Summary
ADHD Is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD by Penn and Kim Holderness explores Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by focusing on its distinctive qualities. Part memoir, the book combines humor and personal anecdotes with practical strategies for navigating life with ADHD with positivity and a priority on playing to strengths such as creativity, energy, and hyperfocus. Penn was in college when he was diagnosed with the neuro-developmental condition, and they were both working as newscasters when Kim met her future husband. Their book offers encouragement and inspiration for both people with ADHD and those who love and live with them.
Overview
ADHD Is Awesome offers expert insights, practical strategies, and encouragement for both people living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and their loved ones. Coauthor Penn Holderness was diagnosed with ADHD in college, which redefined his perception of the quirks he often struggled with from childhood. Penn explains that ADHD is not just a challenge but a form of unique brain wiring that can hinder executive function management while also sparking creativity and spontaneity.
Penn recounts early challenges in managing ADHD during significant life changes, such as transitioning from college to marriage and parenthood. A key scene shows Penn dealing with the impact of ADHD on family dynamics while he manages responsibilities as a stay-at-home parent. Coauthor Kim Holderness, Penn’s spouse and business partner, offers essential support and strategies for daily life.
The book provides practical advice for ADHD management, infused with humor. "Operation Mindset Shift" encourages reframing negative traits into positive ones, such as viewing impulsivity as bravery. This concept reflects the book's approach to understanding ADHD. Penn and Kim Holderness also detail tools like dopamine-activating checklists and technology aids such as alarms and timers to maintain focus and safety. In a notable chapter, the Holdernesses describe their participation in The Amazing Race, crediting their success to ADHD characteristics like hyperfocus. The race symbolizes life with ADHD, where challenges can transform into achievements.
Tackling common misconceptions about this neuro-developmental condition, ADHD Is Awesome emphasizes that with the right mindset and strategies, ADHD can be positive and enriching.
Themes
Practical strategies for navigating ADHD
Penn Holderness provides a toolkit to help others with ADHD leverage their strengths and manage ADHD challenges. Specific suggestions include task management techniques, breaking large tasks into smaller steps to avoid overwhelm; time management strategies; behavior contracts to help with setting specific goals and outlining steps to achieve them; and mindfulness and stress-reduction practices to promote calmness and improve focus.
Humor as a therapeutic tool for ADHD
ADHD Is Awesome uses humor as a therapeutic strategy for living and coping with ADHD, emphasizing laughter as a tool for emotional resilience. The book introduces 'ADHD Bingo,' a game that converts daily obstacles into a bingo board. This concept suggests that humor can alleviate the challenges of ADHD by turning frustrations into moments of shared joy and understanding.
People with ADHD often display quick wit and spontaneous observations due to the impulsivity linked to their condition. This humor helps forge connections and allows individuals to appreciate the lighter aspects of their experiences.
Positive traits of ADHD
In ADHD Is Awesome, Penn Holderness presents a perspective that views ADHD as having inherent strengths. Creativity is a prominent trait. Individuals with ADHD often engage in unconventional thinking that offers unique perspectives and innovative solutions. This creativity aids in excelling in roles where out-of-the-box thinking is beneficial. Resilience also plays a significant role. Those with ADHD often face numerous challenges, which fosters determination and adaptability. This trait aids in personal and professional environments. Penn Holderness addresses high energy levels, which are sometimes misinterpreted as hyperactivity. When directed properly, this energy boosts productivity and motivation. Hyperfocus is another attribute. It allows for deep concentration on tasks of interest. The Holdernesses suggest that this intense focus can enhance productivity and problem-solving capabilities.
Managing relationships with ADHD
ADHD Is Awesome focuses on understanding, effective communication, and mutual support as key elements in managing loving relationships that involve ADHD. Penn Holderness advises recognizing the impact of ADHD symptoms such as impulsivity and inattention. These behaviors can cause conflicts if misinterpreted. Learning about ADHD helps partners foster empathy and avoid blaming each other for symptoms inherent to the condition. Clear communication is key to preventing misunderstandings. Penn and Kim Holderness suggest regular discussions to openly address feelings and responsibilities. This method helps both partners feel heard and valued, reducing nagging and defensiveness. They also recommend leveraging each partner's strengths to divide responsibilities. For instance, if one excels at organizing, they should handle planning, while the other manages spontaneous activities. Shared calendars can help coordination, promoting teamwork and reducing tension. This strategy enhances collaboration and strengthens the relationship.
Quick facts
Published in 2024, ADHD Is Awesome became an instant New York Times bestseller and went on to sell over 250,000 copies.
Coauthors Penn and Kim Holderness are a married couple, known for winning The Amazing Race! and creating online content.
In the book, Penn shares his personal journey with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, which was officially diagnosed during college but evident in childhood.
ADHD Is Awesome emphasizes positivity, humor, and reframing ADHD traits as strengths.
Supported by scientific research, the authors highlight ADHD's strengths like creativity, hyperfocus, and high energy.
The book includes engaging features designed for ADHD readers, such as colorful design, ADHD Bingo, quizzes, and humorous anecdotes.
Experts, including Dr. Ned Hallowell, contributed insights, and the book contains an extensive, 23-page bibliography for credibility.
Penn Holderness advocates viewing ADHD as an explanation for behavior not an excuse, reinforcing understanding and supportive management strategies.
ADHD Is Awesome promotes a strength-based approach, aligning with the idea that ADHD brains are uniquely advantageous under certain conditions.
Humor is extensively used to help readers embrace their ADHD positively and manage symptoms effectively.
Penn Holderness shared unique personal habits, such as singing a song to recall essentials like glasses, wallet, keys, and phone.
Penn and Kim Holderness narrate the audiobook version of ADHD Is Awesome themselves, along with other talented individuals, including their young daughter, Lola Holderness.
The Holdernesses refer to themselves humorously as the First Family of ADHD, building awareness and acceptance through their platform.
About the authors
Penn and Kim Holderness are life and business partners in Holderness Family Productions, an internet company known for its viral parodies and skits. Their videos have attracted over a billion views and six million followers across social media. Diagnosed with ADHD in college, Penn Holderness views the condition as a unique strength. This perspective motivated him and his wife to write ADHD Is Awesome (2024), a guide combining humor, research insights, and practical strategies to reshape perceptions of ADHD, viewing traits such as creativity and hyperfocus as valuable assets. The Holdernesses are also the authors of Everybody Fights: Why not Get Better at It? (2021), devoted to ending arguments with a significant other feeling closer, more loved, and better understood. In 2022, Penn and Kim Holderness made television history as the oldest couple to win The Amazing Race; at the time, Kim was 45 and Penn was 47. They live in Raleigh, North Carolina, with their two kids and dog Sunny.
