ADHD is Awesome: A Guide To (Mostly) Thriving With ADHD

I've been "a little bit" ADHD all my life, but was only diagnosed fairly recently - life changes happen, hormone changes happen, pandemics happen... and things that were mostly annoying but manageable suddenly aren't as much, and you have too many meetings and are late for half of them, and the emails you thought you sent are still sitting in your drafts folder, and you're wondering what happened. And then you fight a bit with you doctor to be referred for an evaluation, and eventually you get the diagnosis that was staring you in the face your whole life, and yet was never taken more seriously than a punchline - ADHD happened. And so, as an ADHD person sometime does, you hyperfocus on understanding why, and how, and start reading a bunch of books... because suddenly, certain things are now making so much more sense. Except, the books. The books are mostly not great. They're either dated, or they say the same things over and over, and none of it actually helps you fix the issues ADHD creates. Except this one. To be honest, I bought this book because if nothing else, Penn and Kim Holderness are entertaining. Their videos are hilarious - and smart. I wanted to support them and their work. I was, perhaps, a little biased and inclined to be cynical that a book written by "a couple of influencers" could be all that serious, or useful, or good. I'm a jerk. I forgot that the Holderness' are both hilarious and smart social media moguls AND journalists. They clearly brought their journalism brains along with their influencer-entertainer brains to this project. Not only has this book been interesting and helpful to me, I've recommended it to others - both those living with ADHD and those living with someone with ADHD (sometimes, me) - as a way to get smart on the subject, knowing that it would be both entertaining and readable, and also useful, which ... well, I've read quite a few, and I'm still looking for one that's quite this good at explaining what it is, and isn't, and how it's experienced by those who have it. I'm learning that not everything about ADHD is awesome. And a lot of it is confusing - even when you have it. Maybe especially when you have it. It's also confusing for people around you, who may or may not know you have it. In fact, there's a good chance you might have it and not even know you have it (it's tragically underdiagnosed, especially in women and those who exhibit more of the inattentive, rather than hyperactive, symptoms). If ADHD is, in fact, about as common as being left-handed, it might be good for everyone to read this book. I'd love to see managers in offices reading this book for professional development during disability awareness month. I'd love to see teachers reading it, so they can better support both their students diagnosed with ADHD and those whose symptoms are being overlooked, or attributed to other things. I don't subscribe to the notion that the ADHD brain is "broken." Like all brains, it excels at some things, and not at others. But it is idiosyncratic. It doesn't always respond well to the well-meaning advice that works for the other 90-95% of folks. And because humans are inherently social animals and it can be hard to go through life always feeling like an outsider - or at least an outlier - for any reason. I'm fortunate that I've mostly spent my adult life in careers that keeps me interested and busy, and workplaces that have been at least somewhat tolerant of my propensity for "running late," on a phone call that "just ran a little long," or at least looked the other way all the times I "got stuck in traffic." Or even worse: when I said I was in traffic but the truth is I got there early... but then decided to spend those 15 minutes checking my email on my phone in the car... and then got so absorbed responding to something in them that I temporarily forgot all about the meeting... and so I spontaneously stopped at the coffee shop next door on the way into the office for an ice coffee... thus walking into the meeting 10 minutes late, with a cup of ice coffee, filled to the brim with fresh ice cubes. Like a *jerk.* Or so the meme about it claims. Trust me, it's not F-U energy, its ADHD energy, and I'm as P-Od at me as you are. But thank you for not firing me, because there statistics that say that's a real hazard... so much so, some physicians and even psychologists won't diagnose you with ADHD unless it's happened once or twice. And that's not awesome, not in the good way anyway. Nor are dealing with the restrictions, regulations, and shortages that disrupt my life regularly to obtain medication. Nor is the mistaken belief that medication "fixes" ADHD, rather than merely tamping down a few of the more dopamine-deficiency related symptoms. And if this is exhausting to read, just imagine what it's like being inside my head with all this and ALL my other thoughts! But I love my overthinking, deep-processing, creative, problem-solving ADHD brain. If you have ADHD, maybe this book will help you learn to love yours a little bit better, too. And if you don't, perhaps this book will help you understand ADHD brains a little better... because chances are, you have one or two in your life, whether you (or they) know it or not. And they are not broken, either. They're just different. Often in weird and wonderful ways, if you can make space for them to do the things they are great at, provide the right kind of support for the things they're not as great at, and recognize that we're all awesome - ADHD brains and non-ADHD brains alike - when we're allowed to experience, share, and celebrate all the things that make us that way.

