Do you ever watch videos from The School of Life? The School of Life is an educational organization devoted to teaching emotional intelligence. It was founded by British philosopher Alain de Botton, author of a number of books on philosophy, culture, and psychology. 

Adela here! This week I finished my vision boards. I'd been talking about vision boards with different clients and realized I hadn’t made my own in a while, so it was time. I'd made online vision boards (for instance, while designing my house, I used Houzz and Pinterest to collect ideas). But if I really wanted to turn my dreams into reality, I needed to be reminded on a daily basis. I personally didn’t want them on my phone. I needed a good, old fashioned, bulletin board of inspirational images.

ADDitude Magazine has compiled some inspiring quotes from amazing celebrities diagnosed with ADHD. Love the positive way of thinking that these celebs demonstrate! Check it out, and get in touch with Mind Coach NOLA if you or a loved one wants to understand and harness the strengths of an ADHD/ADD-diagnosis by working with an ADHD coach in the New Orleans area, or online from anywhere in the U.S.!

The article "The Opposite of Distracted. The Epitome of Productive" over at ADDitude Magazine offers a quick explanation about hyperfocus and how to harness that incredible ability to your advantage. Many people struggle to find their state of flow, their bliss, to get in the groove. Whatever you want to call it, you've got it naturally! Go, innovator brain!

Emily Rose Barr has written a beautiful article over at Daily Good, titled "Mind the Stream: Where Mindfulness and Technology Meet." She reflects on our society's mindless consumption of technology, and asks how we might be more aware of the time we spend isolated and glued to our devices:

Think of the day as a series of choices to be made. One at a time, you are in control of making your little choices and controlling your destiny. Katy Rollins at ADDitude Magazine offers a few gems of wisdom to help see the "big picture" of an ADHD diagnosis:

Innovator Brains dream BIG and often. You are the creators, inventors, and writers of our future. Turning a dream into a reality requires action... and that can be so, so hard. You have to figure out what needs to be done, break down the action items into smaller tasks, think about what resources you need, and then put it all in order. And you have to follow through and do it all on time. Who can help you make your dream a reality? Me!

Hey there. How are you doing? There's a lot of sadness in our world this week, after Sunday's shooting in Las Vegas, and sometimes the heaviness of the world, compounded with struggles in our personal lives, can feel deeply overwhelming!

What's your daily special time with your ADHD kid? For me, it's walking to and from school together, here in New Orleans. We have other special times, too, but this is my son's favorite part of our day, when we sing, walk the dogs, get psyched for the school day, and, after school, review how the day went or what activities are planned in the afternoon or evening. 

The innovator brain is an impulsive one. How do you keep it in check? Try the stoplight technique!

"Good to Go (to College)" by Marissa Kantor at Additude Magazine is a great article for parents on how to better empower their children for college. Being ready for college means being able to manage all aspects of life, not just being ready academically. For example, an assignment pad is not a planner.

How many tabs do you have open right now? Jacqueline Sinfield over at Untapped Brilliance, using a video by James Hamblin of "If Our Bodies Could Talk" and Health Editor of The Atlantic, breaks down the downsides to multi-tasking and the reasons why single-tasking (focusing on one thing at a time) are an important habit to develop.

In need of helpful resources for the beginning of the school year? The article "Top 5 Homework Frustrations—and Fixes for Each" at Additude Magazine is helpful discussion of how to understand your child's homework challenges and address them. Learn how to empower rather than enable!

The article "Emotional Regulation for Kids with ADHD" at Edutopia has six strategies from Dr. Lori Desautels for dealing with ADHD-diagnosed children, based on her work in fifth- and sixth-grade public classrooms. But these tips are helpful not just in the classroom—they can be used at home, too!

The article "Never Enough? Why Your Brain Craves Stimulation" by Dr. Ellen Littman is a nice explanation in layman's terms of what can go on in the brain. So many tiny neurobiological battles in your head, and each one can be different day to day.

Do you like podcasts or talk radio? Sometimes they can be the best resource for busy parents and young adults, since you can listen while on the go. I often share resources like videos and articles with my mind coaching and life coaching clients. But it doesn't just stop there.

What can you start incorporating into your daily routine in order to change your brain, your focus, or your thinking? Just like negative daily habits, such as spending too much time comparing yourself to others on Instagram or Facebook, can negatively impact your brain, positive daily habits, like affirmations spoken aloud, practicing a new skill, or limiting your time spent on social media, can bring about powerful changes in your brain and your productivity!

We all know meditation and mindfulness is helpful for an overactive brain. But what about smell?

Just yesterday I was talking with a client about the start of the school year. She mentioned the importance of a new routine and the challenges that presents. I shared with her my own family’s experience of getting ready for the school year. I hope sharing our family meeting and family guidelines will help fellow parents think about the best ways to create structure within their own busy households.

With colleges in New Orleans and Baton Rouge starting next week, it's time to think about kicking the year off right. How can college students (or grad students, or young adults) be successful and independent? How will you balance your classes, work, social life, time spent online, and other priorities? How can you achieve all of your goals this academic year? Let's tackle this school year together!