← ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka
ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka
EP. 318: Brittany Madrid Mogenson: The ADHD Brain Behind BZenTV
01:08:32
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- [00:06]
A
Richard Branson, Michael Phelps, Justin Timberlake, James Carville. Wait a minute. Where are the women? Greta Gerwig, Lisa Ling, Audra McDonald, Simone files. That sounds like a list of highly successful titans in a variety of industries. They all have adhd, but you don't hear hear much about that now, do you? You know what else you don't hear about are the 43% of people with ADHD who are in excellent mental health. Why aren't we talking about them and what they're doing right? I'm your host, Tracy Otsuka, and that's exactly what we do here. I'm a lawyer, not a doctor, a lifelong student, and now the author of my new book, ADHD for Smartass Women. I'm also a certified ADHD coach and the creator of youf ADHD Brain is okay. A patented system that helps ADHD women just like you get unstuck and fall in love with their brilliant brains. Here we embrace our too muchness and we focus on our strengths. My guests and I credit our ADHD for some of our greatest gifts. And to those who still think they're too much, too impulsive, too scattered, too disorganized, I say no one ever made a difference by being too little. I've been creating this podcast for five years with no sponsors, just a mission to help ADHD women like you thrive. But if you're ready for more, listen up. Your ADHD brain is not broken. It just needs the right tools. I'll show you how to work with your brain, not against it. Inside my your ADHD brain is a. OK Academy. More information. Find the link in the first line of this episode's description. Now let's get on with the show. Hello, I am your host, Tracy Outsuka. Thank you so much for tuning in to another episode of ADHD for Smartass Women. My mission here, you know it. It's simple to show you who you are and inspire you to be it. Out of the thousands of ADHD women I've met, I. I've not met a single one that has failed to impress me with her brilliance. Each and every one is truly exceptional at something. With that, I am absolutely thrilled to introduce you to Brittany Madrid Mogensen. Brit Madrid Mogensen is a shining example of ADHD brilliance in action, fearlessly diving into passions and turning them into extraordinary achievements. As the TV host and executive producer of Bzen TV on WFAA channel channel 8, the ABC affiliate in Dallas, Texas, Britt entertains audiences with her vibrant storytelling. She's also the host and producer of in the Cards and Stars, where she blends astrology and pop culture with wit and insight. Britt's ADHD field career includes stints as a sports reporter covering the Dallas Cowboys, a sideline reporter on ESPN2, an actress in the Dallas reboot. We're gonna have to talk about that. A group fitness instructor, and a public relations entrepreneur. A graduate of the University of Kansas with degrees in philosophy and psychology, Britt combines deep thinking with a passion for understanding people and the world around her. Off camera, she's a proud dog mom and an animal advocate volunteering at one of the busiest shelters in the country. By channeling her ADHD into wellness, astrology, and advocacy, Britt proves that the ADHD brain is capable of brilliance in a thousand different directions. Welcome, Britt. And did I get all of that right?
- [04:14]
B
Oh, my God, you did. Listening to that, I'm kind of like, okay, wow. I'm not used to thinking of those things or anything, but, yes, those are all things that I do or have done and things that I love. Thank you for that introduction, Tracy. Wow. You did. You nailed it.
- [04:29]
A
Absolutely. Not really, but enough, right?
- [04:32]
B
You did. Yes.
- [04:34]
A
Before we go, you know that I always want to start, you know about your ADHD experience, your. Your story. But before we go there, what kind of dog?
- [04:44]
B
So I have all husky mixes. We have a Pomsky named Dolly Potton, obviously, for obvious reasons. She brings joy everywhere she goes, and she's lived up to her name. Then we have three others from Dallas Animal Services, the municipal shelter that I volunteer at, and we do TV segments on a Roca who we just got a couple months ago. She's a husky. We also have Sunny, who's a husky that we got last February, and Archer, who's a husky German shepherd mix who got last January. So we have been very busy in this household adopting the dogs, and they're just. They're. I love them so much. So they're wonderful. They're a little pack. We got a little team, a sled dog team, we say, and I'm curious, who's the alpha?
- [05:25]
A
Is it the little one?
- [05:26]
B
Okay. It is always a toss up. And I kind of think that our German shepherd mix, he's like, the real alpha, but he listens to Dolly because you know how those little dogs are. It's like they know they have to have a voice, so they're gonna bark the loudest. They're gonna let you know. And I feel like they just don't want to, like, see her bad side. They're like, we don't want to make her mad, but Archer could. You know, he leads them.
- [05:49]
A
Are they all three boys? The huskies are all boys, and she's the only female.
- [05:53]
B
So we have two boys and two girls. Rocca, the one that we just recently adopted, she was. She's a little female, and she was so sweet and, like, gentle and demeanor. So I was like, she could be Dolly's friend. And they do. They love each other. So we got two boys, two girls. I think we're good for now until we get the farm, you know.
- [06:11]
A
Oh, my gosh. Absolutely. So our neighbor has five dogs now. She runs. We live out in the country. She has, like, a little ranch, like a horseback riding ranch. And kids are always going there, especially during the summer. Summer and breaks. And so she runs these little camps. She had four dogs, and they were great. Then she got. I think it's an Australian shepherd, but they're not black and white, but it's one of those kinds of dogs. It's a herding dog. That dog barks from morning to night. Trained all the other dogs to bark. Even if we're standing in our front yard, which is. And it's probably an acre from an acre away from where their property starts, he's barking. So my point is simply, if you've got four and they're all getting along, do not bring in a fifth. That will be the one that, you know, breaks the camel's back.
- [07:05]
B
Right. It's a dynamic. They're a pack. So true. That must be tough.
- [07:10]
A
I'm kind of joking about it.
- [07:12]
B
Okay, good. There's. There's enough room to where they can run around, you know, and won't disturb the whole neighborhood. That's funny, though. Yeah, they're. They're hilarious. They learn from each other.
- [07:22]
A
Question I have for you. How do you work at the animal shelter and not bring all these dogs home?
- [07:28]
B
Oh, it's tough. It's honestly so tough. I mean, that's why in all, in one year, in 2024, which was the first year that I started working there, I actually started doing TV segments. It was like the Christmas of 2023. I was like, I want to do a segment where we're giving back. I've always loved animals. So I contacted the municipal shelter, because typically, you know, municipal shelters are the ones that are in need, run by the city and all that. So I contacted them. They were so lovely, so excited to do a segment. I got involved there, and then we featured five dogs, and I found out that one of them was the only One that hadn't been adopted. And of course, I was like, okay, Michael. To my husband. I'm like, we gotta go get him. Like, we can't. So we drove to. We drove from Kansas, because we live in Kansas City. We drove from Kansas to Dallas, picked him up, drove him back. And I still volunteer there when I go back for work for my show for different things. Like, you know, typically once every three months. Like, that's, like, the longest I go. But, yeah, I go in, I play with the pubs, help with whatever I can while I'm there, try to take photos of them, share them around on social media, you know, hope they can find their forever families. And, yeah, just. I try to do whatever I can because I just love them so much. And I would take every single one of them home if I could. I really would.
- [08:44]
A
I know.
- [08:45]
B
Yeah.
