How ADHD impulsivity led me down a path of self-discovery.

The women in my family have always been creative. My grandma was a talented quilter, my mom is a painter and a crocheter, and my sister likes to write. As for myself, I've tried my hand at all of it, with varying levels of success.

I started drawing when I was a teenager. I had some basic skills and raw talent, but there was much room for improvement. If I had practiced consistently, I could've been quite good at it. Only, it never happened. About as quickly as my interest in art began, it ended, and it would be years before I picked up a pencil again.

Cue summer of 2022. I was going through a bad depressive episode. There were various contributing factors, but probably the biggest one was I felt like I had spent all my life wasting my talents. I have ADHD, depression, and anxiety, and all those Bad Brain Things contribute to a serious deficit in executive functioning. I get in my own way more than anything else, and it's heartbreaking. I told my husband how I felt, and he told me, "So, do something about it."

As if it's that easy.

Except, this time, it kind of was. I went to the art store, bought some new supplies, and began drawing and painting.

I fell in love. It's really the only thing I want to do anymore. Trying my hand at being an artist with my own business wasn't a decision I made so much as a decision that was made for me. It's been a lot of work, and some days I struggle with feelings of hopelessness and doubt, but it's also given me so much joy and purpose.

I'm excited to see where this path leads me. Thank you for walking it with me.