A Midyear's Invitation to Pause and Realign with Intention

July often carries for me a quiet in-between feeling. Sometimes it feels like a deep breath stretched out and warm, full of possibility. The days are long with a year’s worth of precious sunlight here in Vancouver, and I feel like a solar panel trying to soak it all in. Everything feels lighter, more comfortable, especially after months of sensory heaviness from the cold and rain.

For many of us with ADHD, July can hold a similar spaciousness. Time can feel loose and endless. Maybe we’re traveling, spending more time with family, chasing creative sparks, or simply resting in the pause between deadlines. It can feel like anything is possible. And yet, the calendar quietly reminds us that the year is already more than halfway through! In Australia, July 1st even marks the official beginning of a brand new tax year. Wherever we are, this season can stir up a mix of restlessness and reflection — Am I where I hoped I’d be?

I had some pretty big plans for 2025. But life, as it tends to do, brought its own mix of detours — some heavy, some healing. Sometimes lemons, sometimes tangerines (if you know, you know). In hindsight, I’m grateful that past Mary was already making space for present Mary to be able to pause. That wasn’t always the case though. Twenty-something Mary would have believed there was no choice but to keep pushing. Stopping felt like failure — it meant she had given up.

As David Giwerc, founder of ADDCA, aptly titled his book — sometimes we just need permission to proceed. To slow down. To reflect. To be still. And I want to remind you: you have that permission too. A pause isn’t a step back. It’s an act of courage. And it might be exactly what helps you move forward.

If this year hasn’t gone quite as planned, or if you’ve been moving through it on autopilot, let this be a gentle invitation to pause, breathe, and check in. And if this season has left you feeling unsure, behind, or simply tired — you’re not alone. This moment is a quiet chance to pause, realign, and begin again.

Why Slowing Down Can Feel so Hard with ADHD

In his book ADHD 2.0, Dr. Ned Hallowell describes the ADHD brain as a ”Ferrari engine with bicycle brakes” — a powerful, fast-moving mind that’s not always easy to slow down. He also reframes ADHD not as a deficit of attention, but as an overflow and wayfaring of attention. The core challenge, he suggests, lies in regulating that attention — noticing and redirecting what we’re paying attention to in the first place.

This may resonate with many of us. ADHD often feels like living in a constant “ready position” or reactive mode — putting out fires, saying yes to everything to avoid the guilt or fear of disappointing others, juggling hundreds of open tabs (mentally and quite literally!), and pushing ourselves until we hit burnout.

Pausing might sound simple, but neurologically it’s complex. One reason? Interoception — our brain’s ability to notice and interpret internal signals — is often disrupted in ADHD. Research shows that many adults with ADHD experience reduced interoceptive awareness, making it harder to recognize emotional overwhelm, exhaustion, or dysregulation in the moment (Bruton et al., 2025). Often, we don’t notice until it’s too late — when our bodies crash, or we need several days (or weeks) just to recover and feel like ourselves again.

Without that internal awareness, we tend to keep going… until we quite literally can’t. And without intentionally creating space to pause or buffer time into our days, we drift — untethered, pulled at full speed by a relentless mix of others’ needs, our own perfectionism, and dopamine-fueled urgency, guilt and anxiety. But slowing down helps us ask: Is this still aligned with what I need? What was the original point of all this? Before it gets too late.

The Gift of A Midyear’s Invitation to Pause and Realign with Intention

The good news? Even brief moments of intentional reflection can strengthen interoception and metacognition — our awareness of how we think, feel, and respond. Research on ADHD and mindfulness shows that cultivating self-awareness can improve emotional regulation, enhance decision-making accuracy, and foster internal trust (Mitchell et al., 2015; Schuman-Olivier et al., 2020). Other studies also find that while interoception and metacognition are often disrupted in ADHD, mindfulness and reflective practices have shown effectiveness in supporting these processes (Butzbach et al., 2021; Lee et al., 2017; Oliva et al., 2021).