- [08:46]
A
I want to know about the Dallas reboot. So when I was a teenager, actually, and that whole who Killed JR Thing, that was such a big deal. That was the show of the decade, frankly. I mean, it went on forever. And I remember I've actually been to South Fork Ranch, outside of Dallas. And so I'm dying to know what was the Dallas reboot? And what did you do in that? Were you a reporter?
- [09:10]
B
Well, I was actually a detective. I don't know why, but I. So in my. I mean, I'm still an actress. I still, you know, will audition for commercials from time to time. I don't do it very much now, but I love it. It's like one of the things I just enjoy if anything comes up, you know, I love to audition, but. Yes. So there was a. A reboot that. When was this? Like, maybe five, six, seven years ago? It was a while ago, but it was on, I think, tnt. And it was some of the old cast members from the original Dallas, which I grew up watching with my mom and was obsessed with. So this was, like, the biggest deal at the time as well, for me. When I got the role, I was like. And it was a very small role. It was just in, like, a couple of episodes. But I played Detective, Wendy Shumway was her name. And I dressed up in a detective outfit. Like, it was a little brown suit. It was this whole thing. I had short, like, brown hair, and I was, like, very serious. And I was there to collect evidence, because in the reboot, there was a murder, or, no, an attempted murder of a man named Ryland. And it was actually Bobby, who I arrested under suspicion of, you know, being the assailant. It was really fun. Though I got to spend a couple days on the set, I did get to meet all of them. Also. Judith Light was there because she played Ryland's mother and I love her. Oh, it was honestly was one of those, like, pinch me experiences. It came and it went, but it was so much fun. So I love it. Yes.
- [10:40]
A
That was another name, Judith Light. Like, she was in everything for a while.
- [10:44]
B
She was like, who's the boss? I loved her from that. Oh, it was crazy to like, meet her in person. I was just geeking out on the inside.
- [10:52]
A
Yeah. And she was super nice. I like to hear that they were.
- [10:55]
B
All really, really nice. Like, everyone that I met was just super sweet. So it was a really fun experience. Wonderful.
- [11:01]
A
Well, I love hearing about it. Before we talk more about what it is that you do and all the things that you do and have done, can we talk about your ADHD diagnoses first?
- [11:10]
B
Sure.
- [11:11]
A
What were the circumstances around it? You know, when were you diagnosed? Was it fairly recently or as a child?
- [11:17]
B
So I was diagnosed my sophomore year in college. And I definitely like, you know, growing up I felt like I was really good in some areas, but not great in other areas and particularly in math because I also have dyscalculia. Oh my gosh, what a struggle. What a self esteem, you know, just dive that I was always kind of struggling with because I would just feel like I couldn't catch up with everybody else. I didn't understand why I couldn't figure this out. And then I started to, like, you know, really get down on myself. And I would get tutors and it wouldn't help. And then I think it became so boring as well because I was so behind. I would literally fall asleep in my math classes. Like, it was really bad. So I feel like my adhd, my dyscalculia for a while there when it came to school were kind of playing off each other. But I did love reading, literature, history, so I excelled there and then was like struggling with like, D's F's in math and science. So my teachers, like, people would talk about it even growing up, like with my mom. My mom was a teacher at my school. So I kind of, you know, was around with everybody and they would be very nice and they were like, you're so smart. We just need to get your math and science figured out. So then later when I went to college, I ended up getting in by the skin of my teeth because of my SAT scores in math. But luckily the science or not the science, the reading in English was High enough to where I could, like, get a, you know, good enough score to get into a good school. But then I went and talked to people in the office there, and I. That's when my diagnosis was kind of fast tracked. At ku, they helped me a lot to figure out what was going on because I just knew I was going to struggle, so I kind of got ahead of it.
- [13:03]
A
Because you were so smart in all those other subjects, but you struggled so much in math, was the thought that, oh, you're just not trying hard enough, or did they understand? Oh, I can't remember if back then they understood that. No, this is a, you know, this is a learning disability. Meaning she is struggling to learn in the way that you're teaching, or was it more still, even though you were diagnosed with dyscalculia, was there still this thought that, oh, but if she tried harder.
- [13:31]
B
Let me back up a little bit. My ADHD diagnosis, that was all accurate. It was actually in the sixth grade. I have not thought about this in a while. It was actually in the sixth grade that I went to a neurologist, and I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD at that time, but I was diagnosed with the dyscalculia. So people were aware. My. My family was aware. My teachers were made aware, and they really tried the best that they could to, like, you know, the accommodation was extra time and a tutor. But truly, it didn't really help. It just felt like I was constantly having to sit through things and try and fail and fail and fail. And then it just was, like, so incredibly boring. And it was torturous, to be honest, because I just couldn't. It just doesn't compute for me. And, you know, it's just one of those things. I use my calculator. I, you know, I write everything out now. I feel like I have a. A good handle on those things as an adult. But back then, I just, you know, I was never going to be great at long division and.
- [14:29]
A
And who needs it, right?
- [14:30]
B
I don't use it either. Yeah, but could you guys have taught us how to, like, budget and maybe invest? Like. Yes, that would have been interesting, too. And I probably could have, you know, learned some of those things.
- [14:41]
A
So this was in sixth grade. So then it wasn't until your sophomore year that you were diagnosed with adhd?
- [14:47]
B
Yes, yes, yes.
- [14:48]
A
What made you even go in? Like, why were you even there seeking a diagnosis? What was going on with you in.
- [14:55]
B
High school for that part? My sophomore year in college, I moved from Dallas, where I was from to ku, which was in Lawrence, Kansas. And I was, you know, in my classes. It was kind of the same pattern, you know, doing well in these certain subjects, struggling in the others. I did go to talk to like the school department that handles accommodations and things like that for learning differences. So I spoke to them about math. So I get extra time and all of that. And I don't remember how it actually happened, but there was something, either someone I spoke with or they saw it in me where I got on the path to a diagnosis with adhd.
- [15:33]
A
Okay.
- [15:34]
B
And so that really was life changing. That was when I felt like I actually can do really well in certain things. And it gave me more self esteem. I was put on medication. I was also taught some different ways to think of things and manage my time. And it made me feel like very, I think, very good about myself for the first time in a long time. Which is strange because, you know, you would think maybe you would feel worse. But it made me feel good to understand what was going on finally.
- [16:04]
A
Yeah, I mean, totally. It's that understanding that it's not for lack of trying, it's not a moral or character failing. It is literally my brain just working differently. So I'm curious, sophomore year, this all came up. Were you majoring in something that required a lot of math or were you still in psychology? Although psychology required math too. Right. Philosophy, I don't think does. Does it? Or did your school have requirements?
