iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 26/03/2026

Small talk in a neurotypical world: "Hi, how are you?" "Good, and you?" "Good" Small talk in an autistic world: "Hey~ Did you know that many dinosaurs had feathers!? Look at this cute little guy!!"

Artistic recreation of sinosauropteryx, a small dinosaur with brownish red feathers down it's back and alternating bands of white and brown feathers down it's tail.

Photo credit: Julius T Csotonyi/Science Photo Library

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 13/03/2026

Forgot the alt text! Here are the images, with alt-text.

Page one of the worksheet. Instructions read "for each sense below, think of specific, concrete examples of sensory experiences you find enjoyable, calming, or comforting."

There are boxes for each of the following senses: Visual, Auditory, Olfactory, Tactile, Gustatory, Proprioception, and Vestibular.

Additional comment on the bottom of the page reads: Try this page first without any cues or prompts. Once you feel stuck or unable to think of any more, move to the next page to find more options for your list.

The second page the worksheet, attached below, includes much the same layout as the first page, but offers prompts for each sense.

The instructions read "Use the prompts below to add more examples to the previous page. Highlight, circle, cross out, or make notes if it helps"

Additional instructions at the bottom of the page read "Remember to make your examples as specific and actionable as you can. We often struggle to decider or brainstorm when we need these most"

Page three of the worksheet. The first objective on this page is to pick 5-10 examples that have the biggest impact on your day and include them on a short, business card template in the middle of the page. Cut these out and bring them with you for when you're overwhelmed or needs to regulate.

The second objective is to make the first page of the worksheet, with all of your examples, pretty, visibly interesting, and meaningful for you. Place this in a place you go when you're feeling overwhelmed and make it as actionable as you can

A business sized card with the instructions "when things feel overwhelming, use one or more of these sensory experiences to help yourself settle."

There are then 5 lines on the card for you to add your specific examples.

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 13/03/2026

So, for the third step, find 5-10 examples from your list that are easy to use and accessible most places you go. Take a moment to make these examples as clear and action-focused as you can. This way, dysregulated you needs to decode as little as possible. Write these down here:

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 13/03/2026

Once we have a list to work with, it's time to tackle the biggest barrier to any strategy: accessibility. We're often the least able to remember strategies, or make decisions, when we actually need them. Making those decisions now makes it easier to remember and access these strategies later (10/

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 13/03/2026

The fact that everyone stims also means that everybody can benefit from being aware of which sensations bring them joy and peace... and which ones don't. With that said, the second step is to use prompts on the page below to help fill in any gaps:

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 13/03/2026

First, think about soothing, comforting, or regulating sensations that you already know and are already using! Write these down. Specifically, think of sensation you keep coming back to or enjoy. These could be anything, such as running a hand on a cool wall, listening to thrash metal, etc. (5/16)

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 13/03/2026

We need to stop overlooking sensory issues for autistic and/or ADHD people. They can have a major impact on our ability to function, but we can also use these same heightened senses to self-regulate or self-soothe if we do it right. Let's talk about how... and I made a thing to help (🧵)

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 25/11/2025

I know goals and aspirations are hard, so this worksheet is all about identifying, organizing, and prioritizing those in a way that feels grounded and tangible. The example worksheet is available here, and if you'd like a printable, fillable version, that is available to subscribers on Patreon

Instructions
1 Braindump! Write down what you’d like to accomplish or what drives you. These can be things to do right away, soon, or eventually.

Example: An unsorted list of a small number of long-term, mid-term, and short-term goals, including: Win a Nobel Prize, Buy a house, Do a long run, save money, swap drinking pop for water

2 Sort! In the top box list the most aspirational items; the ones that will take the longest or feel the biggest. Use the bottom box for specific actions or steps you can complete in the short-term, and use the middle box for everything that isn’t far away, but needs some working up to.

Example: A sorted list of a small number of long-term, mid-term, and short-term goals, including:
Long-term: Win a Nobel Prize, Buy a house
Mid-term: Do a long run, save money
Short-term: swap drinking pop for water

3 Connect! Look at how the different goals relate. Connect goals that go together to create themes or groups.

Example: A sorted list of a small number of long-term, mid-term, and short-term goals with arrows connecting goals in the same group.
Including:
Group 1: Swap drinking pop for water, and do a long run
Group 2: Save money and buy a house
Group 3: Win a Nobel Prize, Buy a house

4 Plant your trees! Take the connected goals from above and place each group on their own tree.

Example: One of the groups from the previous steps is laid out on top of a picture of a tree. The long-term goal "Buy a House" appears on the canopy of the tree. The mid-term goal of "Save money" appears on the trunk, and the Short-term goal is blank.

