Hello again everyone! I'm going to try to make this a coherent post, because I had a few things I wanted to talk about, but it's been a bit of a draining week at work, so we'll see how much brain power I have. First, regular business. I've done doing rather well at marking my daily tasks for April, which is a pleasant improvement. Yoga and duolingo are also both fairing well, although the dishes are not doing so hot. I have managed a weekly walk so far, although not for this week yet. Coffee consumption is also good, although this week has taken a bit of an increase, sadly. I'm hoping to correct that for the rest of the month, though. I have read one book and played flute once, and I have plans to do more of both things in the next few days. I have also knit the first fingerless glove for my partner, with hopes to start its pair soon.
I haven't found time to start yardwork yet, but that needs to be on my list for the next few days. I have a few gatherings coming up that will be fun, and hopefully not too overwhelming. I'm happy with my April goal progress so far, and hoping to carry that momentum into May.
Happy news: I got engaged! My partner set up a very sweet day for us and it was mostly unexpected. I'm very excited, although we are planning a longer engagement, so there is still lots of time for planning everything! :D :D :D
Introspective thoughts: I've been thinking a lot lately about how to get things done and it mostly boils down to, "I don't know what works for me." A youtube rabbit hole led to me looking up the definition of PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) and the article I found had a line about demand avoidance in kids with ADHD. The paragraph and article link are below.
"A kid with ADHD might avoid doing the things they are asked, or may appear resistant, like a kid who fits into the PDA profile. Although, for a child with ADHD, avoidance is most often a secondary effect of difficulty with attention on tasks that they perceive as being boring, difficult, or overwhelming. For kids with ADHD, task initiation is a huge barrier,
especially if there is something else more engaging for them that they could do, like continuing to play with their toys."
https://www.bakercenter.org/PDAThis really resonates with me, especially the bolded bit. I have a hard time getting myself to do the things that need to be done (e.g. dishes or weeding) and it can also impact things that would be beneficial but that feel boring or difficult (e.g. working out or eating healthier). I've tried setting rewards, but it's difficult for me to find something that is valuable enough to give motivation that I don't already do on a daily basis. Fro example, if I tried to limit my fanfic reading until after I had done the dishes or finished my workout, it would be a glorious disaster of me still reading fanfic and not doing the needed thing. I also haven't had a lot of success without external motivation, since being told to do the thing I'm attempting to do tends to lead to either annoyance or a build up of resentment for being made to do the un-fun thing.
I know a lot about
how my brain works, and also what
doesn't work for me, but I'm not really sure how to turn this into useful information. It doesn't have a huge impact on my life, but it does make things challenging sometimes and it would be nice to find a work around for when I need it.
I hope you all are doing well and you have a fabulous weekend! See you next time!
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ysabetwordsmith is having a half-price sale in Polychrome Heroics this week. I am hosting a pool, if anyone is interested in joining me. My main targets will be all of the Shiv poems and "Our Homemade Safety Nets." If there is more interest, I would like to contribute to the open epic "No Faster or Firmer Friendships," then possibly Rutledge poems if people are interested.