- [16:30]
B
Okay, yes, of course. So I. For pre algebra, that was when, like, because we had to take pre algebra classes, like you know, 101, algebra, 101, all of that. And that was just, you know, I just. Math for me, it's always going to be like that. So I went because of that, I knew I was going to need extra time on like my tests and in my classes and all of that and any support that I could get. So that was that. And then at that time I didn't know what I wanted to do at all because in my mind I blew it up so big. I was like, okay, I've got to decide what I'm going to do with my life. You know, what do I want to do? What's my career going to be? And so I really felt lost and I had no idea. I thought maybe I want to be a journalist. Which in hindsight that would have been great. I could have gone to the school of journalism, you know, probably would have been good. But philosophy was good too because it helped me to think outside the box in different ways. And Philosophy 101. I took that class, and I just was obsessed with it, fell in love with it. Why? I just. I loved the different ideas and how it wasn't about being right or wrong. It was like, okay, this philosopher thinks this, but there's another one that thinks this. And exploring like, wow, like, why did they think that? And then arguing, like, you know, having these debates with other people, why you think that this could be true, and then why someone else might. It was just so cool. It was like having these discussions with all of us, being creative, and it felt very free and just so interesting. I just. I loved it, truly. Yeah. I miss it. When I think of it now, I'm like, I'd love to go back to one of those classes. It was so fun.
- [18:06]
A
I think I took one philosophy class. But what did the same thing for me was law school. And I think it's because they teach using the Socratic method. They never give you the answer. It's all about talking it through and then coming to your own determination of, you know, what the right answer is. And, you know, typically in law school, there is a right answer versus a wrong answer, but you're supposed to go through all the wrong answers to finally get to the right answer, which I have always contended it changed the way I think as compared to someone who hasn't been through it. And I think philosophy is the same thing.
- [18:41]
B
It changes the way you think. Totally. Yes. That's such a good way to put it. So my husband, he's a lawyer, when we talk and he tells me about cases and different things, it's like the. The language used even, right? It's so different. It's like the legalese. And so, yeah, that's so interesting. I think it's very similar.
- [18:59]
A
I bet you anything, though, philosophy grows new neural pathways. So my daughter's in law school, and she, unlike me, so I really struggled those first couple years in college because I wanted to be a dentist like my dad. And I did not have the aptitude, nor did I have the interest, and I didn't have the aptitude because I didn't have the interest.
- [19:19]
B
Right.
- [19:20]
A
So what ended up happening is my grades were pretty poor that first year, and then they were great, but I just had that deficit. So my grades were not nearly as good as my daughter's, who literally knew going in, I want to be somewhere in the entertainment area. And then by, you know, I think it was her junior year, she started thinking about law school, and so she knew. So her grades were really high. She graduated, you know, with highest honors, all of that stuff, which I did not. So I thought, well, maybe because of my experience, I didn't. I always said I never learned how to study until law school. Like, I did not know how to study. And it was because, you know, I struggled in those first years. And then the other stuff was kind of easy for me, so I never learned. My daughter, on the other hand, got these good grades, was always the kind of kid who would put, you know, 100% in, 110% in. She also has the exact same experience going through law school where she has said, I never knew how to study, like, until I went to law school. Oh, my gosh. Like, she studies all the time, and it's still not enough. So I do think that there is something about certain fields where you are literally, I can see it in her brain, how she's growing new neuropathways and how she handles other things, like personal, you know, challenges so differently. Because of the experiences that she's had in law school and how her brain has changed. She's much more kind of rational and balancing ideas versus before. It was like, well, I think this is what feels good, so this is where I'm gonna go.
- [20:59]
B
You know, that makes so much sense. That really does. And I. I don't think philosophy helped me in that area. I think it made me more, you know, I think. I think then being a reporter, that helped me to, like, hone it in. But, yeah, I think that's so interesting. It helps shape the way that you see the world when you're thinking in a certain way every day. Right. So for you, when you learned how to study, I'm just so curious. How did you learn how to study differently? Was it, like, the way that you were reading or.
- [21:29]
A
It was insanity. And of course, you know, my daughter has an ADHD diagnoses. I did not. They didn't diagnose girls, you know, in those. I mean, it was really, really rare. I have heard of a few, but, you know, if you did well in school, I mean, I did. It wasn't like, you know, I ever was worried about flunking out or any. Actually, that's not true. My first year, if I would have stayed in that major, I would have flunked out. But, you know, before that, I was always an A student, and I just didn't have to study that much. You know, I was able to kind of put it all together. So I actually read everything, and it would take me forever, which is what was happening to my Daughter, which is why she ended up with the ADHD diagnoses. She would tell me, oh, my gosh, mom. You know, everybody else, you know, in two hours, they can get this reading done. It literally takes me five. So she started to worry about being able to keep up and the fact that she was literally, you know, in law school, you're kind of doing this anyway, but. But she was literally studying every day and then every night. And, you know, some of her friends would treat it more like a job. And that's when she entered law school. That's what they said, treat it like a job. And she's like, this is a joke. What, a day job and a night job, Right. So to answer your question, I found, after I had, you know, discovered that, oh, it's adhd, I found this plastic box in my garage that had all my law school books and my notes. I had culled it down and I had just saved, I think, the classes. That actually meant something to me because otherwise it would have been too much. Oh, my God, Brit. When I went through everything, it was insanity. So, you know, they have those giant law school books. It's all case law, pretty much. There were highlights in yellow, writings in red in the margins, tabs on each of. And I mean, when you looked at the books, it was just one tab after another. And then what I would do is I would take. Take everything that I learned, and I would put it into a notebook that was probably this big. That notebook then had. This was one class, had all the highlights, and then it had different colors in the margins based on, you know, what it was that I was discussing. And I created a system so it was consistent. And then from there, I would take it to a smaller outline, which was probably 25 pages. And then from that 25 page outline, I had index cards.
- [23:54]
B
Wow.
- [23:55]
A
And that was for every single subject. So I knew I had learned how to study. But once I saw that, I really got what it was that I was trying to do. You know, we are big picture people, and so if we don't understand the overview, we can't understand the little pieces. And so that's what I was creating, Right. I had to create. Because the Socratic method, they hide everything from you. They don't give you the big picture. So I had to take every single case and, yes, break it down. And then I had to take all that case law and then put it together into kind of a big overview. And I always had one big sheet with basically a mind map that I had created so that you know, I could remember. Okay, this goes to here. And my memory was so much better then. It still wasn't great. I still struggled with working memory. I think it was the piece that I was missing to really have been, like, the valedictorian kind of student. And working memory in those days was so important. Today, I think it's less and less important because of, you know, chatgpt and.
- [24:59]
B
Totally, we have all these tools. So many tools that we can use.
- [25:02]
A
Yeah, absolutely. Okay, so enough of that. Enough of me talking.
- [25:06]
B
That's so interesting, though. Yes. Now, I'm glad I know that.
- [25:09]
A
So I am curious. After this discussion with you, there were two things that I would have loved to do. I remember my dad, you know? Cause I would be like, he just thought I was too emotional. Too not emotional, too dramatic. And so he would say to me, and he was dead serious. You should be in a soap opera. And I remember thinking, I wish I could be in a soap opera. But I cannot memorize those lines. No way, Tracy.
- [25:31]
B
It's the hardest part of acting. It's nightmare fuel.
- [25:35]
A
Could not be an actor because of that. I literally can't memorize one line. And the minute I get a little anxious, I can't even put three words.
- [25:42]
B
Together when I get anxious. Same thing.
