Organizing an ADHD Brain

Motherhood. Neurodivergence. Work-from-home life. Burnout.
 And that uncomfortable in-between season where nothing is falling apart… but nothing feels settled either.
This episode is a deep exhale for anyone living in the messy middle.
Megs sits down with Candice Janae — therapist, coach, writer, and fellow human navigating real life — to talk about what happens when life shifts, routines stop working, and you’re trying to stay aligned without burning yourself out.
Together, they unpack how to:
Adapt when life changes (again)
Build systems that actually work for neurodivergent brains
Let go of guilt, perfection, and “this should be easier by now”
Communicate needs and share the load at home
Choose rhythms and rituals over rigid routines
This conversation is grounding, honest, and full of “oh wow, that’s me” moments — especially if you’re juggling caregiving, creativity, and a career.
⏱️ Episode Breakdown (timestamps adjusted +39 seconds)
02:22 — What “The Messy Middle” Actually Means
03:46 — When Life Happens: Navigating Unexpected Changes
05:31 — Coping with the Unknown (without spiraling)
13:02 — Aligning Your Values with Your Real-Life Needs
19:19 — Creating Systems That Work For You (Not Against You)
24:47 — Letting Go, Grief, and Embracing Change
25:04 — Holiday Decorations, Traditions, and Letting Them Evolve
26:07 — Adapting to New Living Spaces
27:08 — Creative, Neurodivergent-Friendly Organizing Solutions
30:55 — Progress in the Messy Middle (Even When It’s Not Pretty)
37:13 — Why Rhythms & Rituals Beat Routines Every Time
42:54 — Sharing the Load: Communication & Balance with Partners

🌊 Guest Spotlight: Candice Janae
Candice is a private practice therapist by day and, in the online space, a burnout & balance coach for indie, self-employed, and freelance moms.
She works closely with chronically ill and neurodivergent moms who are trying to do all the things — without losing themselves in the process.
She’s also:
An author of both fiction and nonfiction
A water-lover (oceans, lakes, give her all of it)
An introvert constantly navigating the push-pull between community and quiet
Candice brings a grounded, compassionate lens to burnout, balance, and identity — especially for moms who are exhausted from holding everything together.
✨ Connect with Candice
Instagram / Threads: https://instagram.com/soul_cadence_coaching

Substack: https://soulcadencecoachconnect.substack.com

Website: https://soulcadencecoaching.services
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

The Power of Noticing: Transforming Your Reactions to Clutter and Life
In this episode, Megs—ADHD coach and professional organizer—dives into the practice of noticing as the true starting point for meaningful change. Before decluttering systems, routines, or productivity hacks can stick, we have to become aware of how we react.
Megs explores the most common nervous-system responses to clutter and overwhelm—fight, flight, freeze, and appease—and explains how noticing these patterns without judgment creates space for compassion, curiosity, and choice. Through personal reflections and real client examples, she shows how noticing reveals triggers, beliefs, and habits that often run quietly in the background.
Noticing can feel uncomfortable. It can bring grief, frustration, or resistance. But it’s also where growth begins. This episode invites you to stay curious, soften self-criticism, and understand that real transformation happens gradually—through awareness, not force.
Episode Breakdown
01:03 – Why noticing is the first step to lasting change
02:04 – Understanding patterns, triggers, and automatic reactions
02:29 – Real-life examples of noticing in everyday moments
05:00 – How judgment shuts down awareness (and what helps instead)
09:04 – Why noticing can feel uncomfortable—and why that’s normal
15:26 – Fight, flight, freeze, and appease responses explained
30:37 – Using curiosity to analyze reactions without shame

Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

In this episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, Megs is joined by financial therapist Lindsay for an honest conversation about money, debt, and personal growth for ADHD brains.
If you’ve ever felt shame around finances, struggled with consistency, or believed past money decisions defined your worth, this episode is for you.
Megs and Lindsay explore the powerful overlap between financial organization and home organization, starting with a crucial reframe: debt and clutter are morally neutral. Neither is a personal failure. Both are signals that systems, support, and regulation matter more than willpower.
You’ll learn:
Why persistence matters more than consistency with ADHD
How to use financial data without self-criticism
What “money dates” are and how they reduce avoidance
How to externalize your brain when money feels overwhelming
The impact of social media on financial shame and comparison
Why community and coaching support follow-through and regulation
Lindsay also shares personal insights from her own financial journey, including navigating major life transitions and redefining success on her own terms.
This episode is a reminder that financial growth, like organizing your home or managing ADHD, isn’t about perfection. It’s about self-trust, awareness, and small sustainable actions.
Lindsey is your favorite financial therapist for women and couples, here to help you feel excited about money! (Yes, it's possible!) Money isn't just a math problem; there is always so much more to the equation. Merging behavioral therapy and financial education, Lindsey helps you live your dream life!
Links:
Join the Waitlist for the Financial Self-Care Course + Community here!
Lindsey’s website
Lindsey’s IG
FREE Get Out of Debt Template & Guide
Episode Timeline:
04:12 Introducing Lindsay and the role of financial therapy
10:17 Lindsay’s personal and professional updates
23:31 Using data as a supportive tool in financial planning
28:42 Externalizing the brain for financial success
31:02 Learning from mistakes without self-judgment
33:13 Social media, comparison, and distorted expectations
36:21 Navigating emotions tied to financial decisions
42:01 The role of community and coaching in growth
46:05 Setting realistic, supportive financial goals

Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Why consistency doesn’t work for ADHD brains — and how learning to come back without shame creates real change.
If you’ve ever felt like you can’t stick with anything — routines, organizing, decluttering, goals, or New Year’s resolutions — this episode is for you.
Book a Call with Megs > Calendar
In this episode, Megs talks honestly about why starting over is not failure, especially for ADHD brains. She breaks down why so many systems don’t stick, how social media narratives can quietly box people with ADHD into believing there are things they “just can’t do,” and what actually creates sustainable change.
This conversation is about the messy middle — the part no one posts about. The part where motivation fades, routines fall apart, planners get abandoned, and shame creeps in. And why that middle isn’t a problem to fix — it’s where learning happens.
Instead of pushing consistency, Megs introduces a more realistic (and ADHD-friendly) concept: persistence — the ability to come back without shame, even after you forget, avoid, or fall off.
This episode is a gentle but powerful reminder that:
Your ADHD brain is not broken
You’re not lazy or inconsistent
You don’t need to change everything at once
And there is always a moment you can begin again
Article Referenced in Podcast > What is Executive Dysfunction in ADHD?
01:03 — How Social Media Shapes ADHD Beliefs
02:31 — Why the New Year Feels Like a Reset for ADHD
03:22 — Noticing ADHD Patterns That Block Change
05:55 — Persistence vs Consistency for ADHD Brains
09:12 — Organizing Strategies That Actually Work With ADHD
19:52 — Why ADHD Community and Support Matter
24:33 — Microdosing Mindfulness for ADHD Overwhelm
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

You know that moment when you walk into a room and your whole body reacts before your brain even has time to make sense of it? That’s what today’s episode is really about, how clutter hits the nervous system first, and how that shapes everything from motivation to avoidance to why that one corner has been haunting you for months.
In this episode, I’m sharing the real, lived experience behind regulation, what it is, why it matters, and how it changes the way ADHD women interact with their homes. We walk through each protection pattern (fight, flight, freeze, appease) in a way that helps you see yourself with clarity instead of shame.
You’ll hear more about my own journey with understanding regulation, the resources that shifted everything for me, and why this work matters so much if you’ve spent years thinking, “Why can’t I just do this?”
 My mission: to help you rebuild self-trust, one tiny regulated moment at a time.
If this episode resonates, I’d love to hear where clutter shows up in your nervous system. Your stories help other women feel less alone.

 01:17 — Personal Updates and Reflections
 02:47 — Understanding Regulation and ADHD
 05:15 — Personal Journey into Regulation
 10:31 — Reactions to Clutter: Fight Mode
 15:11 — Reactions to Clutter: Flight Mode
 17:42 — Reactions to Clutter: Freeze Mode
 20:18 — Reactions to Clutter: Appease Mode
 23:08 — Final Thoughts and Community Updates
Check out Jenna Free: https://www.adhdwithjennafree.com/
Check out Mindful as a Mother: https://mindfulasamotherco.com/ 
^Go join their community! Megs is in it too!
Check out Laura Hope: https://www.hopeandhealingcoach.com/
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com