A Recipe for Chaos

Running a business as a woman is hard enough as it is. Add a family, ADHD, anxiety, and depression to the mix, and you've got yourself a recipe for chaos. But do people ever talk about it? Not really. It's a silent struggle that women like me face every day.

First, let's talk about the joy of dealing with ADHD, anxiety, and depression as a business owner. It's like having three different people inside your head, each with their own agenda. ADHD makes it hard to focus on one task for too long, anxiety makes you constantly worry about everything, and depression just wants you to give up altogether. It's like having a traffic jam inside your brain. You're trying to get things done, but all these thoughts and emotions are getting in the way.

Running a business requires focus, organization, and the ability to multitask. But with ADHD, it's like your brain is constantly playing a game of pinball. You try to focus on one thing, but before you know it, you're off on a tangent. And let's not forget about the impulsive decisions you make because the idea comes only an act of God can keep you from moving forward to get everything out of your head and into full motion.

Then there's anxiety. It's like having a little voice in your head that constantly tells you that you're not good enough. That you're going to fail. That people are judging you. Blah, blah, blah. It's quite exhausting as if there is not already enough to worry about when running a business.

And depression? Oh, depression. It's like a weight that sits on your chest, making it hard to breathe. It's the voice that tells you that everything is pointless. That there's no point in trying. That you should just give up. But you can't give up. You have goals to accomplish, people depending on you, and people to prove wrong!

With all the chaos my own brain inflicts on me, we have yet to add the ups and downs of running a business. You have deadlines, meetings, emails, team issues, customer complaints, and so much more that can be extremely overwhelming. It's like trying to balance on a tightrope while juggling flaming bowling balls.

But wait, there is more. You still have a family to take care of. As a mom, you're expected to be there for your kids, cook dinner, help with homework, and keep the house clean. It's like being a superhero, but without the cool cape and the ability to fly. I can’t be the only one that feels like I am neglecting either my family or my business on any given day.

So how do you manage it all? Well, you just do. You find a way to make it work. You surround yourself with supportive people who understand what you're going through. But the thing is, we need more community. We need more women who understand what it's like to run a business while dealing with being neurodivergent. We need to be able to talk about our struggles without feeling ashamed or like we're weak.

I will say, despite all the struggles, there's something empowering about being a CEO, a woman, and neurodivergent. It's like being a unicorn in a sea of horses. You're unique, you have a different perspective, and you're stronger than you think. You may feel like giving up sometimes, but you keep pushing through because you know you can do anything you set your mind to.

To all the women out there who are running a business while dealing with ADHD, anxiety, and/or depression, I see you. I understand what you're going through. And I think you're amazing. Keep doing what you're doing and know that we got this.