- [25:45]
A
Well, reporting is the same thing. Right. So it's a lot of anxiety because Showtime. And then you have to remember, 1, 2, 3, ABC under the 1, 2, 3, ABC under the 2. Right. How do you do that? And I have met many ADHD people who actually don't struggle with working memory, like my son, but he also has dyslexia. So I think it's kind of a different brain. I'm curious how you handle that.
- [26:14]
B
Well, it's. So what you just said about, like, once you get nervous or something. For me, that's what makes my brain stop working. Yep. Like, yes. Like, if I. I can remember a lot of things, like, when it comes to something that I'm passionate about, like, you know, like, if I've studied it and I'm passionate about, I can talk about it forever. And I don't even really need my notes. Sometimes I can even do it in one take if I'm talking about, like, animals or. Or, like, makeup or fashion. So that to me, like, when I'm doing lifestyle topics, so easy breezy. Which thankfully, now that that's all I do. So that's easy. It's just having fun, chatting about things I care about, and I don't get nervous. But when I first started, even Thinking about it right now is giving me, like, a weird flashback anxiety, because sports reporting, oh, my God, in the moment when it was live on, like, ESPN2, I actually had to go on beta blockers because I wanted to do this job. I wanted to be successful. But I would get an adrenaline rush to where I could get through it. Like, you know, no one said anything to me at work, but I. I would, like, get this anxiety well up. And I was like, I can't live like this. Like, I can't be like this every day. So that was a real struggle. And honestly, it didn't. It didn't really go away until I just changed the field, the topics I was reporting on.
- [27:36]
A
So my question for you is, were you deeply interested in that particular sport?
- [27:43]
B
I was not, and I didn't know very much about it. Yeah, you know, I would study, but the thing is, it's very fast paced and it's very, like, high pressure, and there's a lot of, like, numbers, right? You're, like, remembering the score and, like, even though that's not a whole lot of numbers, but it's like, with football, like, the yardage, like, so tough. Like, it was like, I would have to write a million notes and luckily we would just do, like, the game preview, then, like, the recap. But it was. It was a lot. I mean, and that was like, I had to be on it, like, fully engaged. Could not, like, relax while I was doing that. And then I would, like, like, get through it. I felt like I could get through it now. I was passable. I don't think I was, like, an amazing sports reporter or anything like that. And I did better on the pieces where, like, sometimes they would let me do pieces that were more about, like, mindset or particular, like, players or coaches and, like, their life story. I love those because that's great. You can, like, dig into, you know, why are they the way that they are as a human being and what motivates them and, you know, finding the motivation. Like, so those I can do all day. But, yeah, when it was just, like, cut and dry, like injury reports, you got to kind of get in there, ask the questions. You're fighting to get to the front. Oh, it was a lot. I'm glad it's over.
- [28:58]
A
You're making me anxious.
- [29:00]
B
I'm making myself anxious. I. I think. And I'm so grateful for those opportunities and those people that just were, you know, gave me those opportunities because I wouldn't be doing what I want if I hadn't worked through that And I think that's something a lot of people with adhd like, I think there's a point where sometimes we have to just get through certain things, and then, you know, we get to the part that we get to make our own rules.
- [29:23]
A
I have tried my entire life to learn football because, you know, there were so many people around me, like, football, like, it's American pastime, right? And I wanted to really understand and be good at it, just because most women don't. So that was my interest. It wasn't because I had any interest in the game. It was more just, oh, most women don't do this. I want to do this.
- [29:44]
B
I want to do it. Yeah.
- [29:45]
A
Oh, my gosh, Brett. I still don't understand the game, and I can't ever figure out where the damn ball is. Like, I literally can't see it on the screen. And every guy in my life, starting with my dad, you know, we'd be watching football, and I'd be asking questions, and I think I was so annoying, and. And it just got to the point where they wouldn't answer them anymore. And so every question I asked, it was like, so even now with my husband and my son, my son really loves football. My husband used to play football, so. And my son did, too. But so before kids, my husband wasn't into football, even though he played it, like. And I think it was cause of me, because I wasn't into football. But then we had this son who is like my dad and loves every sport known to man and is so good with all. Like, he could be a sports reporter. He's so good at the stats and the numbers and, you know, going back to, like, ancient history. And I will ask them what's going on, blah, blah, and they, you know, and he's rolling his eyes, and I don't know, why is it that football is so hard for me to learn?
- [30:55]
B
I have no idea either. I don't. I really don't. And I still, to this day, I couldn't tell you because I have actually tried as well. Like back when I was doing, you know, doing that professionally. And then my husband, he loves football, played football, coach football in grad school and law school. He will go through it with me and explain certain things, and I'll. I will say I've gotten better. Like, I can understand some things, but I still can't tell you how many more yards we have to go or why it's a down and what. Why does the other team get the ball now and not. I will never And I just. I have accepted it.
- [31:32]
A
Before we dive back in, a quick reminder. Your brain is not disordered. The problem is no one ever gave you its manual. But I can and I will. Your ADHD brain is a. Ok. Academy is my step by step patented program to help you figure it all out. Click the link in the first line of this episode's description to learn more or book a discovery call. Now let's get back to the show. I know, and with dyscalculia, I mean no, and I don't know, there's three two ways to pronounce it. I have come up with a third and I always seem to say the wrong one, so I've given up on that too.
- [32:15]
B
I don't know either. And I feel like there isn't a lot of. I mean, and maybe there's more information now, but I have tried, like, to research it and find information and, and I'll come across some things here or there, but I really. I still don't even understand it. And it's my own brain, so maybe that's, you know, a future project. I can look into it.
- [32:33]
A
No, and I think you're absolutely right because I know I did a lot of research on it for my book, even though there is just a very small part. And yes, they tell you what it is, but they really don't have any strategies. I mean, really, you know, good strategies around. Okay, well, how do we fix this? How do we teach this kind of brain how to learn math? Or are you telling us that, oh, there's nothing you can do? So we're like, Barbie, you know, right?
- [32:59]
B
Or like, do I just use a calculator for the rest of my life then? And then it's just different. Like, just teach me how to invest and, and create strategies around financial freedom. Like, I could do that. That sounds fun, but yeah, the nitty gritty things. I just don't. I can't visualize it. I can't see it. I can memorize things if it's in the form of a song, oddly enough. So, like, I could still sing you songs from like, fifth and sixth grade of like, the multiplication tables. So I could do that all day long. But yeah, I just. I can't visualize the numbers. It just doesn't. It doesn't like, populate in my brain. I don't know, it's like a blank.
- [33:39]
A
I don't have dyscalculia. I thought I did. So I got myself retested when I found out my son had dyslexia. Because I was like, it's one of those things. It's not just adhd. And it actually came back that, no, you're actually fairly talented in math, which explained why I could get the highest grade in trigonometry. But, you know, literally, like algebra. I mean, geometry. I was just like. But I have visual spatial issues. But only sometimes, you know, so it's.
- [34:09]
B
Right. But only sometimes trying to figure that out.
- [34:12]
A
Right. So I'm so good at puzzling. I'm so good at like. Like, I can put patterns together. I can see how things come together. Like, I'm really good at that. But you put me in a city or you put me in nature, I can't find my way home. I literally will go in the opposite direction every single time.