My almost seven-year-old son has not been officially diagnosed with ADHD, but he has a lot of indications that he might have ADHD. He, more than my other two children, has prompted me to study and learn about child development. I just haven't figured out why he struggles so much in a few key areas. When his Pre-K4/MDO teacher suggested he might have ADHD at the age of 5, I immediately rejected the idea and thought he was just being a boy and boys having trouble sitting still and such. Well, fast forward about 2 years, and I've done a good bit more research, plus had more time to observe him, and I think she might be right. So much of ADHD and what he's going through seems negative. When I came across a video by The Holderness Family about ADHD, Penn talked about the book they co-wrote called ADHD is Awesome. I immediately added it to my TBR list. I initially listened to the audiobook version of this book, but I have since purchased a kindle edition to own. I am so thankful for Penn and Kim writing this book. Penn shares his experiences of having "a raging case of ADHD" with this book. Having an adult be able to describe what happens in his own brain helps me so much to relate to my son. I've never understood why he can never remember where his shoes are or why an item ceases to exist in his brain when he puts it down. How he can not remember so much has always baffled me. And I've often thought and even accused him of lying to me. And I can easily say that doing so has damaged our relationship. Penn's candor has provided me with some relief. Similar to the relief he felt after being diagnosed. I feel relief in learning more about and understanding more about things my child struggles with or deals with and how his brain works. I cried. Multiple times. From guilt over how I've handled things in the past, sadness over the struggles he has and why everything feels harder for him, hope for the future, and fear for the same. Penn and Kim do a wonderful job of presenting ADHD as it is. They don't sugarcoat things. Penn's struggles and the negative side of having ADHD are there in all its ugliness. But there are positives to having ADHD or being close to someone who has ADHD, and those positives are essentially never pointed out. They want everyone to know that it isn't all bad. And I can so appreciate that. As someone whose child is still very young, I feel like we have an uphill battle in front of us, but there is hope. They offer coping strategies. This was one of the most practically applicable books I've ever read on a similar topic (not ADHD specifically). I appreciate that so much. And I appreciate Penn and Kim Holderness for putting this book out there. I needed it. And I'm sure so many others do too. The humor kept the topics light enough that this didn't feel like a heavy book even though I was quite emotional through portions of it. I suppose if it were heavy or dull the ADHD brain would abandon it, most likely. Penn definitely wrote with other ADHDers in mind. I also loved the discussion of the name ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The name truly doesn't describe the condition. And that contributes to the condition being so highly misunderstood. Addressing the misconceptions around ADHD was really helpful for me, and it helped me see that I had a lot of unfounded preconceived ideas of what ADHD is that are completely false. I can tell you that I would have had way too many quotes highlighted if I'd read this on my Kindle, but since I listened to the audiobook, I don't have any to share. I have purchased a digital copy of this book to have for myself to read again and probably even more than once. The audiobook version is wonderful being narrated by Penn and Kim directly. I don't know how much sidebar-type stuff they added to the physical book. It almost seemed like some things were added in their audio narration that wouldn't be in a physical copy, but I couldn't tell you that for sure without comparing the two. But their narration made the audiobook fun and easy to listen to (the goal). The only reason I wanted a physical copy for myself and not the audio version to own is that finding a passage for reference is much easier in a physical copy. If you have ADHD or have a loved one with ADHD, I think you should definitely check out ADHD is Awesome by Penn and Kim Holderness. If nothing else, you can commiserate with someone who understands your struggles. ADHD is Awesome gets 5 Stars from me. Have you read (or listened to) ADHD is Awesome? What did you think? Let me know!

ADHD is a very big part of our lives. We have extended family with ADHD, (I have recently begun to wonder if I have lived most of life with undiagnosed ADHD), we live at a school specializing in ADHD and our youngest son was recently diagnosed with ADHD. Because of all these reasons I was dedicated to becoming an expert. I have ordered so many books and read so many articles and consulted physicians and therapists and websites and everything else. Lots of books are informative, but some of them will make you feel like you are living with a ticking time bomb. This book was so wonderful and so refreshing. It walked a very fine line of being realistic about the challenges of ADHD while still celebrating all the wonderful things that make someone with ADHD, real and beautiful and human. There are elements for people with ADHD and for loved ones who need to understand ADHD. There is good biological and clinical information but not so much that it becomes heavy like a textbook. It is humorous and energizing. Even the layout of the book makes it easy to read with ADHD: breakout sections, bright colors on the edges, illustrations, color coded boxes, checklists and sentences not starting on one page and continuing on the next are just a few of the touches that tell you this is written by someone who really understands what it means to live with ADHD. (And there's an audiobook too!) I love the balance of humility and ownership of the challenges of ADHD/tips for accountability while also embracing the glorious gifts that ADHD can bring and truly embracing the diagnosis and making it into something to celebrate. Ever since we suspected that our son had ADHD we have fiercely rejected the stereotypes and standards that painted it as a life-ruining experience. We knew that our son had a sparkle brain that vibrated with magic and life and imagination and creativity. This book absolutely felt like a validation of that. ADHD is Awesome is an amazing gift to anyone who wants to better understand their own ADHD or the ADHD of someone they love. Everyone could get something out of this book.

