Name: Louise Williams
ND Type/s: Combined ADHD
What do you do: Blogger and blog coach
Where do you live: Cheltenham
How did you start your day today? Do you have a morning routine? What do you have for breakfast, do you think a good diet is important?
I start every morning with a smoothie, my ADHD meds, and a cup of tea. I put lots of oats and protein powder in the smoothie as the medication can suppress my appetite, so I want to make sure that I get a good breakfast. I sit and check my social media accounts while I wait for the meds to kick in and then start getting everything ready for the kids and I for whatever we have on that day.
How do you stay active? And what do you do to relax?
I walk my dog and have two personal training sessions a week. I’m also studying to be a personal trainer myself. I find exercise really helps my mental health, but it has to be fun and varied. I’m not so good at the relaxing part.
Do you have a favourite word or phrase?
I love the word ‘discombobulated’.
Have you read anything good recently?
I used to read to the point where it was a bit of an addiction. But now I can’t anymore and that makes me sad.
Which 5 Albums would you want to have with you on a desert island?
This is so difficult as I tend to listen to playlists. But probably Queen and Dire Straits greatest hits, the soundtracks from Empire Records and The Wedding Singer and then maybe something like Tiesto for when I want an energy boost.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received and who was it from?
To focus on something on a person’s face to help with my chronic blushing. This was from a CBT therapist.
When you were young, what did you want to be when you were a grown-up? And what was your first Job?
I wanted to be a vet until I realised how long the study was and that I’d need maths (I have dyscalculia!). My first job was with a butcher, which is unusual as I am a vegetarian!
What do you do now and how did you get into it?
I’m a blogger and blog coach. I wanted to be a travel writer and journalist and started my blog when I was at home with two small babies as a hobby and turned it into a business. I’m now in the process of opening a disability-friendly, inclusive, accessible gym to make exercise achievable for all.
Creativity and thinking differently are often credited to neurodiversity. Would you say that is true? And if yes, could you give an example?
Absolutely yes. People are always telling me ‘I’d never have thought of that’. I’m a great problem solver just from looking at things around me in my environment, lots of times I’ve fixed things and people have been really impressed.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, or have lost your focus, what do you do to get back on track? Do you have any hacks, tips or do you use any apps to keep you on track during the day?
I tend to talk to a friend on Zoom. We both have ADHD and we run focus sessions for one another where we just get on with what we need to do, but with someone else there to nudge us if we get distracted. There’s a useful website called focusmate which matches you with someone else who needs to get something done.
How does your Neurodiversity affect new relationships? This can be professionally, socially or romantically.
It’s affected me a lot in the past. It’s so difficult socially. I would be hyper aware of eye contact, what the other person was thinking of me, other distractions. I was a people pleaser and so got taken advantage of a lot.
What makes you happy?
My children, my dog, my cat, my friends and family and being outdoors, especially on a mountain. And chocolate!
What has been your biggest achievement so far?
Aside from raising two amazing little humans despite my undiagnosed ADHD causing me so many issues with anxiety and depression, it would probably be growing my own business.
Do you have a Positive ND message to the world? Imagine you have a £5 million advertising campaign to spend on billboards all over the world, what would you say?
It would say: “I’m not sad that I have ADHD, I’m just sad I didn’t know about it for so long.”
I don’t feel that having ADHD is a bad thing, in fact, now I know about it I celebrate it, It has not been easy but it has made me me!
Final question – where can people find out more about you? Do you have a website and social media pages?
My blog is pinkpearbear.com with lots of posts on mental health and ADHD as well as family travel, and my social media pages ar:
facebook.com/pinkpearbear (where you can also find details of my support groups) https://www.instagram.com/pinkpearbear