- [34:27]
B
Yes, I will, too. I will, too. That's usually how I know. Go the other way. If I say go right, I'm like, I should go left. Yeah.
- [34:36]
A
That is the joke in my family. If mom says go this way, go the opposite way.
- [34:39]
B
Sure.
- [34:39]
A
Yeah. The other thing that you said that I can totally relate to, and I've never heard anybody say this before, is that when you do the assignments where it's very linear, it includes a lot of numbers, you gotta remember a lot of stuff. You really struggled with that. But clearly I can tell how good you are on camera. And partly because, you know, I talk to you on camera on your show. So that is what you're so gifted at. So when you can do things that just come from your intuition and naturally what you know and what you love, no problem at all. And it's. I have often thought, I can't be a reporter. And people have said this to me, I can't be a reporter. But you give me an Oprah type thing, or even better, Martha Stewart.
- [35:29]
B
There you go.
- [35:30]
A
Like, I'm always joking. You know, I love aesthetics, and I'm, you know, really good at cooking and baking and home craft.
- [35:36]
B
Tracy, do it. Let's go.
- [35:39]
A
The reason it's so easy is because you are literally talking about what you're doing as you're doing it right.
- [35:47]
B
Yes.
- [35:47]
A
And you're giving your opinion and teaching around that, which is so different than memorizing a bunch of lines and having to keep your brain in that linear. Linear bucket.
- [36:00]
B
Totally. It's totally. I feel like you're using a completely different, like, system. You're in a different realm. And with, like, doing what. So what I always used to call it, because even growing up, I wanted to become a TV host. And I remember I would pretend to be a TV host with my friends, and it was just always a thing. And I would say, this is so funny. I don't know why I would say this, but I would say to myself, I want to be a personality. Like, that was, like, my thought. Or an actress, but a personality, you know, I really wanted. And I still think that, you know, sometimes kids know what they're talking about. It's, like, simple. But I think that's what you're saying, too. It's like you're a personality. You know, maybe you're not a reporter who's going to take information and give the rundown and, you know, hit all the. The little points. And also, being a reporter, you know, I have a lot of respect for them. There's a lot of intensity, a lot of sadness. You're not choosing your assignments all the time, so it can be really heavy. I used to want to do that, too, as well, but. But that can be super heavy. And I feel like some people are just so good at that. Like, I have a friend who's a news producer. She's so good at that. She can compartmentalize. She's. She does not have adhd. You know, she can really get linear. And I think with people like us, you know, we're personalities. I think we're just. That's part of our thing. Like, we can bring information to light from, like, our heart space, you know, and, like, let people in and give them just, like, a big, warm hug. And I think that that's. That's another kind of role on camera in itself. So Oprah vibes, Martha Stewart, I could totally see that with you.
- [37:34]
A
Well, and I'm sure you. I mean, I don't know how you are about domestic kind of, which is so ridiculous because I'm such a feminist, but I love that stuff.
- [37:44]
B
No, well, I. Yes. So my whole show was actually. It was conceptualized around loving Oprah and wanting to do that, because I was like, okay, well, at some point, Oprah will retire, and I love her, and there's only one Oprah. But I think that, you know, I could maybe help to continue that sort of energy because I love the exploration of different philosophies, you know, that she did with her super Soul Sunday. But. But I also wanted to bring in, like, fashion and beauty, because I love those things, too. So, you know, I kind of looked at it as, like, a hybrid of all of that, and so love Oprah. And honestly, if I was better at the cooking and those things, if I had More patience for it and was, like, good at it. I think I would like it, but.
- [38:28]
A
You know, not your thing.
- [38:30]
B
It's just. I'm just not. I'm not talented. Maybe it's the measuring and stuff and the time management portion. I really think that's what it is. So I just. It's rough.
- [38:38]
A
I am one of these people that was diagnosed in perimenopause. And I will tell you, and I've said this before, you know, on this podcast pre, that I could literally have a dinner party for 75 people and I wouldn't even bat an eyelash. It would be fun and easy, and I just loved it.
- [38:57]
B
Wow.
- [38:58]
A
Literally, once perimenopause hit all those things that. And I was bad with time. Just so you know, I was bad with time, but I could manage it well enough that if I was super organized, I could do it. Once perimenopause hit less dopamine, I literally. I can't even cook for four anymore. Like, it really takes so much effort. So I feel like I'm not even who I was then. So I am now. You. And I get it. It is all about management of time. I just sit in the kitchen and I spin. I don't know. What am I supposed to do? Even if I have a list with times on it.
- [39:31]
B
Totally. Well, I'm gonna give up then. When I get to perimenopause, I'm gonna give up then. Cause I'm already starting from there. I'm just gonna say forget it.
- [39:38]
A
You know what you do, Britt? You find someone who does. There must be. Is there any part of cooking that you like? Like, do you like making desserts?
- [39:46]
B
I like baking.
- [39:48]
A
Okay.
- [39:48]
B
I really like making cookies and decorating.
- [39:51]
A
And then you find someone that you really trust that does a really good job that, you know, does these kind of like box dinners that don't taste like box dinners because they make them in advance in their kitchen just for you, and then you have them bring that in, and that's how you entertain anybody. And you just don't worry about it, because the amount of energy that I spent beating myself up about, you used to be able to do this. And this is what I was known for, right?
- [40:15]
B
Yeah.
- [40:16]
A
And I was the one who always had people over at my house. And so that was. That connection's so important to me.
- [40:22]
B
Yeah.
- [40:23]
A
And when that's gone, then you're thinking, okay, well, I feel like I'm faking it. I feel like I'm a fraud. If I. It was ridiculous. What I put myself through. So I give you carte blanche. Don't do it. Don't try. It's not your thing. There's so many other things that are your thing. So in that vein, you've done so many different jobs. Reporting on sports, you know, acting on tv, hosting a TV show, hosting podcasts. Did one lead to the other? And how do. Obviously, one led to the other. But how do you decide what to do next? Like, how did that all happen?
