Starting 2026: A Gentle Reset for People with ADHD Brains

January arrives with a LOT of noise.

New goals. New habits. New expectations. A cultural push to ‘get it together’ fast.

For many, especially those with ADHD, this pressure can feel overwhelming before the year even really gets going.  If things already feel heavy, foggy, or frustrating, there’s nothing wrong with you. View this awareness as information, not a failure. 

Rather than feeling pressured by the resolution game, try something far more effective for long-term health: start where you are.

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Start Here: Notice Where You Are   

ADHD isn’t a willpower problem. It’s a difference in how the brain and nervous system regulate attention, energy, and motivation — especially during transitions.

January is a big transition. After the holiday schedule (or chaos), people’s routines shift, daylight is limited, and expectations suddenly spike. 

For ADHD brains, this combination often leads to:

• Mental fatigue (or brain fog)
• Difficulty initiating tasks
• Feeling behind before the year even starts
• Increased self-criticism

Starting where you are is skillfully caring for yourself — especially for people with ADHD brains that are navigating winter, transition, and high expectations.Instead of pushing harder, this is the moment to pause and notice. Try following this 3-step method to check in and become aware of what your nervous system needs.

Step 1:  Listen to Your Body

One of the most overlooked tools for ADHD support is interoception — your ability to sense what’s happening inside your body.

“For many people with ADHD, interoception — the ability to notice internal body signals like hunger, fatigue, or overwhelm — is actually an executive function skill that doesn’t come easily. It’s common to blow past those signals without realizing it. The goal isn’t to ‘do this perfectly,’ but to practice slowing down and rebuilding that awareness over time, without judgment.”

Dr. Alicia hart

Many adults with ADHD are excellent at pushing past internal signals. Hunger, fatigue, restlessness, and overwhelm are often ignored in the name of productivity or obligation.

Winter makes that harder:  cold weather, less light, and post-holiday fatigue amplify the body’s signals — whether we’re listening or not.This first week of January, the invitation is simple: notice before you plan.

Ask yourself the following questions. Not for fixing anything. Just for information.

• How is my ENERGY right now?  (wired, uneven, low) 
• Am I FEELING:  Foggy?  Restless?  Heavy?  Tense?

Where does my body feel most TIRED or OVERSTIMULATED?

A Note on Movement and Restlessness

For ADHD nervous systems, movement can support focus and calm at the same time.

Stillness is not a requirement for awareness.If your body wants to move, let it.  Small movements, shifting positions, pacing, stretching, or fidgeting are often self-regulation, not distraction. 

Step 2:  Check In Before Setting Goals

Traditional January advice often skips the most important step: understanding your starting point. For people with ADHD brains, jumping straight into goals can create instant friction. 

When plans don’t match capacity, shame can follow — and motivation can further drop. 

When you pause to “check in” with yourself and with your body first, everything changes. 

BEFORE you set any intentions this week, try asking:

• What feels doable?
• What feels heavy or unclear? 
• What support might I need before I commit to anything new?

This isn’t you lowering standards. It’s you creating plans your nervous system can trust.

Step 3: Name What’s Hard Without Fixing It

One of the most powerful (and underused) skills in ADHD care is naming difficulty without immediately solving it.

You don’t need a strategy… yet.  You don’t need a plan in place by week’s end. 

You can reduce nervous system load simply by acknowledging:

• “I feel scattered.”
• “I’m more tired than I expected.”
• “I’m overwhelmed and not sure why.”

When we stop arguing with our experience, the body often softens.

This Week’s Practice: Gentle Awareness

January doesn’t need intensity. It needs gentleness, honesty, and support. Awareness creates the foundation for real support — which is what we’ll explore next.

For Week 1, you don’t need to change anything at all. Just take time to notice:

• When focus feels easier or harder
• When your energy rises or dips
• What helps you feel a little more settled

Next week:  We’ll explore why ‘pushing through’ is different from healing, and how learning how to support the nervous system (and help it relax) can change everything.