The Forums › Forums › Emotional Journey › My Story › 26 years of my life feel like a complete waste ADD, oh yay, lucky me! › Re: 26 years of my life feel like a complete waste ADD, oh yay, lucky me!
Anonymous
Hi, Mike!
You come across as a very intelligent, capable guy. Please be grateful that you know at a relatively young age what your obstacles are and have access to tools and help (like this forum!) to overcome them. Also know that you have youth on your side in terms of having a long, productive life still ahead of you as you do overcome them (and you will!).
When I was a teenager, my mother worked for a government agency called Job Training Partnership (now it’s called Workforce Investment Act). I actually was able to get job training through them when it was still JTP, and I even got a job once I completed the training (CNC Machinist – 2nd in my class/1st chick in the class). 😉 It was completely free for me.
Here is a link the the Missouri Workforce Investment Board page (scroll down for locations and services around the state – it looks like there is also a second page). Maybe they can help with the employment/training issue.
http://www.servicelocator.org/wibcontacts/default.asp?state=MO&lst=10
In fact, it was my difficulty in starting the process of teaching myself a new job skill that brought on my “ah-ha” moment.
I also think I know what you mean about having a hard time differentiating your true self from your issues. I now wonder how much of “me” is really the ADHD, since I have spent all day, every day with it for the last 41 years and only just found out that all those problems fall under the same umbrella. It seems like all of “me” is wrapped up in this thing, IS this thing.
@Nellie – The StrengthsFinder looks very useful. While researching it I found this article about it – the author of this article actually supplies a free PDF of the “strengths” list to use on your own in conjunction with the book. (You have to buy a book to get a valid code to take the test on the website – which he says in the article.)
The comments following the article had me ROFLing – amazing how many people want something for nothing!
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