- [40:57]
B
Well, I feel like it was just kind of like putting myself in the environment to, like, because it did. It all led. One led to the other, like. So the reporting actually came from the acting because I. So as soon as I graduated from college, I moved back to Dallas and I was like, okay, what am I gonna do with my life? I have a philosophy degree and I had always wanted to be, you know, acting and in commercials, and I had never done it before, I had never tried. So I got sort of very late and I was like, you know what? I'm just gonna. I'm gonna go for it. Like, if I don't do it now, I'll never do it. Or that's what I was telling myself. So I signed with an agency and I started, like, auditioning and then I was booking some. Took me a while, but I started booking auditions or booking roles and like, in commercials and things. And I made friends just naturally, organically with one of the women in the Wardro, Shout out to Carolina Tolentino, you're the best. She was really good friends with a producer for one of the sports shows that she. She'd been friends with them since college, and she actually, like, reached out to me just kind of randomly one day. She was like, hey, have you. Have you ever thought of doing on camera reporting? She was like, I think you'd be really good at it. You're great at speaking, you know, she knew I had a degree in philosophy and stuff. She was like, I think there could be some crossover. Do you want to meet my friend? He's actually looking for a reporter. He needs a fill in, like, right away. And I told him I knew someone I think would be really good, and she has no experience, but whatever. And so told him all that. And then he said, okay. I think he was kind of desperate, needed to fill the role quickly. So it was sort of luck, opportunity, organic. Like, it just. So that was really the beginning because then I was able to build a reel and a resume. And so I kept doing acting simultaneously with the reporting, and then I did the fitness Instructing also to help pay the bills, because when you're a starting reporter, you're not making very much money. Same with acting. So then I was doing that as well. So I was very busy. Right. Just doing all those things. But they all kind of worked together because it was like being social, being active, staying in shape. And so it was just. Yeah, so I did that. And then those things led to, well, the fitness instructing. This. It's so weird how it would all kind of happen. I couldn't have planned it. But the fitness instructing, they actually needed someone to do pr and they knew that I did reporting and things like that. And oddly enough, I had had a. An internship in New York before I graduated college. So, like the summer of my junior year. And this was also through a friend that I was friends with in college who worked for Bismarck Phillips, which is fashion PR in New York. So I lived there for a summer and did the fashion pr and I loved it. So I absorbed all these things and I really helped my friend a lot, who has an account executive. So I feel like I got a really good, like, crash course. So when they were looking for someone to do PR and they talked to me about it, I was like, I. Yes, I actually think I could do that. So that started that. Then I got a couple other clients. Long story short, through representing a brand on TV on shows, that was how I got my next gig, which was lifestyle reporting for a show on ABC in Dallas called the Live Love Laugh Today Show. And it was like a Sunday morning talk show with two women kind of like Hoda and Kathie Lee. And I did fashion. And then it just from there, I feel like I started to get into my own lane. So that was a roundabout way.
- [44:36]
A
That sounds so fun, that last one.
- [44:39]
B
So much fun because you're literally just.
- [44:41]
A
Showing up as you and the things you love.
- [44:44]
B
Yes. And just having fun and giving advice to women and talking about fashion. And it was. Yeah, it was really, really fun. So. And then since, you know, since that, I ended up getting a different sport reporting job because I was still trying to, you know, make money and juggle everything. So I did actually get another one that was covering the Dallas Cowboys, which was a little more like high profile, which was really cool. And that kind of helped me to establish myself. And it's also funny because then they actually needed a second half hour to fill their air time. And then I just was like, this is my shot. I need to pitch this. So I pitched an idea of BZN TV kind Of like Oprah Super Soul Sunday with a mindset thing to follow the sports show on Spectrum Cable and they liked it. I had also been helping the Live Love Laugh show to produce segments. So that was how I knew. So I guess I would say, honestly, you just have to keep doing things and keep learning because you never know when the opportunity is going to come up. And you've got to know. You just got to have, like prepared in these weird ways. So that was sort of what it was. And they said yes. And so I did that. Then I moved to ABC myself and I'm still doing it eight years later. Wow.
- [45:57]
A
One of the things that I noticed that is your M.O. you see these opportunities that you really don't have the experience for, but they're willing to trust you and you're willing to trust you to just jump and go and try it and it always seems lead to then to something else.
- [46:15]
B
So true, so true.
- [46:17]
A
How has ADHD shaped your approach to handle rejection or setbacks in an industry that is clearly really competitive? And so you have to deal with a lot of this.
- [46:30]
B
It's, I mean, it's honestly terrible. Like, I don't, I, I really hate it and I don't think that I, you know, have ever gotten great with it. But I also know about myself and I've always known that I'm sensitive to rejection, which I think is part of the ADHD thing. So I think that I would feel rejected and feel sad and then I would just, just reframe it and I would say, okay, well, yes, like I didn't get it, but maybe I'll get it next time. And I just have to keep going because this is what I want. I had a big picture vision and I knew that if I didn't keep going, if I didn't keep auditioning and getting rejected, then I wouldn't finally get, you know, the gig or get accepted. So it was sort of like just one of those push through things, kind of like doing the sports sideline reporting. When I felt out of my depth, it was just, that's just kind of part of it. But I don't know, I feel like definitely I had some sad times where I felt low and I had to try to pick myself back up and give myself a pep talk and stay focused on the vision. That was what sort of kept me going. But yeah, definitely, it definitely stinks.
- [47:41]
A
Yeah. So. So bottom line, it sounds like, okay, you give yourself some time to wallow a little bit and feel bad and then it's kind of like, okay, next.
- [47:52]
B
Like, next. And there are still some gigs that I didn't get that I remember that. It makes me sad to think about, but it's just like, you know, that's life. You just. It's okay. It's all right.
- [48:02]
A
This idea that. Well, actually, that probably happened for you because who know, who knows what the hell could have happened, right?
- [48:08]
B
For sure. Like, the biggest one that I. And I will tell you this because you said the soap opera thing, the biggest one that wanted. That I didn't get it was for this role on a Spanish speaking soap opera actually called Pora Mars in Le. I don't even know if I'm saying that right, but it got down to myself and one other person. It was right before my birthday one year. And so I thought, oh, man, this is the universe. I am. This is. It's. This is my lucky thing. This is gonna be my birthday gift from the universe. I've got it and I know it. And it was like the role of an American lawyer on a Spanish speaking show. So it would have been like a very probably short gig, but I didn't get it. And that was like, you know, not. But a soap opera would have been so. So, you know, that was one of those things. But I definitely just.
- [48:52]
A
What did you think about the woman who ultimately did get it?
- [48:55]
B
So I ended up. Because I was friends with everybody, you know, with a lot of the people that you audition with, you kind of become friends, especially if we're at the same agency. I actually did meet her at a baby shower like, a few years later, and. And I was like. And in the back of my mind, I was like. I was like, that's the girl. That's the girl who got that role. I just kind of like crossed my mind. And then I talked to her and she was like, super sweet. And I was just like, okay. I was. I don't know, I was just like, all right. Well, you know, it's just we didn't really look very similar either. And so I thought, because in that industry, it's so silly. It's like everything's like they're looking for someone to fit a certain thing. So that kind of helped, actually, if I think about that, that helped. I would tell myself, it's not me. I just didn't fit what they're looking for. So that's okay. I can't let that stop me. So that was what I told myself, actually. I think when I met her, I was like, oh, she's very nice. I really like her. That's cool that she got it sucks. I didn't. But we don't look alike at all, so maybe that's what they were looking for. You know, I was like, all right, kind of just let it go.
- [49:56]
A
Astrology plays a big role in your podcast and your public Persona. Now I'm going to tell you, I'm not an astrology person. I don't even really know what it is other than horoscopes.
- [50:07]
B
And when you were born, it goes deep, Tracy.
- [50:11]
A
I know, I know. And I know that I felt similar way about essential oils or tapping or even manifestation before I actually learned the science of it. I want you to tell me and everyone else that's like me who's listening why we should be paying attention, especially because we have adhd. And if you have any science that you can throw at us while you're talking about it, that would be even better. I know I'm putting you on the spot, and that might be numbers and stuff, so just do what you can do.
