https://www.alifeofmyown.com/explore-and-learn daily 0.75 2025-09-09 https://www.alifeofmyown.com/explore-and-learn/from-a-spark-to-a-bonfire-interest-based-nervous-system monthly 0.5 2025-07-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/682d1005-a8f2-455d-b18a-8faf07081f97/pexels-jackkrzysik-12022811.jpg Explore & Learn - From a Spark to a Bonfire: Understanding and Nurturing an Interest-Based Nervous System - Imagine you’re trying to build a fire. You start with a spark, something small but full of potential. If it’s set up well, protected, and fed the right way, it catches. A few twigs turn into flames. With the right fuel and proper care, it quickly becomes a glowing bonfire. For many neurodivergent people, especially ADHDers and autistic people, that’s very similar to the way our nervous systems work. Our ability to do things usually starts with just a small bit of kindling: interest. Our energy, motivation, focus, and well-being are all sparked by genuine interest. If that spark of interest is nurtured, it can grow into productivity or deep engagement, even creativity. But if the spark is ignored or smothered, it doesn’t just go out; it can leave us feeling dysregulated, unmotivated, and defeated. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/46e4f9de-55c7-417d-9065-09427bac56e5/A+Life+of+My+Own+Coaching%282%29.png Explore & Learn - From a Spark to a Bonfire: Understanding and Nurturing an Interest-Based Nervous System - What is (and isn’t) Dopamine? Some of ADHDers’ most common go-to dopamine hits: all-nighters & procrastination loops, doomscrolling & brainrot, rumination & overthinking, caffeine & sugar, impulsive decisions / risky behavior https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/cb25c41c-b2e6-40d1-9b1e-490396201eb0/PINCH+Interes Explore & Learn - From a Spark to a Bonfire: Understanding and Nurturing an Interest-Based Nervous System - P.I.N.C.H. According to Dr. Dodson, if a task doesn't hit one of the “PINCH” motivators (Passion, Interest, Novelty, Challenge/Competition, Hurry) neurodivergent/ADHD nervous systems may remain unmoved. He suggests that this wiring drives dopamine production, so genuine engagement is really the catalyst for focus and action, as outlined above. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/443e57bd-f056-415c-af27-a49512bfa414/pexels-markusspiske-1752757.jpg Explore & Learn - From a Spark to a Bonfire: Understanding and Nurturing an Interest-Based Nervous System - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/e49ac008-6b32-4ce4-8026-f1132e99cd2e/Leveraging+Your+Spark+Worksheet.png Explore & Learn - From a Spark to a Bonfire: Understanding and Nurturing an Interest-Based Nervous System - Click image to download PDF https://www.alifeofmyown.com/explore-and-learn/advice-from-a-kitchen-chaos-goblin-executive-functioning-supports-while-cooking monthly 0.5 2025-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/0aa2e786-df2b-4b76-a29c-1bfd465b5f18/pick-your-meals%402x.png Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Mealime App If you’re a true kitchen beginner, I started with using the Mealime app to help me think through my meal plan, grocery lists, and the cooking materials I needed for each dish. You can input your dietary restrictions, and also let it know what ingredients you just straight up don’t like and never want to use. Then, you’ll browse different options to add to your meal plan (like the image to the left). Once your meal plan is set, it’ll automatically create a grocery list for you. You can check off the items you already have in your fridge or pantry, and then head to the store to keep checking items off of your list. Then, when it’s that time of day to make your food, you can just pull out the app and have it give you step-by-step instructions to create a super tasty dish. I’ve never been disappointed by the recipes, and the cooking instructions are pretty darn helpful. (There is a free version of this app, or you can opt to pay for the pro version for more recipes.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/e6aeebc3-9021-4400-995c-5e81dfe558c4/MagicToDo_Tasks.png Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Goblin ToDo If you already have some cooking skills and an idea of what you’d like to cook, I like to use Goblin ToDo to help me break down the steps of complex tasks whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed or brain foggy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/d48558ca-823e-4ac3-a104-3f072b550416/Goblin+Chef.png Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Goblin Chef Goblin tools also has a tool called “The Chef” where you can type in the ingredients that you have on hand, as well as other constraints like dietary needs or the amount of time you have to cook. It will then spit out an actual recipe for you! It’ll give you ingredients and amounts to use, as well as cooking instructions in a text format. