My ADHD Life Journal: Building Self-Awareness | Meryl Bengtsson
If I had to choose one word that defines my life, it would be restless. It’s the part of me that has carried me from one country to another, constantly seeking new experiences and fresh perspectives. Moving to Denmark was one of these spontaneous leaps; it changed my life in the best way possible when I met my husband, and we’ve been together for 37 years. Yet there have also been moments when restlessness led me astray—jumping into decisions without fully considering the consequences, only to find myself facing unexpected detours.
For a long time, I assumed everyone felt this constant itch to move or transform. Then I noticed that friends and family around me often approached life more steadily, taking changes in smaller steps rather than big leaps. Curious about why I felt different, I began researching ADHD. With every page I read, a new part of my life started clicking into place. Recognizing my own patterns—both the strengths and the stumbling blocks—opened up a whole new way of understanding myself.
The real turning point came when I started journaling. I found that putting my thoughts on paper helped me slow down, reflect, and see the bigger picture. Suddenly, restlessness no longer felt like a flaw and more like an untamed energy that could fuel creativity, curiosity, and growth. Through these pages, I learned to harness that energy instead of letting it control me. My hope is that by sharing my story and the journal prompts I’ve developed, you, too, can discover a sense of balance. May it help you embrace every restless twist and turn as an opportunity to learn more about yourself—and find the calm at the center of it all.