- [50:42]
B
That's okay. Yes, Okay. I will do what I can do when it comes to this stuff. So I feel like things that ADHD people really excel in are like, you know, things that have to do with your personality or, like, your intuition. And I totally understand the skeptics. We have skeptics in our own household here, so I get it. I get it. But I. And I don't know if it's just because of my ADHD and that I can recognize patterns, but I. I have found that it is very accurate when it comes to doing someone's birth chart. If you have their birth time, then you can create a full chart, and that means, like, you have to use all these houses as well. So I understand why people don't believe in it. If they're like, okay, well, you could just say, like, okay, I'm a Gemini. Like, you're just using someone's sun sign, and that could really fit for anybody. Or it's very generic. So true. I agree with that. But if you do someone's birth chart, this goes back to ancient times. The times. The philosophers, actually. Yes. And so there are some philosophers that actually would include, I believe, Aristotle. I should have had that at the ready, but I think it was Aristotle. But there were certain philosophers that would even include some astrology just kind of got lost over time. But if you do someone's accurate birth chart based on their birth time and place of birth, and you can see their rising sign, the degrees of the different planets and where they were at the time of this person's birth. And then when you take it a little bit deeper and you look at their life events and how they align with the timing of the. What's called transits of the planets, it is so crazy. It is shocking to where it's like I just couldn't deny it. And that is something that I got really deep into in 2020 because I had a lot of time, you know, as we all did, to dive deeper into things. I always loved it. Even in college, I loved, you know, astrology. I would read a lot of astrology books and blogs and things like that. Um, and then numerology is another one. It's funny because I, you know, I don't really like numbers, but I enjoy numerology, like the essence and the spirit of numbers. So, of course. So with numerology, it's like the day that someone was born, you can take that actual number and it'll tell you something about their personality. It's really fun. And there's that and there's cycles of your life you can do with numerology and you can see the different cycles because every year it's associated with a number and then you go from one to nine, then back to one. And I've been observing it, you know, for over 10 years now. And I've seen the themes are very accurate. So, yeah, I just love it. So anybody who is interested in that type of thing, especially if you have adhd, I would say experience it like for yourself, get an in depth reading and then, you know, look into numerology as well. Track the cycles of your life. Because it can be very, like, affirming, very comforting. And also, I don't know, it can help make sense of the big picture, which I think is what I also really love about it. It's like, how does it all fit together?
- [53:41]
A
You know, I met this guy at some conference and I don't know how we ended up talking about this. I think he asked me my birthday. So he was into this. He asked me my birthday and then he gave me whatever was the moniker for the date that I was born and the year. I think, I think they go down even to the year.
- [54:02]
B
Oh yeah, there are so many different numbers.
- [54:04]
A
Actually shocked now. It may have been that I wanted to hear all those things, right, because for me I felt like those were all great things. Over the years I have seen things where, yeah, they seem to get it right for me, but I don't know what that means for other people. But if you do this all the time. Do you find that most people feel, or maybe all people feel that, oh, my gosh, this is really accurate. This is who I am.
- [54:32]
B
I mean, the people that I have done readings for, yes, they have said, this is. Act like, how I feel. I feel like you're telling me things that I know about myself that I don't really think of very often or, like, you know, and they will sometimes, like, refer their friends or their sister to come for a reading. And I really love it because I feel like. Like, it helps people to, like, see themselves in a very positive light. And then also with awareness of, like, why they do certain things that they do that they may not like about themselves, but it helps them understand, like, okay, there's a reason for that. And, like, you can balance it out. And that's what I. I just love that about the birth chart, is that you see someone's potential and you can see maybe why they work the way they do. And then you can see, like, okay, what are the things that I do that are, like, on the negative side? And then what's my potential? And you can just kind of decide how you want to interact with your planets. And I just. I kind of love it so much. I think it's amazing, especially people's rising signs. You can just see their personality.
- [55:35]
A
No. Okay, so this is my problem. Well, first of all, the thing that I wanted to say, you're not supposed to do important things during that time frame because of, I don't know, the way the planets are aligned. What's it called?
- [55:45]
B
Mercury retrograde.
- [55:46]
A
Mercury retrograde. So I. I am oppositional. And so what I do is all the important things I do during Mercury retrograde.
- [55:57]
B
Well, you might have your Mercury in Gemini or something. And so then for you, it might be absolutely the way it's supposed to be then.
- [56:04]
A
But who wouldn't like those adjectives, you know, when it's described about them? I'm sure there are people, though, that would feel like that is not me, and I don't want to be that.
- [56:14]
B
That certainly, I think that people, when you do their full birth chart, is when you can really see, like, the nuance and the detail, especially when you get down to, like, the houses. And like, if someone's Mercury is in the fifth house in Gemini, for example, like, every single element of that, like the Gemini in the fifth house, they all have different shades to them. And so that's where I feel like you can explain things and break it down to where people can. Could say, okay, this isn't just a general thing. This is either, like, going to match me or it's not. And so that's where it gets really fun. And you do need the birth time for that so that you can really see, like, you know, how they express that.
- [56:56]
A
What I would love to see, too, and I'm assuming you can do this, is you can go and look at birth chart throughout your life, and then you can see when the times are that we're supposed to be really good and when the times are that are not supposed to be very good. And then you can kind of match it up. Right, right.
- [57:13]
B
Yes, exactly. You can predict things and then work backwards as well, which helps people to feel like, oh, okay, like, this actually is real. You know, because you can give them, like, that's the sort of way to give them proof. Right. But for sure, like, there are certain transits where things, you know will happen. Like the fifth house transits with Jupiter. Those are typically pregnancies. Also, like, getting married can be a Jupiter thing if you're a woman. So, yeah, they're very specific things that you can pinpoint, and it helps people to be like, okay, that's actually real. I call them astrology in the wild moments.
- [57:48]
A
So you've got a podcast on this, and this is what you talk about.
- [57:50]
B
In your podcast in the cards and stars? I do. It's astrology and pop culture.
- [57:55]
A
Okay. How do you mix the two together?
- [57:57]
B
So I'll do, like, celebrity birth chart readings. I'll talk about pop culture trends, why things may be happening the way that they are in this moment. Fashion trends and because there are, like, transits that affect us collectively as well. So it's like, big picture and then, like, in our daily lives, and then explaining to people how they can, like, use this current transit, and it's like, how you can use that for your benefit and how you can, like, shift your mindset to be in that headspace versus where we're at now, which is Capricorn season, and that's kind of more, like, disciplined, and it's a little more serious time of year. And then Aquarius season, we're like, it's about innovation moving forward, technology. So, yeah, we just kind of shift. So I like to tell people how they can use things.
- [58:45]
A
Yeah. Going into these next four years, I'd like to know.
- [58:48]
B
Oh, yes. My goodness. Yes, yes.
- [58:52]
A
What is it about you and your ADHD that makes you good at what you do?
- [58:57]
B
I think that my ADHD helps me to believe in possibilities and to think outside of the Box. And I think when you're working in entertainment or doing something, you know, that you want people to watch, I do feel like giving them something that's different, that's not what they're going to see every day, or maybe not what they would typically think about or do for themselves. I think that can be really helpful, whether they're gonna love it or not like it or whatever. It's like, you just can provide a different perspective. So I think that's helpful. And I also think I have a genuine interest in many different things and people and the way they think and the way that we can make things better in the world. And I think that helps me because since I'm interested, I will dive in and take the time to learn and then share that, because I like to share things with people. So. So, yeah, I really think I. I just don't. I can't imagine doing anything else, to be honest. I don't know what else I would do, you know? So it's like, thank goodness for my adhd. That's how. That's how I. I think am. How I like the person I am.
