🌱 SUSTAINABILITY
“It’s not about being the best. It’s about being better than you were yesterday—and being able to keep going tomorrow.” – Unknown
Sustainability is the art of not burning out. In the ADHD terrain, where motivation comes in surges and energy can spike then crash, sustainability becomes an essential value—not just for environmental living, but for emotional, cognitive, and lifestyle health.
ADHDers often push hard when interest is high, only to collapse when the dopamine drops. We overcommit, under-rest, and sometimes equate our worth with how much we can do in a single brilliant burst. Sustainability gently says: “That pace will cost you. Let’s build something you can actually live inside.”
Living this value means thinking in seasons, not sprints. It’s choosing practices, relationships, routines, and goals that nourish over time. It’s learning to honour your limits—not as weakness, but as part of the wisdom of long-haul thriving.
Sustainability also means reducing mental and emotional clutter. Not every idea needs to be actioned. Not every opportunity needs a yes. When ADHDers embrace this, we shift from chaos-driven effort to values-aligned endurance.
🧭 The HOPE Trail Map
- Helps or Harms: Am I operating in a way that supports long-term well-being—or just trying to survive today?
- Own My Values: I want to be someone who builds a life I can grow into, not escape from.
- People and Pursuits: Who encourages sustainable choices over impressive ones? What activities restore my energy without draining my soul?
- Enact and Evaluate: Today, I’ll do one thing slower or simpler—in honour of the me I’ll still be tomorrow.
⚠️ Trail Challenges
- Hyperfocus can feel productive but lead to burnout.
- Shame may drive unsustainable effort to “make up” for past struggles.
- ADHDers often struggle to pace themselves due to time blindness.
🪧 Trail Markers: Small Steps Toward Sustainability
- Pause to ask: “Can I keep doing this pace for a month?” If not, adjust.
- Choose rest before you’re desperate for it.
- Simplify one routine or system today—not to be lazy, but to make room for life.
🔥 Campfire Questions for Reflection
- What in my life is thriving—and what’s barely holding on?
- How can I build a rhythm that respects my ADHD energy flow?
- What would it look like to build a life that feeds me without breaking me?
Sustainability is not about going slower—it’s about going wiser. It’s building a life that doesn’t need to be escaped.
