Resolutions Too Rigid for Your ADHD Brain? Try Theming or Nudging Instead

Dec 31, 2024

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Happy New Year! 🎆

As we step into 2025, many of us are brimming with hopes, dreams, and maybe some New Year's resolutions. But if you're anything like me—and I know many of you are—traditional resolutions might last as long as bubbles in a can of carbonated water. Fizzy, but fleeting.

That's why I’ve dedicated the final episode of the year to exploring alternatives that are a bit more ADHD-friendly: Theming and Nudging.

These techniques are designed to work with our brain’s need for novelty and reward, while allow us to last beyond the two week fade effect and get some genuine consistency going.

🔎 Theming: A Flexible Roadmap to Achievement

When goals feel too rigid, we end up resenting, then rebelling, right? That’s why theming might just be your golden ticket.

Instead of specific resolutions, choose a theme to guide your actions and choices. Think of it as steering your life in a desired direction, instead of the overly detailed GPS guidance.

Example Themes: Strength, Connection, Creativity, Curiosity, Growth.

🌟 Pro tip: Choose three areas of your life—like health, money, and relationships—to apply your theme. Need a reminder? Create a screensaver or even use a sticker chart!

🔄 Nudging: Gentle Reminders for Big Changes

Nudging starts with the same letter as nagging, but that’s where the similarity ends. Introducing small nudges (friendly taps or tugs) into your routine can lead to significant improvements over time.

Set up periodic reminders to guide you towards beneficial actions—like moving, drinking water, or taking short breaks. Everything counts and they really do add up.

Real-Life Nudge: My client has reminders set for "Walk" and "Water" to help her break up lengthy periods of hyper focus, which cause her to neglect her biological needs.

How to get Started:

Reflect on the past year.
Choose a theme that inspires and guides you.
Set up nudges to gently steer your behaviors.
Let go of guilt and embrace incremental progress.

With either approach, the key is flexibility. Adjust, adapt, and own these strategies to make them work for YOUR body, mind and brain.

And remember, whether it's a theme, a nudge, or a mix of both—what truly matters is finding simply ways to align your behavior with your intentions, keeping you engaged without feeling overwhelmed or getting bored.

Resources Mentioned in this episode:

Washington Post writer Tara Parker-Pope
Nudge by Thaler and Sunstein
Skip the Resolutions, Pick at New Year’s Theme CHADD article
4 Self- Tricks Nudging That Make Doing the Right Thing Easier Psychology Today
Jeremy Enns Podcast Marketing Academy

Thank you for being a part of the ADHD-ish podcast community. We're gearing up for some exciting new content in the next year, so if you haven’t subscribed yet, now’s the time.

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Here’s to a 2025 focused on embracing the journey of entrepreneurship, celebrating our unique brains, and thriving with intention.