- [60:07]
A
What is your number one ADHD workaround? Do you have one?
- [60:10]
B
I have so many, Tracy, this morning, after I worked out, which is the number one workaround. The like. But, like, the heavy sweating, where you have to, like, immediately take off your T shirt because there's, like, sweat down your back. Back. That's the only thing that gets my brain, like, into gear. So that's the number one thing first thing in the morning. And you actually validated me that I need to stick to that because I would. You know, I have all my tabs in my. My favorite book here.
- [60:36]
A
Thank you.
- [60:37]
B
Yes. No, thank you. Because I used to be like, you know, I can skip my morning workout and get this and that done. But your book helped me to remember. No, like, you got to take care of that first, or else the brain's not even on. So. So that's number one. And then I think, besides that, it's just for me. I have to be as organized as possible and as aware of the direction that I'm moving in as possible. So as I sit here in my, you know, home, studio, office, I have a yearly calendar. It's like the full year laid out on the wall, and then I have the monthly calendar next to it. And then I also have my daily and weekly planner that are one thing. And I have to. So for me, I have to take quiet time at least. I mean, sometimes once a day. But at least a solid amount of time every week before I start the week to look at everything, make sure I'm, like, on course, that I haven't forgotten that something's due in two weeks, that I have to start now or whatever. So the biggest workaround for me is make sure that I have the big picture and the dates and the timing and all of that figured out to where I can feel calm, and then I can focus and go step by step and do the little things like the research for this one interview or, you know, the pick out the outfits for this one podcast episode. Because if I don't do that, then things get really chaotic really fast. So that's my biggest thing.
- [62:09]
A
I'm exactly like that. If I don't know what's coming down the pipe, hike for the week, I'm. I'm just anxious, and I don't feel moored or grounded. Right, right.
- [62:18]
B
And the anxiety. And we kind of talked about this before with, like, reporting or with, you know, memory. I feel like once I get anxious, I might as well just take a break and not do it until I feel calm again. And that's something that I've started doing as an adult as well, which we can't always do that. But, you know, I. I, luckily, working for myself, I. I will do that. Like, if my period is really intense and I'm just rereading the same thing and uninspired, I'll be like, okay, I'm just gonna give myself the afternoon off and I'm gonna work out. And then once my dopamine is back online, I like, okay, and then I'll get it done really quickly, and I can go deep. And so, yeah, I guess just listening to yourself, too. Like, just know that sometimes you're just not gonna be in it, and that's okay. Like, you're not a robot. So either change course if you can. If not, give yourself grace and just do the best you can to get through it, you know, like the sideline reporting. Just do your best. Just try to hit the. The bare minimum so that you keep your life moving forward. But, yeah, and just don't beat yourself up. That's the other thing. Because I did that way too many years, and it just doesn't help. It doesn't help you. It's. It. It's just. It's not nice to yourself. So that's. That's the other thing.
- [63:34]
A
Way too much negative emotion, and we shut down. Yeah. So, Brittany, are you working on something that you want to tell us about?
- [63:43]
B
Well, really bees. And the same things I've been working on is I just. If anybody wants to check out beesentv on Instagram, you can go there and that's where you can see like the link to the latest episode. Cause the show airs once a month. But I also put it up on YouTube and then in the cards and Stars. That podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, under the Brit Madrid YouTube channel, where you can also watch episodes. There's a playlist with episodes of the TV show. So that's kind of where all of my stuff is. And then with animals, that is really one of those things that I think is a long term goal. But I just want to say I know that everybody, you know, that's listening to your podcast is a conscientious, amazing human being or they wouldn't have been drawn to you and your message. So just, I don't know, let's all think all, all the ADHD or geniuses, let's all think about how we can help that current situation. Because the animal overpopulation, especially in really big cities and in the south and you know, in Los Angeles and that area, it's just, it's very, very tragic. And once you start getting into it and learning about it, it can actually feel overwhelming. But I know that we can find the solutions because if anybody can figure it out, it's us. So let's get on that, guys. Mobilize the ADHD army and volunteering at your local shelter, adopting your fostering if you can, that is like just one of the things that is most important. So to me. So if you guys are also into that, just, you know, just do it. Just try. Why not give it a try?
- [65:20]
A
Thank you so much for spending time with us here today. It was so fun to just talk about all of this and I really appreciate your taking the time.
- [65:29]
B
Oh, my gosh. Well, thank you for inviting me. I really, really had so much fun. And I love talking to you, Tracy. You're so warm and fascinating and I am still holding out for the, you know, Tracy Otsuka, maybe Martha Stewart Oprah hybrid cooking with Tracy. I don't know. So I'll be standing by.
- [65:48]
A
Any chance did you see the Martha Stewart documentary?
- [65:52]
B
I did.
- [65:53]
A
Oh, my gosh. I mean, how does that woman not have adhd? And you know her daughter has adhd?
- [65:58]
B
Oh, I didn't think of that.
- [65:59]
A
Yeah, the perfectionism, the intensity, the even how she works with staff, which is something I had to really work on because when I want something, I want it now you know.
- [66:10]
B
Okay.
- [66:11]
A
I'm just fascinated by her, but I always have been. I'm like, how. And I see a lot of myself in her, which is kind of scary.
- [66:20]
B
Yeah, I do. I do too. With the. Yeah. With the part of myself that I tried to overcome.
- [66:26]
A
Yeah.
- [66:26]
B
Yeah. And suppress. Because. Yeah. Because you don't realize how you're needing things a certain way can hurt others does. And because we're so like this and we have to make things to where we can understand them, we can become rigid with others without knowing, without realizing.
- [66:42]
A
And we can't even sign off of this podcast without starting to talk about something else.
- [66:47]
B
I know another fascinating topic.
- [66:51]
A
Thank you again, Britt.
- [66:52]
B
Thank you, Tracy. You're the best. I appreciate it. Looking forward to doing your birth chart in the future.
- [66:56]
A
Yeah, absolutely.
- [66:58]
B
Take care.
- [66:59]
A
That's what I have for you for this week. If you like this episode with Brittany, please let us know by leaving a review. Our goal is to change the conversation around around adhd, helping as many women as we possibly can learn how their ADHD brains work so that they too may discover their amazing strengths. Thank you so much for listening and I'll see you here next week. You've been listening to the ADHD for Smartass Women podcast. I'm your host, Tracy Otsuka. Join us at adhd for smart women.com where you can find more information on my new book, ADHD for Smartass Women and my patented you'd ADHD Brain is a okay system to help you get unstuck and fall in love with your brilliant brain. ADHD is not the problem. The way we've been told to manage it is. If you're tired of feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like you're not living up to your potential, I want to help. My youy ADHD Brain is a OK is a step by step patented program that actually works for ADHD brains like ours. No more forcing yourself into ordinary brain systems that just don't fit. If you're ready to thrive, find the link in the first line of this episode's description. Your brain is brilliant. Let me prove it to you.