Have you ever tried to start a fire and you can't seem to get it to catch or it quickly burns out? That is sometimes how our focus feels! In this episode, we are going to connect on how we can build a focus fire that will burn bright with practice.

Imagine motivation is the firewood and your energy and attention are the flames that keep it burning bright! Some days, your focus fire is strong and glowing -whoosh! You are full of energy, ideas, and excitement! Other days, though, it feels like your brain is out in the cold, with wood that is damp, the spark is tiny, and it's super hard to get it going! Sound familiar!?

Our brains need momentum to get started on these cold days, because sometimes our brains to make enought spark- dompamine! It's not that you don't want to get something done, it's just that your brain needs a little more kindling to catch fire!

How do I spark my focus fire, you may ask!?

1. Tiny twigs first- Start with something small. Like, instead of cleaning your WHOLE room, just pick up three things and then-whoosh- the momentum catches and your focus fire will start burning!
2. Add some oxygen- Your body is made to MOVE: Energy generates more energy...jump, stretch, dance, shake...it's like fanning your flame with fresh air!
3. Cozy up with a fire buddy (body double)- Sometimes it's easier to get started when someone else is with you, like a parent, friend, or sibling. Their presence is like sitting by another warm fire-it helps your own flame grow.
4. Use fire fuel you love- Add music, color, or something else fun and interesting to your task that feels boring! Our brains LOVE novelty and gamifying things, like tossing on a sparkly piece of wood!

Now that your fire is burning, it still needs care! Celebrate wins big or small, take short breaks, and watch your fire regulate it's flame and then burn brighter!

Remember, even when your motivation feels cold, it's NOT gone! The embers are always there waiting for you to spark them again! Let's go out there and practice building our focus fires as the cold weather hits! It's a fun way to remember to start small, add a spark, and feel the warmth grow! Keep shining bright my beautiful, brilliant friends!

Check out our November sponsor, Sara Lewis Hartley, who is a neurodivergent coach, who helps families nurture emotional awareness, self-acceptance, and connection- All while celebrating the uniqueness in every child. She is also the author of "The Purposefully Me Series"- A social-emotional series of books that speak striaght to your kiddos hearts and minds! Sara is also the creator of the incredible ALIGN Parenting Method, which is a powerful 5-step framework that helps parents find calm in the chaos through Awareness, Listening &Labeling, Identifying triggers, Grounding techniques, and Nurture. Visit www.saralewishartley.com to start your journey toward mindful, heart-centered parenting today.

Reach out to me with any questions at www.katelynmabry.com. I would love to hear from you!!

Intro music credit:

http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day

License code: BYYB10YF2HHNY3YO

Let's wrap up our Fall series talking about how we can come up against "scary feelings" with intention and take the scary right out of them with a purposeful plan to respond!

In this episode, you will meet, Neurodivergent Life Coach, Sara Hartley from Colorado. She and her son are also on an ADHD adventure, just like you and I are! Sara is not only a coach, but also the author of a brand new series of books called, "The Purposefully Me Series," which are social-emotionally themed stories that speak to your heart and mind! Sara will also share with us the ALIGN method she teaches parents to help us find our calm too!

Aware- Self-awareness is always our first step

Listen /label- Stay curious

Identify- Name the feeling/experience

Grounding techniques- Practice techniques that will calm that mind and nervous system

Nurture- Self-love and compassion in hard moments

Sara dives deeper into each of these 6 steps to better responding to our own scary feelings so we can come alongside our kiddos as we model responding to their feelings too!

You can find sara @saralewishartley on Instagram or on her website www.saralewishartley.com to learn more or get connected with her awesome work!!

You can visit me at www.katelynmabry.com to reach out with questions or share your story!! I look forward to hearing from you!

Intro music credit:

http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day

License code: BYYN10YF2HHNY3YO

Let's pause together and imagine a pumpkin patch, filled with pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and textures! Some are smaller and struggling to thrive and others are big and bright, ready to thrive! Now put a name to each pumpkin based on how you feel your strengths and struggles are!? The little bumpy one might be your working memory pumpkin that needs to be watered and cared for more, while the big, round, orange pumpkin is your creativity pumpkin filled with brilliant ideas to share!

