Why do New Year’s resolutions fall apart so fast for ADHD brains? What if the problem isn’t motivation, but how we define success? In this Attention Different roundtable, Stephen Tonti, Aaron Smith, and Devin Pitts-Rogers get honest about goals, follow-through, and why “trying harder” rarely works for neurodivergent adults. This wide-ranging, candid conversation digs underneath surface-level habits and into what actually drives consistency: values, identity-based goals, energy management, and...
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Why do New Year’s resolutions fall apart so fast for ADHD brains? What if the problem isn’t motivation, but how we define success? In this Attention Different roundtable, Stephen Tonti, Aaron Smith, and Devin Pitts-Rogers get honest about goals, follow-through, and why “trying harder” rarely works for neurodivergent adults. This wide-ranging, candid conversation digs underneath surface-level habits and into what actually drives consistency: values, identity-based goals, energy management, and...
🧠 This is the part where habits get real. Part Two of the Winter Park Fireside Chats goes beyond setting intentions and dives into the hardest ADHD question of all: What actually has to change for this to stick? Around the fire, we talk openly about: Habits that quietly turned self-destructiveRelapse and why it doesn’t mean failureSobriety, substances, and self-compassionWhy consistency is hard… and persistence matters moreHow boundaries (with phones, people, and ourselves) protect energyLett...
🔥 New Year. Old Patterns. Real ADHD Conversations. Part 1 of the Winter Park Fireside Chats brings everyday ADHD adults together, in the mountains and without scripts or shame, to talk about what actually happens after the New Year starts. We dig into: Why resolutions fall apartHow burnout sneaks inThe difference between outcome goals and process goalsWhy accountability matters more than motivationAnd how ADHD brains need energy management, not just time managementThis isn’t a “New Year, New ...
💡 What happens when you build a tool for yourself… and suddenly thousands of ADHDers want it too? In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, we sit down with Marie Ng — founder of Llama Life, the task management app designed specifically for ADHD brains — to explore her journey from corporate burnout to self-taught developer to accidental entrepreneur. Marie shares how she taught herself to code by watching YouTube videos during the 2020 Melbourne lockdown, originally just trying to ...
💡 What really happens inside an ADHD relationship, and how do couples break the cycle? In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, we sit down with Melissa Orlov — leading expert on ADHD-impacted relationships and author of The ADHD Effect on Marriage — to unpack the hidden patterns that shape communication, emotional safety, conflict, and partnership when ADHD is in the mix. Melissa breaks down the core ADHD relationship cycle: how inconsistent executive functioning, forgetfulness, t...
💡 Hold on tightly, let go lightly. Sometimes the hardest part of ADHD adulting is figuring out which habits help us, and which ones quietly harm us. In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Lindsay Pitre—director, producer, twin, and lifelong ADHDer—to explore the New Year tension between resolutions, routines, relapse, and real-life coping. Diagnosed in her teens and now navigating her 30s, Lindsay reflects on the habits she clings to for comfort (like her beloved Diet Coke), the ones she’s l...
💡 Sometimes the most effective way to stay consistent with ADHD is to gamify your routines so progress feels rewarding, not punishing. In this episode of Late, Not Less, host Devin Pitts-Rogers sits down with Casey Henderson—humanist, autodidact, disabled veteran, and proud ADHD enthusiast—to explore how adults with ADHD can create structure through external systems, gamification, and intentional strategy rather than willpower or shame. Casey shares how rediscovering his ADHD diagnosis in adu...
💡 "I have a habit of lying to myself and telling myself it's self-care." What if the comfort zone you've built is actually keeping you from the life you want? In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Sam—an HR professional at a Big Four consulting firm who was diagnosed with ADHD at 38. She opens up about flying under the radar as a "daydreamer type," the unique ways ADHD shows up in women, and her journey to building the connected, authentic life she's been searching for as she approaches 4...
ADHD isn't just about converting intentions into actions—it's about learning to make the conversion easier, more honest, and a whole lot less painful. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ari Tuckman—psychologist, author of five books (including the brand new ADHD Productivity Manual), international presenter, and longtime friend and colleague. Ari has been a profound thought leader in our ADHD community for over a decade, and this conversation is packed with his trademark wisdom, humor, and...
💡 Why are so many adults suddenly getting diagnosed with ADHD, and what does it mean for our future? Today, hosts Stephen Tonti and Aaron Smith dive into one of the biggest mental health shifts of our time: the massive rise in adult ADHD diagnoses since the pandemic. From telehealth loosening restrictions to TikTok stories going viral, from parents realizing their kids’ struggles mirrored their own to women reporting symptoms at historic rates—the numbers are staggering. New adult ADHD diagno...
