ve done for myself.
I would love for you to take a listen (it’s only 2 minutes!), and consider what you’d say to YOUR inner six year old today.
Thank you!
Thank you for spending some time with me, and listening to a little bit about my why – why I do what I do.
If you are interested in partnering together to tackle YOUR inner ADHD gremlins, I invite you to book a free, no obligation discovery call today! Let’s chat!
I hope you have a day full of joy today, friend – remember – you are amazing!
Don’t Delay Joy
Kat Sweeney, MCLC
PS – If you are looking for some community, please consider joining one or both of my ADHD related groups. These are FREE and INCLUSIVE groups for people to share, care, and support each other. There’s no need to feel alone, join the groups today. Plus – I also run a group for coaches. You can check out all the groups below!
Check Out The Free Community Groups Here