I purchased this book to better understand ADHD, especially since my 11-year-old son has been diagnosed with it. While I haven’t fully connected with some of his behaviors yet, I hoped the book would offer deeper insights into how he thinks. What I really appreciate is that the book is written by an adult who has ADHD himself. He’s not a doctor, but his personal experience provides a unique perspective that goes beyond the typical clinical data doctors usually share. The author offers a candid, engaging account of his life with ADHD, and it doesn’t feel dry or overwhelming. The book explores different types of ADHD treatments, comparing medication with non-medication strategies, and shares the author’s own experiences with both. Although I haven’t finished it yet, I’ve found it very helpful so far. It also includes segments from his wife, where she talks about how ADHD affects their relationship and how she navigates his behavior. This part really resonated with me because ADHD doesn’t just impact the individual; it affects everyone around them, too. What’s also great is that the book is funny. Both the author and his wife have a great sense of humor about the challenges he faced, which makes the material more relatable and lighthearted. It also offers helpful strategies for dealing with ADHD. I appreciate that the author talks about his childhood experiences and what strategies worked for him—though not every strategy works for my son, it’s helpful to learn what has worked for others. I’m constantly having to come up with new ways to keep life engaging for him, so hearing about someone else’s experiences has been really valuable. Overall, I feel this book is a perfect fit for me and has been incredibly helpful in understanding how my son’s brain operates.

I read this with my 12 year old son over the span of many weeks. He has ADHD, and I was looking for something we could read together that was accessible for his age rather than densely academic like so many books out there on the subject (which I have also read and appreciate). ADHD is Awesome includes short chapters, color-coded sections, photos, illustrations and diagrams, which kept us both engaged and made the content easy to digest. Penn’s tone throughout this book is positive and conversational, which is such a welcome and refreshing perspective, especially when reading it with a young person who is just starting to explore what having this diagnosis means for his life. Penn does not shy away from the difficult facets of ADHD, though. He keeps it real and honest, but does not stop at “this is hard”. He commiserates with the reader on the challenges but provides strategies for coping and handling those challenges. I also appreciated the notes from his wife, Kim, throughout the book. She provides anecdotes from a neurotypical perspective on points being made by Penn. There is also a section just for neurotypical caregivers and partners supporting people in their life with ADHD. Since my son and I were reading this book together, these parts gave us an opportunity to discuss our different perspectives on the points being made. Penn also recognizes that ADHD is a spectrum and he is, of course, writing from his own personal experience. This is easily understood from reading the introduction. He is also not a medical doctor, so he understandably does not go into great detail about medication; there are many other notable books you can read on that subject. This book is not academic; it is a real account of living with ADHD from one person’s perspective with helpful tips and strategies to try based on that perspective. Thank you, Penn and Kim Holderness, for creating this book. It was such a meaningful experience reading this with my son, and I know it has helped him understand himself better and given him a positive outlook on his diagnosis.

I happened upon ADHD is Awesome at the library and grabbed it on a whim. I don't have ADHD but my daughter does. I wanted to understand more about ADHD so I could support her better, and know how to communicate better with her. I learned all that and more. First, she saw me reading it and said she wanted to read it after I was finished. When I told her it was a library book she said she wanted it for her birthday. I bought her a copy for her birthday, then I turned around and bought it for me and my husband. Why? Because it is that good. Because I will need to reference it again, and my husband needs to read it. We need to be able to tab and highlight the most relevant parts to us. I have more than a dozen tabs already in place from my first read-through. One of the things I love most about this book is how inviting it is. The sections of the book are color-coded, and there are illustrations and pictures throughout the book. And, it is not dry! I enjoyed the personal stories from Penn and Kim, but I appreciated the thoroughness of their research. I also appreciate them documenting all their research in the back of the book. I have tabs in that section as well because I need further information! Not that they didn't give a lot of good information-they did, but I want to read some of their sources. This book is written for those with ADHD, those who care for those with ADHD, and even those who just want to understand ADHD better. And, having read the book, I wish I had had a resource like this when my daughter was first diagnosed because the information I received is truly life-changing. My daughter and I are already communicating better (and we have a solid relationship), and the snippets I have shared with her and my husband have helped them as well. The authors do not promote one particular way of "dealing" with ADHD. They don't say "Hey, you should be on this medication." Penn Holderness, who does have ADHD is not even on medication! And, he has learned to function and thrive despite the chaos ADHD can cause. This book is about presenting information, what they have learned, and leaving you to your own decisions. There are three sections in the book. The first section talks about getting to know ADHD, getting inside the brain, what it is, and how it is diagnosed. The second section is called "changing the narrative." It touches on things like you will be okay, facing your ADHD, the upsides of ADHD for you, and others. The final section discusses how to thrive with ADHD by mastering your daily routine, controlling your environment and so much more. I cannot recommend this book enough.