💡 Is ADHD good or bad, or is it simply misunderstood? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Roberto Olivardia—clinical psychologist, lecturer at Harvard Medical School, and expert on ADHD, dyslexia, and co-occurring conditions—to explore the double-edged nature of neurodivergent brains. From the challenges of executive dysfunction and procrastination to the hidden strengths of creativity, imagination, empathy, and hyperfocus, Dr. Olivardia unpacks what it really means to live with ADHD—alongs...
💡 From Hustle to Burnout and Back Again What happens when the drive to “do more” collides with ADHD? In this episode, Aaron and Stephen sit down with Eric Tivers, licensed clinical social worker, founder of ADHD Rewired, and host of one of the most successful ADHD podcasts with 500+ episodes. Eric shares his raw journey from 90-hour work weeks, scaling too fast, and losing $100K in a year, to confronting burnout, exploring his identity, and rediscovering what it means to live with sustainab...
💡 What happens when misinformation about ADHD and autism comes straight from the top? When public officials spread conspiracy theories and dismiss neurodivergent lives as “less than,” the impact isn’t just political—it’s deeply personal and dangerous. In this roundtable episode, Stephen Tonti, Devin Pitts-Rogers, and Aaron Smith unpack the rhetoric and policies of RFK Jr. as US Secretary of Health and Human Services, exploring how vaccine conspiracies, wellness farm proposals, and anti-medica...
💡 What if laughing at yourself was the key to radical self-acceptance? For years, Ron Capalbo masked his ADHD, relied on urgency to get things done, and pushed himself until panic attacks forced him to stop. What followed was a complete reframe of how he approached ADHD through humor, creativity, and compassion. In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, we sit down with Ron Capalbo—ADHD coach, content creator, and founder of the nonprofit The Monoceros Initiative. Ron shares how h...
💡 Radical acceptance starts with self-love. What would change if you stopped fighting your ADHD and began accepting it as part of who you are? In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Xai Yang, a licensed social worker, advocate, and late-diagnosed ADHDer, who shares his journey from shame and stigma to building a life rooted in radical acceptance. From growing up in a Hmong American community where mental health carried heavy taboos, to finally receiving a diagnosis in 2018, Sai opens up abo...
💡 ADHD isn’t about striving for perfection. It’s about learning how to activate your potential. What if you could build a toolbox that helps you manage the chaos, stay consistent, and grow your confidence week after week? In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, we sit down with Brooke Schnittman, an award-winning ADHD and executive function coach, host of the Successful with ADHD podcast, and founder of Coaching with Brooke. Brooke shares her late-diagnosis ADHD story, how y...
💡Gratitude is a practice. What you choose to remember shapes your experiences and how you feel about your life 🙏♥️. What would shift if you trained your brain to hold on to the good moments instead of the painful or difficult ones? In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Alexis Schwartz, environmental organizer, planner, and fellow ADHDer. Alexis shares her journey of navigating ADHD from diagnosis in childhood through her adult routines, setbacks, and strength-finding. From externalizing rem...
💡 How do we stay informed without drowning in stress? When the world feels chaotic, the political climate is relentless, and the news never stops, it’s easy for ADHD brains to spiral into overconsumption and burnout. In this Roundtable episode, Aaron Smith, Stephen Tonti, Devin Pitts-Rogers, and David Grabowski gather to unpack the weight of political anxiety, media overload, and what it means to care for your mental health in uncertain times. Through raw stories and honest reflection, the ho...
💡When failure becomes a checkpoint instead of a dead end, it reveals itself as progress in disguise. ❓What would change in your life if you embraced failure as a checkpoint of progress instead of a sign to stop? In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Tom Franchi—ADHD adult, storyteller, and creative spirit—who shares his journey of burnout, resilience, and finding peace with his ADHD. From reframing failure as growth to exploring radical self-acceptance, Tom opens up about what it means to b...
💡For the ADHDers out there who will or plan to give birth, you deserve support that sees the whole person—your challenges and your strengths. ❓How do you fix a healthcare system that was never designed with ADHD birthers in mind? In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, we sit down with Alix Bacon (registered midwife, past president of the Midwives Association of British Columbia, and vice president of the Canadian Association of Midwives) and Dusty Chipura (ADHD coach, educator, a...
💡Curiosity without judgment. This is the way. What would shift in your life if you started observing yourself with compassion instead of criticism? In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Hannah Skewes—writer, photographer, and creative storyteller—who shares her journey of living with ADHD, receiving a late diagnosis, and the challenges of navigating self-doubt and shame. From finding mindfulness in self-observation to reframing perfectionism, Hannah opens up about how compassion, curi...
Why do New Year’s resolutions fall apart so fast for ADHD brains? What if the problem isn’t motivation, but how we define success? In this Attention Different roundtable, Stephen Tonti, Aaron Smith, and Devin Pitts-Rogers get honest about goals, follow-through, and why “trying harder” rarely works for neurodivergent adults. This wide-ranging, candid conversation digs underneath surface-level habits and into what actually drives consistency: values, identity-based goals, energy management, and...