Each one of us has a pumpkin patch of skills that look a little different. In this episode, we will explore a variety of skills that may need to watered and strengthened, while also celebrating the skills that we are strong at and can use to shine bright!!

I want to encourage you to connect with each other about what your patch looks like, even draw a picture for fun! Find the pumpkins that may need a little extra care and come up with a plan to take care of those pumpkins, but then celebrate the growth of those thriving pumpkins that you've been putting effort into and they are progressing every day in different ways!

Reach out to me at www.katelynmabry.com or email me directly at [email protected] to share what your pumpkin patch looks like and how you are taking care of your patch!? I look forward to hearing from you!

Many of our pumpkins could use some sensory tools to grow! Check out our sponsor, www.sensorytoolhouse.com to find the sensory tools that could work best for you! They strive to connect inclusivity with innovation as their team of specialists are available to navigate this road to fufilling your sensory needs with you!!

Intro Music credit:

http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day

License code:

BYYN10YF2HHNY3YO

During this ADHD awareness month, I want you to PAUSE and practice this effort to harvest your strengths!!? How do you do that, you may ask!? Well, you will be recharged after listening to this episode as you are encouraged to brainstorm all of your own ADHD superpowers!

Creativity, imagination, boundless energy to name a few. But I want YOU to discover and celebrate which strengths you personally posess and how they can truly be your superpower at home, at school, with friends, and beyond!

Let's really put this into practice by creating your own Fall scene of strengths. Use that creative mind to draw a Fall scene where there is a patch of imagination, stalks of brilliant out of the box thinking ideas, and colorful leaves falling with your energetic, creative thoughts flowing down!

Reach out to me at www.katelynmabry.com or email me directly at [email protected] to share your ADHD strengths with me! I would love to hear from you!

Absolutely check out our October sponsor too! Sensory Tool House- Where inclusion meet inovation @ www.sensorytoolhouse.com,is a resource to meet all of your sensory needs in this season and beyond! They have a physical location to check out in Washington and online you can discover a team of experts that will help you navigate which sensory tools could work best for you!

Intro/promo music credit:

http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day

License code: BYYN10YF2HHNY3YO

Happy ADHD Awareness month my friends! Do you ever feel like pausing feels impossible for your ADHD brain!? Well, in this episode, you will discover that it is absolutely possible by using your brilliant imagination and putting the pause into practice daily. You have the super power of pause inside of you too!

Does your brain too often feel like a race car with bicycle breaks? Dr. Ned Hallowell describes it this way and I feel it's so true, don't you!? Today we are going to learn a strategy to strengthen the break system. Close your eyes and image a leaf floating on the wind. Now imaging you are that leaf when you feel an urge to blurt out...use your power of pause with a breath and the thought, "what is the next best thing to say or do?

Practicing a PAUSE can feel SUPER tricky, but YOU abolutely have the super power within you, so with time and practice it will become easier as the skill gets stronger! It will help you make more mindful choices with friends, in the classroom, and even at home with those we love the most!

Make sure you check out our October sponsor at www.sensorytoolhouse.com, where "inclusivity meets innovation!" You will find resources for all of your sensory needs. Not only do they have sensory tools, but they have experts that will help you find what may work best for you!

You can also visit me at www.katelynmabry.com or email me at [email protected] to let me know how your ADHD journey is going or even to check out my 1:1 coaching program! I hope to hear from you soon! Love all of you!

Music credit:

http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi-seize-the-day

License code: BYYN10YF2HHN3YO

Happy Fall Y'all! Im super excited to enter into this new season with a new Fall themed series! This is a great opportunity to celebrate the ADHD awareness month of October with falling in love with your ADHD brain by gaining a deeper understanding of all things ADHD!

In this episode, we talk all about how so often our busy brains have a hard time with new things and its tricky to create routine, but man do our brains CRAVE routine and thrives when you can find a flow that works best for you! Our brain loves to be entertained with music, movement, and visuals can be helpful for our working memory!

Pick a time of day that feels extra tricky and think about how you can put tasks in an order that feels best for your brain. When we give our day rhythm and order that flows, you will find yourself more confident, independent, and creating healthy routine habits that will be helpful in so many ways!

