"Some people are so poor, all they have is money.” - Bob Marley.
Hi Nice Maker,
We’re hiring over at Wise Squirrels. Full details for this internship can be found here.
Last week, I met with my therapist and, after some discussion, decided to experiment by taking a week off my ADHD medication. I’m also on scripts for anxiety, and she urged me not to stop that one. And so I followed her suggestion and didn’t drown!
I landed on this analogy, which may resonate with my fellow Wise Squirrels readers: Being off my medication left me feeling like I was treading water in a large swimming pool, occasionally swiping the chlorine-filled water directly in my damn eyes.
I was upright, head above and bobbing in the warm pool water, looking up to the sky above. My legs were feverishly scissoring back and forth, and my heart raced in a healthy direction. Did you know swimming is among the best cardio workouts? You get a full-body workout; it's low impact, burns calories quickly, improves your lung capacity, builds endurance and versatility, and can reduce stress. Yay, swimming!
My arms were busy sculling out from my chest in circular motions, keeping me gracefully floating and comfortable. Treading water can feel deeply relaxing until you can’t do it anymore, and your mood changes to the feeling of dread and despair like a lone survivor of an ocean plane crash praying for a rescue and that the sharks stay at bay.
Off my ADHD medication, I spent a highly unproductive week, unable to focus long enough on the work I knew I needed to do, but I was unable to make myself do it (sorry if I didn’t reply to your email yet). And yet, I could still be hyperfocused on the fun work I love, like helping my coaching and speaking clients. My overeating returned with a vengeance as Heather and I explored the restaurants, cafes, and farmer’s markets of Black Mountain and Ashville, North Carolina, on our much-needed, spontaneous weekend getaway and hiked up to Lookout Mountain, Montreat. Wow!
If you’re on medication, speak with your doctor before making any changes that he or she agrees to. Taking a break from my ADHD medication left me feeling much better about how they are working for me. I’m more focused and calm, less irritable, and back to making better food decisions.
I never felt like I was going to drown being off my ADHD stimulants; I suppose the anxiety meds, journaling, and meditation helped with this. But, I felt scattered and lost much of the time, wondering which side would be closest to swim to the ladder, or better yet, asking what the hell I was doing in the middle of this massive pool in the first place.
⭐ NICE CLIP
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NICE SONG
NICE BOOK
A Philosophy of Walking by Frédéric Gros.
THIS SHALL PASS...
If you ever feel blue, contact me or someone close to you. Understand that as crappy as life can get, it does get better. If you get very dark and are considering suicide, visit 988lifeline.org or call 988. Or Google for support where you are.
Thank you for being here.
Be nice.
Dave.