The Spicy Brain, A SuperPower
When we let our spicy brains thrive, that is where the magic happens.
Spicy Brain (noun, adjective, verb, pronoun) Definition: The delightful and, at times, debilitating cocktail that makes up the way we view the world and act on it. This neurodivergence is distinctly different from the currently considered average brain functionality. This includes and is not limited to ADHD, autism, OCD, dyslexia, and so much more, which can be mixed in all kinds of magical ways.
I firmly believe the way we organize our days and the way we get shit done should not feel like a struggle or a burden. If it breeds avoidance, makes you feel shitty, or doesn't feel intuitive or natural, it is not meant for you, which is allowed to suck, but I also give you permission to take a step back and find another way. Just because it works for others, does not mean it works for you.
A Conversation on Making Our Spicy Brained Cocktails Work with Us Instead of Against Us.
For myself, my spicy-brain cocktail is a heaping pour of generalized anxiety, an overabundance of inattentive ADHD, and a garnish of OCD tendencies. And I am sure a bit more. This unique blend shapes how I perceive and interact with the world.
Like most, my mixture is both my superpower and my kryptonite. It means I am incredibly hardworking, passionate, a unique problem solver, and have multifaceted skills. It also means that hustle culture, not loving what I do, traditional workflows, traditional organization systems, and so on do not work for me.
As this directly affects executive function and many other cognitive functions and behaviors, the 'traditional' systems of life and work feel more like an uphill battle where I am constantly fielding through a maze of suddenly appearing walls that I slam right into.
I was forced to endure a time when the walls slamming into me were hard enough to make me hit rock bottom. I became baseless, lost, and without the tools to know where even to begin. And even more importantly, I lacked the tools to keep my functioning systems going sustainably.
So, I used my rock bottom to experiment with different systems to see what would work and stick. I quickly realized that there were two different things
For example, I can start a task management system such as Notion, Asana, ToDoist, or Monday, and it works, but I can't get it to stick for the life of me. At the same time, I could write lists of tasks for days and days in my curated journal with my current favorite pen or pencil. Still, that system would quickly get out of control once multiple projects and clients were brought into the fold.
So, I began combining them. I would write my lists and workshop them into a task management system. But I would also have days where I would have to rework my online management system to reset myself because some days using it was making me avoidant and unmotivated. This was due to a multitude of factors, but one of them was that there might have been an entire week where I could only get myself to use good old paper and pen.
If your brain continually knocks you down and trips you up, stop fighting it. Allow yourself the grace to build a cocoon of systems that work with you instead of against you. If that is all you get from this post, beautiful, but if you want more, I give more details on tests and sampling that help me build my current system. I say current because I have thusly acknowledged that this is what works for me now, and it might change. And that is okay.
Disclaimer: I am not a therapist or mental health professional. I am simply a fellow spicy-brained individual trying to navigate the mud and help others avoid being left behind.
Steps that worked for me that might work for you:
If applicable or accessible, see if you can talk to someone, ideally a trained professional, to see what your spicy-brained cocktail might consist of.
For me, it was learning I had inattentive ADHD, among other things.
Walk through with a trusted friend or consultant to discuss what works and doesn't work for you in your daily life, both personally and professionally.
I worked with friends, my partner, my therapist, and myself. I love systems and organization, but it has always been hard for me to do it myself. I always think I should keep bullying my way through, but as I am sure we all know, that never works the way we want it to.
Determine what systems have worked for you in the past, no matter how briefly.
For example, to name a few things, pen and paper are how I get started. I do not benefit from a reward system, and I am highly avoidant if I do not break tasks into bite-sized pieces.
Research or talk to someone about options for you, but also work with someone to set them up. For example, Task management systems can be overwhelming to start and maintain since there can be a learning curve.
For me, I talked to people who had used systems before and asked them questions. I would search for free templates to get me started. I would even watch YouTube videos of people's systems.
Determine what unblocks you!
I have set up regular, weekly, and bi-weekly accountability buddy or body doubling buddy sessions to ensure you spend time resetting your systems and working through avoidant tasks.
A spicy brain is not something that we are looking to ‘fix’; we are instead looking to develop a toolbox that allows us to adapt to it and harness it. It takes time, energy, patience, and a healthy level of giving yourself love and grace for who you are. I am not trying to provide a one-size-fits-all solution. I wanted to share my continuous journey of finding my spicy-brained superpowers and kryptonite to build organic systems that are equally there for me when things are hard, and that are there for me when things feel easy.
I have much more to share and discuss; feel free to contact me here to set up an informational session or request more resources.