The Wall of Awful And How to Get Over It
The Wall of Awful, a term coined by Brendan Mahan, refers to the emotional blocks that get in the way of us doing things.
Every time we fail, disappoint ourselves, get rejected or feel ashamed, we lay another brick in our Wall of Awful.
So even if a task "should be" relatively easy, we end up just staring at it, or going to find an easier wall to climb - like alphabetizing the bookshelf or tidying our desks, AKA procrastivity!
Install a Door in the Wall
Since the wall is made up of negative emotions, changing your emotional state to a more positive one can be like installing a door so you can get through the wall.
What makes you feel positive? What kind of music can pump you up? What kind of activities give you a dopamine boost - fresh air and a little bit of movement? A nicely scented hand cream? A good coffee? I know someone who saved her snacks for productivity time. What makes you laugh? Who offers you emotional support? Can a quick chat with them build that door?
According to Brendan, there are a few ways to handle the Wall of Awful. For more on that, check out this video.
Everyone has an emotional Wall of Awful, but people with ADHD (especially if they have only been diagnosed in adulthood) often have higher walls.
FACT #1: "Leading ADHD experts estimate that by the age of 12, children with ADHD would have received 20000 more negative messages than children without ADHD. Additude Magazine ADHD and the Epidemic of Shame That's a lot of failure, anxiety, and and shame bricks in the wall!'
FACT #2: "Compared to men, women with ADHD perceive themselves as more impaired, and their experience of negative events as more painful. They are more likely to blame themselves for their difficulties, and feel lucky if things turn out well. They are more likely to struggle with low self-esteem and shame." Additude Magazine Women with ADHD: No More Suffering in Silence
That's why I'm offering a free masterclass:
Thriving with ADHD - The Prequel
where you will feel understood and validated. Where you get to drop the mask and instead of trying to fix yourself, you simply get to be yourself.
What do YOU think? Which strategy can you use to get to the other side of your Wall of Awful? comment to let me know.