Visit me at www.katelynmabry.com or email me at [email protected] to share what routines work best for you! If you'd like to explore 1:1 coaching to create routines together, you can schedule a free consultation from my website too! I look forward to hearing from you!

That lonely feeling can be a huge contributer to emotional dysregulation, because we a built for and crave CONNECTION! This is why teaming up with a tribe of people who love you, encourage you, and help you grow in different areas is key! Do you have a tribe of people who love you for you and believe in you!? If not, let's set out on an adventure to team up with your tribe!

In this episode, we talk about WHAT a tribe is and who would be good members of your team/tribe such as family members, teachers, coaches, green light friends, teammates, etc. We also discuss WHY identifying your tribe is an important part of your ADHD journey! At times we can fall into feeling like nothing we ever do is good enough or that we are hearing so much more negative feelback than positive affirmations from day to day. This is when we need to reevalute WHO we are surrounding ourselves with and who we are turning to when things feel tough!

I encourage you to reflect on and talk to trusted adults/friends in your life to discover who your tribe is and how you can become the best member of the tribe too! Remember that you can't control how others treat you, but you can control how you respond and how you treat others too! Practice that unconditional confidence as you team up with your tribe to loves you for you, celebrates your strengths and encourages you through the struggles! You are never alone!

Thank you for being a part of my tribe and know that you can always reach out for connection anytime at www.katelynmabry.com or email me at [email protected]. Love you all!

Oh my goodness you guys! I am so excited to share this brilliant movie with you! It was an honor and pleasure to meet and interview Nicola Rose, the writer and director of the film "Magnetosphere." She also has a beautiful busy ADHD brain Which is a movie about a 13 year old girl who has a condition called "Synesthesia" where senses blend into each other. This young teen who is neurodivergent is navigating through many changes with a recent move across the country

Nicola shares the storyline of the movie and the messages being taught, including, being kind to others, no matter their differences and to see the world from other people's point of view! Let's step into the shoes of others to see the world through their eyes and have compassion for what they may be going through just like you and I do. We all have a story to share and support each other through!

You can find the movie primarily on Prime video an Apple TV or you can google "Magnetosphere" to find it on a different platform you'd prefer!

You can also find Nocola and her crew on Instagram @magnetospheremovie- Send a review of what you thought of the movie too!

You can also send me a message at www.katelynmabry.com or [email protected] to let me know how you liked the film and maybe share some book or movie ideas you might have! Let's ignite those amazingly creative minds!

I want to start by saying that I will never forget 9/11 and the impact it had on our country and the families impacted by the devistation. Praying for all who were touched by this tragedy and I encourage you to give each other an extra long hug today as a reminder of how blessed we are to live and love one another each and every day!

You are in for a treat with this episode as you will meet 14 year old Maddie, who lives in Nashville and loves life! She has learned a super valuable lesson about being "brave, not perfect" that she would like to share with you all! I am so excited for you to hear her story!

There is so much power is celebrating progress over perfection and leaning into effort over outcome. I encourage you to continue this conversation about how the tendency for "perfectionism" shows up for you and how you can come up against it with a reframed mindset of becoming brave, not perfect. Let's celebrate our "oops", our "mistakes, all of the beutiful messes in life, and remember that flowers grow most in the valleys!

You can reach out and connect with me through www.katelynmabry.com or [email protected] if you want to share your story!!! I would love to hear from you!

I know this is a topic I bring up often, but that's because it is that important to talk about and practice continually! Self-advocacy is a skill that doesn't usually come naturally, but is neccessary to explain what we are experiencing those those around us for a deeper understanding and in hopes of others responding with compassion and connection.

In this episode, I share some ways in which you can self- advocate in your home and school environment! Please create family connection time to talk about how the whole family can respectfully put this into practice. Giving one another space and time to regulate, reset, and rejoin is the greatest gift you can give!

Come visit me at www.katelynmabry.com for more resources, to check out my book to add to your classroom or home bookshelf, or to connect with me and share your own ADHD journey! I would love to hear from you! Have a great day! love you all!