For years educators have tried to label those with ADHD as broken. They just don’t fit in the conventional classroom that doesn’t allow their creativity to shine through. As an educator who has worked with hundreds of ADHD students, I believe this book should be mandatory reading for those wishing to become a teacher. The author made this book so affordable and quite enjoyable to read. For those who are teaching already, this book will give them insights and help them understand the brilliant student who frustrates them because they think just because they’re brilliant they should be able to what they think is a simple task. I doubt they would continue saying judging things like, “I don’t get why you can’t do this, you’re bright and it’s so easy to do.” They’ll understand easy for them is stress producing for a brilliant ADHD student! I believe that this book will also help educators reframe their view of alltheir students.

Reading this book might have saved my marriage. Definitely my sanity. We got married five years ago; we're both in our 70s, one widowed and one divorced. I'd seen some behavior I didn't understand, but it wasn't illegal or immoral, or I wouldn't have said "yes" in the first place. What I thought I knew about ADHD was incomplete or just plain wrong, so it never occurred to me that what I was seeing might very well be ADHD. And then some things happened that again were neither illegal nor immoral, but mildly to seriously worrisome. Did I really want to live with this behavior? I actually bought this book because my teenaged granddaughter had been diagnosed with ADHD, which seemed odd to me because I knew she was capable of intense concentration, for hours, so how could there be an attention deficit? I ordered the book to try to understand her a little better. And then I saw my husband in this book -- on page after page. Not every page, but most of them. I gingerly brought it up to him, as a potential explanation for some regrettable behavior, and the idea was promptly rejected. As Penn correctly points out, who wants to have a deficit? Or a disorder? ADHD is a terrible name for this constellation of characteristics. Some weeks later, I don't know whether my husband will ever take the idea seriously -- I've mentioned it just the one time. But I'm much more patient now, understanding far more than I did before. That helps me relate and react in a way that doesn't make matters worse. And my granddaughter? She lives a thousand miles away, so I don't see her that often. But much of what I'm reading does fit what her parents are trying to deal with. So -- THANK YOU, Penn and Kim. You've done a great service by writing a book that is both well researched and entertaining.

I found reading this a very personal experience. I started with the audiobook and then got the kindle because I wanted to highlight stuff and come back to it later. The description of adhd was at times so close to home it felt weird. But also, there are aspects of the adhd described that don’t suit me. Thanks for writing it. I appreciated reading it. And you mention that there must be some adhd preachers out there, I’m one of them!

Great book with a refreshingly positive perspective on ADHD from lived rather than scientific/medical experience. You might not find out everything there is to know about ADHD here but it’s more likely to appeal to anyone recently diagnosed with, or caring for someone diagnosed with ADHD than many of the more comprehensive, scientifically researched titles. The writing style is pacey, refreshingly light, and the dual perspectives of the ADHD person vs the person living with them is a really valuable approach. For the first time, I can really begin to grasp what ‘having ADHD’ might be like for my son and I think he might actually enjoy this book - and feel less alone after reading it.

It’s incredibly good. ADHD is Awesome” is an incredible read that completely reframes the narrative around ADHD. The author brilliantly highlights the strengths and unique qualities that come with ADHD, providing a refreshing and empowering perspective. The book is filled with practical advice, inspiring stories, and actionable strategies that make it a valuable resource for anyone with ADHD or those who support them. It’s a must-read for understanding and embracing the awesomeness that comes with ADHD. Highly recommended for its positive and transformative approach!

A positive and helpful view of adhd

This book is fantastic and is such a great fun /positve read from the perspective of an adhd person . Also nice to see the view point of the spouse of who is a non adhd person. I only wish more parents and partners got their hood on this book to truly understand what and ADHD person faces in terms of chalenges , myth and just leaving in this world . This book is done with such care , heart , fun , cheer and positivity