$1000 Caught My Attention

June 28, 2010

The Tale of the $1000 Sock or Is My House a Mess?

Ollie Likes to Eat Socks

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?

A Calling, A Fit and A Personal Transformation

June 9, 2010

ADHD Coach – It’s a Calling

by ADHD Coach, Maureen Nolan, ACC, Your Attention Coach

I became what I always needed – an ADHD Coach.

I needed a coach during all my academic years, especially when in architectural graduate school I heard myself say, ‘I need a wife’.

I needed a coach when I transitioned from full time editor to full time mom. It was a hard transition.

I needed a coach anytime I was told – just do it; try harder; you’re not paying attention; that was stupid; you’re doing that on purpose; why can’t you do what I want you to do; you don’t follow directions; don’t put words in my mouth; I can’t take it anymore; why are you so sensitive; why can’t you do anything right; that’s wrong; you’re wrong and on and on.

Each time I heard negativity I took it to heart and believed it must be so because someone said it.

I’ve since learned I don’t have to believe anything anyone says about me and sometimes I don’t have to believe what I think about myself! This is a healthy result of excellent ADHD Coaching I’ve received and it’s my gift to you. My job is to find what you’re good at and remind you that is the essence of your self-esteem. You Are; You Be; You Rock; You Thrive with an ADHD Coach.

Be transformed through coaching. It happened to me and it can happen to you, too.

I’m Giving Away ADHD Coaching

May 25, 2010

It’s My Birthday and I’m Sharing It With You!

On May 31, 2010 I turn 57!
So, to celebrate, I’m taking free calls on Tuesday, June 1 – 15 minutes each for my present and former and maybe new callers:
• to catch up
• to hear new stories
• to celebrate successes
• to make short plans for long term goals
• to remember
• to remind
• to encourage
• to nurture
• to say thank you.
I’ll start at 9 am EST and finish at 5 pm EST (with a regularly scheduled appointment that keeps me busy from 12:30 to 3:30).
  • What do you want?
  • What will it feel like when you get there?
  • What will it feel like if you don’t make it?
  • Let’s talk!!

Email me at maureen@yourattentioncoach.com or call me at 404-713-0488 to make a 15 minute appointment!

This is my ADHD birthday gift to you!

Giving Away ADHD Coaching Secrets

It’s Time for Your Struggle to End

I’m giving it all away – bit by bit and blog by blog I’m disclosing everything I know about how to coach people with ADHD. It’s not a sale, or a gimmick but a change of life attitude about what people want and what I can do about it.

I became an ADHD Coach in Atlanta because I heard parents and family members and individuals talk about mis-managing lives, living in chaos, living in fear, living on the edge, living with addictions, panic, anxiety and being generally unhappy and confused. Not only that, but I was living in chaos and discovered that along the way to become an ADHD coach my life began to make sense.

My passion is coaching. I feel alive, happy, inspired, peaceful, invigorated and fulfilled when I coach. It’s is how I live God’s plan for me to be in service to humanity. This is no small thing to claim the energy of my life in alignment with the energy of creativity and the universe.

What?

It’s simple but it’s not easy to disclose professional information because I’m talking in general terms. Be aware that your personal version of ADHD may not be similar so take away what you can use and leave the rest!

Stop! and Start Here

Have you been diagnosed? What is the value of diagnosis?

I talked with a parent yesterday who believes he has ADHD and is actually taking medication but is not diagnosed with ADHD. It’s a very ADHD thing to approach solutions like this. Sometimes it’s even part of the diagnostic process…if the medication makes a difference, you might have ADHD.

What was the value of your ADHD diagnosis?

Are You Afraid of ADHD?

May 14, 2010

Don’t Let Fear of ADHD Keep You From Happiness with ADHD

“Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn.” Marianne Williamson

First Comes the Fear (with ADHD)

My family of origin lived fear-based and many decisions were based on fear of something happening. I raised my own children that way. Don’t do that, you might get hurt, lost, hurt, never come home again, attacked by bears, fall down, burned…and on and on. I didn’t go to college in a new city because of fear. I didn’t finish my masters in architecture because of fear of the lifestyle. I didn’t marry Kevin because of fear of change. I didn’t travel when my children were small for fear of death by airplane crash. Read the rest of this entry »