annaromo.biz

Been off the grid for a bit…

I attended a deeply transformative retreat in March hosted by my small biz coach. The first day, I broke down in a room full of 120 strangers admitting to my shame for not being more organized.

The deeper shame was admitting that I have ADHD.

I was terrified.

Would these people understand the weight of that admission? Would they care what it took from me to share that out loud? Would there be people who thought it was fake or made up?

Something inside told me not to say anything— to stay quiet and small. Which if you know me…. Is not Anna-like at all 😂

But I pushed past that wall of fear that was trying to protect me, and I ended up meeting 3 other incredible women at that retreat with ADHD. We shared experiences, struggles, stories, and coping mechanisms. If I hadn’t forced myself to utter those words, I never would have met them. I felt really seen and understood. It was wildly liberating & validating.

And you know what?

I almost didn’t attend the retreat at all! I didn’t feel deserving enough. I felt like I wasn’t successful, smart, or talented enough.

But Edgar, my angel of a husband and also incredible human with severe ADHD, told me I had to go. That the very reason I felt like I didn’t deserve it and felt like an imposter meant I had to go.

He told me it would be a disservice to my future clients if I let my fear hold me back. Because one day, there would be someone who wants to overcome their fear and unless I made it to the other side of mine, I wouldn’t be able to serve them to the degree they needed.

Two of my favorite superpowers of ADHD are Resilience & Creativity. Changes, pivots, and obliterating my comfort zone are second nature to me. And after this retreat, I embraced a new calling to help other women with ADHD.

If you’ve been feeling alone, misunderstood or overwhelmed I know what that’s like— and I am here to help you build a new relationship with yourself & a profound understanding of your brain. If you’re looking for accountability, encouragement & community you’re in the right place.

It takes all kinds of brainpower to start a business!

My brain happens to be neurodivergent, characterized by severe ADHD.

Simply put, this means that due to a genetically low production of the chemical dopamine in my brain, my everyday life is ruled by inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity.

But did you know that people with ADHD are 300% more likely to start their own business than neurotypical people?

According to Psychology Today, this is because “creativity and “out-of-the-box” thinking, intuition, and resilience are also genetic traits frequently linked to ADHD.”

In fact, innovation is one of the key superpowers for those of us with these divergent brains 🤩

When I first started .alchemy.candle.co I didn’t have a color printer… So I would print my labels in black and white and paint them with watercolor to connect to the different chakras 🤯

It just made sense! 🎨

Even with a late in life diagnosis, I’m grateful to have more clarity now than my life before.

I’m learning how to build my business for my brain and that includes offloading work on assistants and helpers, hiring an accountant, and streamlining as much as I can through automation!

But the neurodiversity spectrum is vast and all encompassing! ADHD is just one part of it.

Are you a business owner with a neurodiverse brain? What are some of your super powers that come to play in your business? Let’s celebrate!! 🥳