Somehow, we blinked and now the school year is knocking on the door like an Amazon package we forgot we ordered. The days of sleeping in, spontaneous pool trips, and eating popsicles for breakfast are about to be replaced by early alarms, forgotten lunchboxes, and "WHERE ARE YOUR SHOES?!" shouted at 7:12 AM.
And listen -- if you're like me, that transition hits hard.
ADHD + Transitions = Emotional Whiplash
We thrive in novelty...and then we thrive in structure. But the part in between? That chaotic little liminal space where everything's shifting and nothing feels certain?
Yeah. That part can feel like you're being emotionally launched from a slingshot...while blindfolded...and someone just told you Mercury's in retrograde again.
So here's the truth: if you're feeling overwhelmed, behind, or low-key grieving the end of summer? That's not weakness. That's your brain doing what it does -- noticing change, feeling all the things, and struggling to process it all at once.
Let's Take a Breath and Wrap Up Summer with Gratitude
This doesn't have to be a "fix it" weekend. It can be a feel it weekend.
Here are a few ways to lovingly close out summer break:
- Do one last little "summer thing." Eat popsicles on the porch. Run through the sprinkler. Watch a sunset barefoot. It doesn't have to be fancy -- it just has to feel like summer.
- Let go of the guilt. If summer didn't look like the vision board in your head, welcome to being human. You didn't waste it -- you lived it. And that's enough.
- Make space for your feelings. Excited, anxious, relieved, sad, overstimulated -- you can feel all of that at once. ADHD is great at mixed emotions. Let them sit beside you instead of trying to fix them.
How to Ease Back Into Structure (Without Meltdown Mode)
Don't go zero-to-60 on Sunday night. Transition gently. Think rhythm over rigidity.
Here's how:
- Bring back a bedtime -- for real. Not a strict one, but a target range. Get your body slowly used to the new schedule.
- Visualize your routines. ADHD brains love pictures -- map out your mornings, label the backpack station, use sticky notes like a gremlin.
- Prep a little, not a lot. Set out outfits. Pack lunch snacks ahead. Small wins help your nervous system relax.
- Set the mood. Play calming music, light a candle, or create a special "school year kickoff" tradition. You can romanticize anything with the right lighting!
Whether You're Ready or Not, You've Got This
Maybe this summer was a little chaotic.
Maybe you didn't "make the most of it."
But guess what? You made it.
You loved, you laughed, you probably lost your keys 37 times.
And now a new season is beginning.
You don't need a perfect plan. You just need a soft landing.
One deep breath at a time.
Add comment
Comments