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/8430e61b-b08f-4e30-b40b-bc48e8508832/chicken_oven_peppers_food_poultry_cooking_roast-918708.jpg Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Simpler Meals Try to choose meals with fewer steps. Things like: Stir fry Sandwiches Sheet pan meals / one pot meals https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/bfab03f6-72fc-4075-8f3c-467f44d24fb7/pexels-demian-spinetta-375490810-14619192.jpg Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Prep smarter, not harder You can try prepping ahead if/when you have energy. Turn on a tv show you’ve been meaning to rewatch, or a riveting podcast, and get to work chopping vegetables, or cooking grains, or setting out your ingredient portions in advance. Future you will thank you! OR… Buy select pre-prepared ingredients Keep in mind, it’s almost always more expensive to buy pre-prepared ingredients. However, you may feel this cost is worth it, if you’re able to swing it, and if it helps you to free up some mental space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/7e64b85e-242b-4c40-8c7a-6b10b0d6eda7/pexels-isaiah-56332-833109.jpg Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Following the recipe Now, I have a very difficult time following instructions without adding my own flair. If I tried to follow a recipe to the letter without deviating at all, I might actually develop an ulcer. So, when I say “follow the recipe” I don’t mean you can’t add your own spin. It just means following the basic framework of the recipe can help to avoid any mishaps, like under- or over-cooking food, or not adding the right proportions of your ingredients. I always try to remember that someone has developed this game plan for me to follow, and that I should only go outside of it if I feel confident it’ll actually improve the dish. Hot tip: another key to modifying recipes is to taste the dish (as soon as you can, please keep food safety in mind!) after you add each new thing. This will help you from getting too off-track. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/87404e80-e3ab-4dfd-8283-ac82c18e3500/recipe+checkbox+browser+extension.png Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Checklists If you aren’t working from a recipe, you can plan out your process ahead of time to keep the inefficiency at bay. Try writing down each step, from "preheat the oven" to "put leftovers in containers." Check off as you go. (Be sure to add prep and clean up to your checklist! See this list for other helpful steps to add to your recipes.) You can also add checkboxes to the recipes you find online pretty easily by adding something like the Recipe Checkbox browser extension. Bonus — you get a little hit of dopamine with each item you cross off your checklist! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/87c6598f-c627-45c0-b9d8-36ec39261bf5/Visual+Recipe+Step+2.png Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Reformatted Recipes If you, like me, also struggle to follow blocks of texts and confusing numbered lists that don’t break out all of the necessary actions well, you might benefit from reformatting some of your go-to recipes. The best format to use will depend on you and what you need. Some ideas to choose from to help get you started: Handwritten recipe in lots of colors Include hand drawn images of ingredients Use a visual recipe creator, like Accessible Recipes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/639951fa-7ab1-482d-943a-9b9653963803/recipe+dyslexia+squidward.png Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Make it stand out Does this look familiar? Reading a recipe 1,000 times, only to still not get it quite right? Try the tip above for creating reformatted recipes! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/75987f2a-1db4-4267-ab3b-39f6ba65bc49/visual+timer.jpg Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Timers & Alarms I am a person who can’t have enough reminders or visual representations of the passage of time. I will not ever just magically realize how long it’s been since I put something in the oven. Knowing that about myself, I’ve developed a web of supports for cooking. I have a very loud kitchen timer that stays on my counter and can be set for up to 3 different times. I have a visual timer to help me realize how much time I have left. I set timers on my smart watch that buzz my wrist whenever they go off. This way, if I get distracted and walk away from my kitchen, I’ll still be reminded to take something out of the oven before I burn my house down. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/d9b108f1-ecf8-4f58-a7ea-f3026ecbbdd5/mise+en+place.jpg Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Mise en place This is a French term for prepping all your ingredients before starting, as well as cleaning up throughout the process. It can be a really difficult skill to build, but once it becomes part of your kitchen routine, it can really prevent mid-recipe overwhelm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/330b0c1b-7fed-42d5-9506-85f7e164de3d/budget+bytes+screenshot.png Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Make it stand out See more recipes at https://www.budgetbytes.com/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6668c1e1c4993f1458f6939f/530ef46b-ffda-4237-9aab-187386c38204/20241229_195912.jpg Explore & Learn - Advice from a Kitchen Chaos Goblin: Executive Functioning Supports While Cooking - Make it stand out Could you make a tasty meal that incorporates all 4 of these ingredients?? 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