I struggled through high school, and then struggled through my bachelor's degree. Some teachers were empathetic and understanding, others were not. After getting my bachelor's degree, I struggled to find work in my field and eventually gave up. I found that the jobs where I did best were jobs others looked down on--minimum wage, heavy manual labor. People told me I was wasting my degree and my potential... and yet, the manual labor actually made me happy. Recently, I found out I've been dealing with undiagnosed, untreated ADHD all my life... and got my degree in spite of it. The manual labor works for me so well because it works my body and mind in ways that overcome executive dysfunction.... what I've thought of as "laziness" almost all my life. I still wish I felt more able to function in better-paying jobs, but at least now, I don't look down on MYSELF, regardless of what other people think.
Thank you for this. I had started to come to this line of thought, but reading your explanation really helped. It's a struggle to not only receive the negative judgements of others, but to impose that same criticism on yourself.
I struggled through high school, and then struggled through my bachelor's degree. Some teachers were empathetic and understanding, others were not. After getting my bachelor's degree, I struggled to find work in my field and eventually gave up. I found that the jobs where I did best were jobs others looked down on--minimum wage, heavy manual labor. People told me I was wasting my degree and my potential... and yet, the manual labor actually made me happy. Recently, I found out I've been dealing with undiagnosed, untreated ADHD all my life... and got my degree in spite of it. The manual labor works for me so well because it works my body and mind in ways that overcome executive dysfunction.... what I've thought of as "laziness" almost all my life. I still wish I felt more able to function in better-paying jobs, but at least now, I don't look down on MYSELF, regardless of what other people think.
Thank you for this. I had started to come to this line of thought, but reading your explanation really helped. It's a struggle to not only receive the negative judgements of others, but to impose that same criticism on yourself.