ADHDvent Calendar Door 6: The Gift of Saying No

Welcome back to The ADHDvent Calendar, Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year.It's time for door six, and it's the most joyful gift of all... it's the gift of saying NO!

It's time to see what's behind door four of theThe ADHDvent Calendar, Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains! Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year.Behind this door Katie shares her ultimate plan to save ADHD brains and beyond on Christmas day!

Welcome back to The ADHDvent Calendar! Door four of Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year.This door gives you permission to STOP fixing the Christmas lights and show those tatty and broken Christmas decorations some mercy...

It's door three of the ADHDvent Calendar, Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year.Today's door takes on the overwhelming task of decorating for Christmas with something our listener likes to call 'festive micro-zones'...

Welcome back to The ADHDvent Calendar, Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year.It's door number two and we're not putting it off any longer... we're having THAT conversation early.

Welcome to The ADHDvent Calendar! Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new door with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year.It's door number one and we're kicking off with a doozy... it's the one note that SAVES Christmas.

In this bonus episode, Sam and Katie look back on their conversation with Aoife Hughes about the power of words and why the phrases we use around ADHD land so deeply. They explore how everyday language like should and cannot quietly shapes a sense of shame, why so many ADHDers freeze when they feel directed or judged, and how shifting to gentler wording can open up choice rather than pressure.Katie reflects on the expectations she absorbed from school reports and family conversations, while Sam talks about the moments he realised his own inner voice had copied the shoulds he heard from others. Together they look at how quickly those old phrases slip into self blame, what it takes to respond with curiosity instead of spiralling, and how returning to the simple question ‘what does my brain need’ can soften the whole experience.It is an open and encouraging look at how language builds either understanding or overwhelm, and how small adjustments in the words we offer ourselves can make daily life with ADHD feel more spacious and more possible.New episodes of You're Wrong About ADHD are available every Wednesday and Friday. Got a question or story for the team? Send it to [email protected]’re Wrong About ADHD is made in association with APX Content Ventures.

This week Sam and Katie are joined by ADHD coach Aoife Hughes for a deep dive into something deceptively simple but surprisingly powerful- the words we use when we talk about ADHD. Together they explore why phrases like ‘you should’ and ‘why can’t you just’ feel so heavy for ADHD brains, and how shifting just a few words can change motivation, self belief and emotional safety.Aoife breaks down how years of external messages become the voice in our head, why shoulds trigger perfectionism and shutdown, and how a tiny tweak to could gives us back choice and autonomy. She unpacks the role of the nervous system, how shame shows up in our language, and why declarative communication helps us feel understood rather than pressured.With practical tools for interrupting unhelpful thoughts, reducing overwhelm and reframing expectations, Aoife shows how changing your language can soften your inner critic, support your executive function and help you approach challenges with curiosity rather than fear.New episodes of You're Wrong About ADHD are available every Wednesday and Friday. Got a question or story for the team? Send it to [email protected]’re Wrong About ADHD is made in association with APX Content Ventures.

In this bonus episode, Sam and Katie reflect on Megan Nicola’s conversation about the inner voice that shapes so much of life with ADHD. They dig into why self talk can become so harsh, how early experiences and school labels settle into the stories we tell ourselves, and why so many ADHDers learn to motivate through pressure rather than kindness.Katie opens up about the words she absorbed from childhood reports and how they still colour her self esteem decades later, while Sam explores the moment he realised his own internal dialogue had crossed from unhelpful into harmful. Together they look at why it is so difficult to be gentle with ourselves even after diagnosis, and what it really means to notice shame, pause, and get curious instead of spiralling.It is a warm, clear look at how the voice in your head gets so loud with ADHD, and what it takes to start replacing old labels with something gentler and more truthful.New episodes of You're Wrong About ADHD are available every Wednesday and Friday. Got a question or story for the team? Send it to [email protected]’re Wrong About ADHD is made in association with APX Content Ventures.

This week, confidence speaker and mentor Megan Nicola joins Sam and Katie to explore one of the most universal yet least understood parts of ADHD- the intense, relentless inner monologue. Together they break down why so many people with ADHD live with a voice in their head that sounds more like a drill sergeant than a friend, and what it actually takes to change that lifelong habit.She breaks down how self talk becomes self sabotage, why masking and people pleasing feed the cycle, and how to shift from shame to curiosity. With practical tools for noticing your patterns, creating emotional safety and building a kinder internal environment, Megan shows what it really takes to turn that relentless inner monologue into something supportive rather than punishing.New episodes of You're Wrong About ADHD are available every Wednesday and Friday. Got a question or story for the team? Send it to [email protected]’re Wrong About ADHD is made in association with APX Content Ventures.