Slowing down to check in with ourselves— even for just a few minutes — can support nervous system regulation, improve clarity, and gently anchor us in the present. With practice, we begin choosing how to respond instead of defaulting to autopilot. It’s like finally wearing shoes that fit — walking at our own pace rather than running someone else’s race.

If that sounds like something your system’s been craving, here are three gentle prompts to invite you into purposeful reflection:

1. What have I been needing more of — but haven't had space to name?

2. Where am I running on autopilot — and what might feel more aligned instead?

3. What have I outgrown — and how can I let it go with kindness?

Just five minutes of slowing down or pausing may help us reconnect with our internal rhythm and gently realign our attention toward what matters most.

What if We Used Our Values like a Guiding Compass?

Pausing gives us space not only to check in with how we’re doing, but to ask why we’re doing what we’re doing. For many ADHDers, motivation doesn’t come from ticking off boxes — it comes from meaning. The purpose behind a task often determines our interest and follow-through.

When we live in alignment with our values, we reduce burnout and decision fatigue, and increase our capacity to take purposeful action. Studies show that values-based living supports resilience, intrinsic motivation, and self-leadership in ADHDers (Mitchell et al., 2015; Morsink et al., 2021).

We might gently ask ourselves:

• What has felt deeply meaningful to me this year?

• What do I want to create more room for in the coming months?

There’s no pressure to get this perfectly right. Let your values be something to orient around — not something to check off.

Moving Forward with Intention

We’re not behind. We’re not broken. Having a Ferrari brain doesn’t mean we can’t slow down — it just means we might need to find a different kind of brake system. One that feels right for you, for me.

We’re allowed to be curious. To take our time. To build rhythms that feel rooted and responsive — so that when the next wave (or tsunami of tangerines!) comes, we can ride it with more grace instead of guilt or fear.

If and when you're ready to explore your ADHD brain with more intention and care, I'd love to support you in a future Focus Window. Whether you’re just beginning to reflect, clarifying what matters, or building rhythms that actually work for your brain — this space was made for you.

And by the way — we’re currently halfway through the Intake Period for the very first restructured Focus Window here at Hesed ADHD (yay!). It’s a new seasonal rhythm designed to support sustainable, targeted care. Whether you’ve already signed up, quietly followed along, or just found your way here — thank you. Your presence matters to me. I’m so glad you’re here.

🪴 P.S. Would a free midyear reflection tool be helpful? Click below to download the Notion Midyear Reflection Template!

Notion Midyear Reflection Template

#MidyearPauseandRealignwithIntention

Bibliography

Bruton, A.M., et al. (2025). Diminished interoceptive accuracy in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A systematic review. Psychophysiology, 62(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.1475

Butzbach, M., et al. (2021). Metacognition in adult ADHD: subjective and objective perspectives on self-awareness of cognitive functioning. Journal of Neural Transmission, 128, 939-959. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-020-02293-w

Giwerc, D. (2011). Permission to Proceed: Creating a Life of Passion, Purpose and Possibility for Adults with ADHD. Vervante.

Hallowell, E. M., & Ratey, J. J. (2021). ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction–from Childhood through Adulthood. Random House Audio.

Lee, C.S.C., et al. (2017). The effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention in attention on individuals with ADHD: A systematic review. Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy, 30(1), 33-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hkjot.2017.05.001

Mitchell, J.T., et al. (2015). Mindfulness meditation training for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in adulthood: Current empirical support, treatment overview, and future direction. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 22(2), 172-191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2014.10.002

Morsink, S., et al. (2021). Studying motivation in ADHD: The role of internal motives and the relevance of self determination theory. Journal of Attention Disorders, 26(8). https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547211050948

Oliva, F., et al. (2021). The efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder beyond core symptoms: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 292, 475-486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.05.068

Schuman-Olivier, Z., et al. (2020). Mindfulness and behavior change. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 28(6), 371-394. https://doi.org/10.1097/HRP.0000000000000277