Lifelong Learning Habits (or better known as Thing 1)

It is no fun growing up with a disability.  Most people will either view you as someone that they should feel sorry for and will, in turn, make excuses for you not being on the "same level" as everyone else OR they will view you as someone that is a "whiny" brat that just needs to "suck it up and deal with it".   Why am I bringing this up?  I have ADHD.  Yes, the most overplayed, outdated, yada, yada, yada learning disability ever used.  Did you know that in the early days (I graduated from high school in 1991) there was only one option available?  Medication.  If you were not on any type of medication you just dealt with it.  My parents did not believe (i.e. they were to poor to buy it) in medication.  My dad used to say that "there isn't anything a good belt can't take care of".  LOL I guess he was right.  And I did...eventually.  Having to deal with the issues was a nightmare and a blessing.  I learned to deal with it-blessing.  Learning to deal with it- nightmare.  For years I felt "stupid" and "weird" and lacked any self confidence.  Today I am glad that I have that wonderful gift known as ADHD.  What???!!!  Glad? :D  Can you stay up for hours and still have oodles of energy?  I can.  Can you (at 37 years old) still keep up with students that are half your age? I can.  Can you multi-task like today's students even though your generation was not trained in that skill?  I can.  Can you make random things coincide because your brain picks up on crazy, obscure points?  I can!  There are downsides (of course) but I have learned to deal with them and focus on the great stuff.  I know what you are thinking...what???  Why did I need to read all of that? What is she getting at?  Why, my most challenging habit, of course!  That would be habit #4.  I can talk, talk, talk till the cows come home BUT I am HORRIBLE with grammar and spelling.  I actually failed spelling in 7th grade.  Those years of low scores and failing grades makes for a not so great confidence in anything put in black and white.  Yeah, spell check is my friend, but there is only so much it can do.  Number 1 is going to be tedious but not challenging.  I am great with beginnings,...not so great with middles or ends!

I do think that everyone is great at something.  EVERYONE.  I am great at play.  I am also great at teaching and mentoring others.  I had to teach it to myself and all that that involves...teaching others is a snap!  Put those two together and you have fun learning; And learning should be fun!  No matter what!  Learning is exciting, shocking, interesting and fabulous!!!  You should not be falling asleep for that.  And if you find yourself learning something that is NOT fun it would be (or at least SHOULD be) interesting to find a way to MAKE it fun.  The enjoyment is in the challenge.  Yet, there is also a great line from Uptown Girls; "Fundamentals are the building blocks of fun".  I guess it all depends on that persons ability solve problems...would you push forward in an uninteresting class trying to gleam all that you can from it or assume it is not important enough because it is not interesting. 

To be able to view any problem as a positive challenge is, in my opinion, the most important as well as useful habit.  Challenges are a person's (I had written "man's" but had to erase it) best friend.  They are the window into our soul.  I tell my students every day that only when faced with adversity will the true person inside shine through.  When someone (or something) makes you mad how do you respond?  Do you yell?  Do you shut down?  Are you "ugly"?  Can you stay calm?  Can you see what has caused the adversity to begin with?  Can you see the whole picture and reason through it?  When you are stressed does your entire day fall apart or can you regroup and keep going?   Even if you apologize for your lapse in judgment the damage has been done to you and the other person.  A challenge is nothing but a test.  To be able to reason through a problem in any situation in life would be a skill worth almost any amount in gold.  I keep hearing in my head the commercial for Capital One credit card... "What's in YOUR wallet?"  My will (pun intended) is in mine...and I plan to use it every time I find myself starting to drift off.