Alright, let’s get everyone up to speed on what we’ve been doing so far. If you’ve been following along, you know that I’m deep into sharing my ADHD journey while also trying to create content that doesn’t make me want to curl up into a ball and throw my phone into the ocean. So far, we’ve tackled Cosmic Journey, discussed overthinking (our favorite ADHD hobby), and even figured out how to set boundaries for that wandering noodle brain of mine.

Today, though, was a new level of self-inflicted chaos. The goal? A five-minute post on ADHD and sleep. Spoiler alert: I had a garbage night of sleep, and it tanked my whole day. Yep, sleep and ADHD are a dynamic duo, but in the worst possible way. I woke up feeling like a zombie, and, of course, this bled into the video. But the real kicker? The exercise rules said no edits. NONE. Except trimming out the awkward “Is this thing on?” dead space at the beginning and end.

Let me just say, watching that video back was like subjecting myself to a personal cringe-fest. Soooo many "um's" and "ah's" it could’ve been a drinking game. And let’s not even mention the part where I went completely off the rails. Twice. You know, just your typical ADHD trainwreck.

But hey, this is part of the process! I’m working on honing my skillset because, professionally, I talk a lot. I talk to customers, prospects, give demos, trainings, presentations—the whole shebang. The goal of these exercises is to reconnect with the Jimmy D I know and love, the one who can charm an audience without my noodle brain running off on a tangent.

Cringe Is Good… Right?

The exercise today, as painful as it was, is a reminder that progress is progress. Yeah, it was rough. Yeah, it made me cringe so hard my face almost froze that way. But guess what? The only way to get better at anything is to put yourself out there, make the mistakes, and learn from them.

I didn’t edit out any of the messy bits, and honestly, it was terrifying. But it’s helping me sharpen my public speaking skills and embrace the imperfections.

Action Items for Next Time

Okay, now let’s talk about what’s next because this train isn’t stopping! Here are the action items for the next round of practice:

  1. Focus on Reducing Fillers – “Um's” and “ah’s” are like weeds in a garden. I’m going to work on keeping them to a minimum by pausing and thinking instead of letting filler words flood in.
  2. Stay On Track – I veered off the rails a couple of times today, so next time, I’m going to outline my main points and stick to them. ADHD brain be damned.
  3. Get Comfortable with the Awkward Silence – Instead of trying to fill every second of dead air, I’m going to practice being okay with short pauses. Silence doesn’t have to be awkward—it’s a chance to breathe, refocus, and not insert random tangents.
  4. Keep Pushing Comfort Zones – I cringed today, and that’s okay. The goal is to keep leaning into that discomfort because that’s where the real growth happens.

Adjusted Goals Moving Forward

The big picture goal is to not just get comfortable talking on camera but to thrive doing it. To show up as the best version of Jimmy D, the one who can handle any demo, customer call, or presentation with style (and a whole lot less cringe). So, for the next exercise, I’m going to:

  • Record a longer video (7-10 minutes) without edits.
  • Experiment with storytelling techniques to make the content flow naturally and stay engaging.
  • Start incorporating feedback loops—I’ll watch my videos once (just once, to save my sanity), make notes, and implement changes for the next round.

This journey is about honing my skills, getting rid of the fluff, and reconnecting with the Jimmy D that I know can crush it.

Here is the video . . .

And there you have it, folks! Stay tuned for the next cringe-worthy, skill-building adventure. Let’s see where this wild ride takes us next!