EP. 279: From Anxious Ground to Blooming Minds: Kendall Platt's Mindful Gardening Revolution
May 8, 2024
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Kendall Platt, diagnosed with ADHD at 36, reveals how mindful gardening transforms her vibrant energy. They discuss celebrating ADHD strengths like creativity and resilience, fostering a supportive community, and the therapeutic power of gardening for mental healing. Kendall empowers women to embrace their bustling minds and find moments of peace through gardening, revolutionizing mental well-being perceptions.
Mindful gardening offers individuals with ADHD a serene environment to reduce stress and be present.
Accepting and understanding ADHD leads to self-awareness, self-acceptance, and validation of experiences.
Developing a mindful gardening practice empowers women to nurture inner growth, creativity, and self-trust.
Deep dives
The Power of Mindful Gardening in Managing ADHD Symptoms
Mindful gardening has proven to be incredibly beneficial for individuals with ADHD, providing a quiet and calming environment that helps quiet the mind and reduce stress levels. Engaging the senses during gardening activities, such as listening to the sounds of gardening tools or inhaling the scent of soil, allows individuals to ground themselves in the present moment, facilitating a flow state and improving mental well-being.
The Journey of Late Diagnosis and Self-Acceptance with ADHD
The podcast episode recounts the speaker's journey of receiving a late ADHD diagnosis and the challenges faced in accepting and understanding the condition. Despite academic success and professional achievements, the speaker struggled with anxiety and internalized symptoms, leading to burnout and a need for self-discovery. The diagnosis brought awareness and self-acceptance, allowing for kinder self-reflection and validation of personal experiences.
Empowering Women Through Connection with Nature and Intuition
The speaker's approach to mindful gardening transcends creating beautiful gardens; it focuses on empowering women by reconnecting them with nature and intuition. By guiding women in developing their gardening skills and intuition, the speaker helps them not only cultivate physical gardens but also nurture inner growth and self-trust. Through sensory engagement and mindfulness practices, individuals can find peace, creativity, and self-acceptance in the calming embrace of nature.
The Therapeutic Power of Gardening for ADHD
Gardening has been identified as a powerful way to manage ADHD symptoms and enhance well-being. Engaging in gardening activities provides a sense of accomplishment and boosts dopamine levels, contributing to relaxation and a quieter mind. By developing a mindful gardening practice at least three times a week, individuals can regulate their brain activity and experience the calming effects of nature. The structured nature of gardening can benefit those with ADHD by offering a sense of routine and accomplishment in tending to the garden, even in the face of potential overwhelm.
Finding Success with ADHD Through Self-Understanding and Experimentation
Living successfully with ADHD involves understanding one's brain function and experimenting with different strategies to identify what works best. By being open to trying new approaches and assessing their effectiveness, individuals can tailor their daily routines to accommodate their ADHD tendencies. Embracing activities that bring fulfillment and avoiding self-imposed pressure to conform to conventional productivity standards can lead to a more balanced and rewarding lifestyle. By developing awareness of personal preferences and optimizing routines based on individual needs, individuals with ADHD can cultivate strategies that support their well-being and productivity.
Is it possible that the vibrant energy of ADHD can harmonize beautifully with the serene practice of mindful gardening? Kendall Marie Platt, who was diagnosed with ADHD at 36, is living proof that it can. She shares how this diagnosis transformed her life, channeling her dynamic energy into the calming rhythms of gardening. Throughout our conversation, Kendall and I delve into the unique strengths that ADHD brings—such as creativity, hyperfocus, and resilience—discussing how these qualities enhance our lives and the importance of a supportive community in this journey. We explore not just coping with ADHD, but celebrating it, understanding our neurobiology, and fostering a space where personal growth and acceptance flourish.
Kendall, known as The Mindful Gardening Coach, has seen her transformative approach featured in House Beautiful, Bustle, BBC, The Telegraph, and Metro. She empowers women to embrace their bustling minds and create moments of peace through gardening. Having used mindful gardening to manage her vibrant brain for over a decade, Kendall grew up on the South Coast of England and now lives near Reading with her husband and two daughters. Today, she is revolutionizing perceptions of mental well-being, tearing down outdated stigmas, and encouraging overwhelmed women to join her in a mindful gardening revolution.
Whether it’s crafting a personalized gardening plan, choosing swimming over running, or indulging in other relaxing activities, it’s crucial to find what truly works for you. Identifying activities that resonate with your lifestyle is key to living a balanced and fulfilling life with ADHD.