Attention Challenges Among the Indigenous
Do You See Attention in Everyone?
by Maureen Nolan on December 6, 2011
I travel on PBS. Occasionally, by car. But usually through the nature and travel channels. Recently I ventured on U-tube to the Sierra Nevada mountains in Colombia, South America. Here, a flourishing First Nation group, the Kogi, live as an uninterrupted lineage of survivors of the Spaniard Conquistadors for over 400 years. They recently allowed a modern woman to visit and take a video of their life while they shared some of their spirituality.
During their visit, the Kogi men were noted to have a small mortar and pestle with them at all times. Their tradition requires that the men keep stoking the mortar with spit throughout the day in order to build up layers of shell calcium. There is an intrinsic value, probably spiritually motivated that keeps the tradition alive. In addition, the women cultivate cocoa leaves to give the men before they sleep at night. This routine is used with the admonition for the men to reflect on what they’ve accomplished during the day and to plan what they will accomplish the next day.
My children say I see ADHD everywhere. I say, I respond to attention in all its manifestations.
My short interpretation of their cultural tradition is that the men are sedated at night by the cocoa leaves and are kept busy with the mortar and pestle throughout the day in order to focus their attention. This is a cultural and spiritual adaptation to the challenges of attention. They have survived to remember the beginning of time using these traditions. It’s brilliant.
Is this a compulsion that I see attention management everywhere? Do you?
Maureen Nolan Editor ADHD Coaches Organization
ADHD Awareness Week, Atlanta Style
The 16th-22nd of October, 2011 is
ADHD Awareness Week.
My personal, ADHD Coach campaign to raise ADHD Awareness this year includes two new offerings:
New Facebook Page
www.facebook.com/faceofadhd, a new FB page for you to say to the world, I Am the Face of ADHD. All you need to join is life with ADHD or have someone in your life with ADHD. I plan to compile the photos of members in a universal collage of faces! Please join and say it proudly, ‘I Am the Face of ADHD.’
America’s Web Radio
I also have a recording of my recent radio interview on America’s Web Radio with Dr. Joan Teach about the 7 Myths of ADHD. Please share it with family and friends, listening to it to find a way to take immediate action to change your life.
Take Coaching Action
One way to take action is to hire an ADHD Coach. I coach in Atlanta, Georgia with equal benefits both in person and on the phone with my ADHD clients, reaching clients across the country. Life Coaching with an ADHD twist makes a difference through strategic ADHD education, creating focused time management skills, decision-making strategies and my personal coach intervention all tailored to your specific needs.
For more information about Life Coaching with ADHD twist, contact Maureen Nolan, ACC, ADHD Coach at maureen@yourattentioncoach.com.
Call Now for a 15% discount on your first coaching session. 404-713-0488
Use an ADHD Dictionary Before Yelling ‘Lazy!’
You’re Lazy
Well, are you?
Before we go any further, let’s look up the meaning of lazy… here it is:
averse or disinclined to work, activity, or exertion; indolent(from this link: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lazy)
But what if the definition read like this:
Lazy: in a state of information processing; may look tired or be reclining; may even have eyes closed while considering the next step in the request; in preparation for a state of exertion, activity or work; not sure how to proceed.Now, that describes the usual kind of lazy that I’ve experienced or have been confronted with in another person. Or how about:
- Bewildered, belittled or otherwise berated and in a state of protection.
or
- State of being that infuriates someone who wants something from you. This is one of my favorites.
What is your favorite definition of Lazy?
Maureen Nolan, Your Attention Coach, ADD Coach, Atlanta, Ga.
$1000 Caught My Attention
The Tale of the $1000 Sock or Is My House a Mess?
Ollie Eats Socks
My family went to our son’s college graduation and were away from our home and animals for about five days. A family friend stayed with and cared for our two easy-going dogs and one cat. Two days before we returned, the two-year old dog Ollie, began to vomit and stopped eating so I took him to the vet right away; something was very wrong.
After spending $1000 for surgery and tests and care, etc., we discovered he had eaten one of the men’s tube socks. This caused an intestinal blockage that could have killed him. We were all scared and happy and then I became angry: hadn’t I recently said that he would swallow a sock if it wasn’t put away? Honest, I really did. And then, this became the thousand dollar sock. We could have used that money many other places.
What did we learn? That if the sock fits in Ollie’s mouth, he won’t let it go. He’ll just keep chewing until he swallows it. The easy solution was to put socks away.
Several years later, there are no more men in this house to leave socks around. That might seem like a severe management system, but it’s just the way life has worked out. There are no more white tube socks for him, just my underwear which he doesn’t swallow. Yet. But we still had a sock incident a few months ago with one of my finer socks. As he walked away from me down the hallway I saw something besides his tail, hanging out his er, rectum. I wiped my eyes to clear them up, and shaking my head headed toward him. Yup, it was a sock that had moved through the digestive system and thankfully was leaving the body, kind of like a worm, you know? Only really long.
My home is up for sale now, and neat enough to keep Ollie safe. All my socks, thin and thick are in their drawer. He still finds my lingerie when I don’t hang it up, but it’s too big to swallow. I think. What do you do around your home that is dangerous to your animals health and your pocket book? What is worth doing a little more work around the house than a $1000 sock?
Tips When Overwhelm Hits
ADHD Coach Maureen Nolan, ACC Talks Tips on Overwhelm
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