Beside the tree, three boxes describe the placement of the different goals. Long-term are the fruits of your labour, you have crowning achievements because the whole system is strong. Mid-term goals are your pillars, they keep you stable so you can flourish. Short-term goals are the roots or actions you can take right away. Just like a tree's roots, these actions feed your larger goals.

5 Fill in the gaps! Are there pieces missing? Maybe you’re missing a bottom step or a step from the middle. Add more things to fill out your tree.

Example: One tree with an item in each spot. Buy a house is at the crown of the tree, with save money as the trunk, and call bank about investing at the roots.

6 Build your forest. If you have other goals, plant those trees! Repeat steps 4-5 until you have mapped out all of the ideas from your brain dump.

Example: Three trees are displayed. One with the long-term goal of "buy a house," the mid-term goal of "save money," and the short-term goal of "call bank about investing."

The second with the long-term goal of "run a marathon in 3 hours 30 minutes," the mid-term goal of "do a long run," and the short-term goal of "swap pop for water."

The third, which only has the long-term goal of "win a nobel prize"

7 Prune your forest! Not everything you added here is going to be things you want to do or can do. That’s OK! Trim back items so we don’t nope out of them later. Make it simple. Make it something that is realistic and motivates you.

Example: The third tree from above, which only has the long-term goal of "win a nobel prize," is crossed out

8 Display your forest! When you’re happy with your forest, design it to be something that you want to look at and place it somewhere visible. After all, we can’t work towards goals if we’ve forgotten what they are or what steps might get us there.

Example: Two trees remain. One with the long-term goal of "buy a house," the mid-term goal of "save money," and the short-term goal of "call bank about investing."

The second with the long-term goal of "run a marathon in 3 hours 30 minutes," the mid-term goal of "do a long run," and the short-term goal of "swap pop for water."

9 Revisit. You can change these later! Just like our trees, goals grow and change all the time. Sometimes we have seasons of pruning and sometimes seasons of planting!

Example: Three trees are displayed. One with the long-term goal of "buy a house," the mid-term goal of "save money," and the short-term goal of "call bank about investing."

The second with the long-term goal of "run a marathon in 3 hours 30 minutes," the mid-term goal of "do a long run," and the short-term goal of "swap pop for water."

The third has the long-term goal of "get a bachelors degree," the mid-term goal of "apply to University," and the short-term goal of "update academic record"

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 25/11/2025

Put your forest in a place you'll see it, such as a place intrudes on your life when you're just going through the motions. Make them memorable, special, and aesthetic FOR YOU. Revisit it when you can. Plant new trees, clear out blowdowns, and support undersupported trees 13/14)

Three trees are displayed. One with the long-term goal of "buy a house," the mid-term goal of "save money," and the short-term goal of "call bank about investing."

The second with the long-term goal of "run a marathon in 3 hours 30 minutes," the mid-term goal of "do a long run," and the short-term goal of "swap pop for water."

The third has the long-term goal of "get a bachelors degree," the mid-term goal of "apply to University," and the short-term goal of "update academic record"

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 25/11/2025

At this point, you might not be vibing with some goals or aspirations. Maybe you can't figure out how to get from here to there. Maybe it's a goal that was given to you rather than one you're growing. Whatever the case, prune the trees or remove them entirely so you don't nope out of them later

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 25/11/2025

By connecting actions, goals, and aspirations that go together, you've created groups. Each of these groups is going to be a tree in your forest, so let's plant! Long-term, aspirational items go at the top of the tree and actionable, short-term ones on the roots. Here's an example: (9/14)

One of the groups from the previous steps is laid out on top of a picture of a tree. The long-term goal "Buy a House" appears on the canopy of the tree. The mid-term goal of "Save money" appears on the trunk, and the Short-term goal is blank.

Beside the tree, three boxes describe the placement of the different goals. Long-term are the fruits of your labour, you have crowning achievements because the whole system is strong. Mid-term goals are your pillars, they keep you stable so you can flourish. Short-term goals are the roots or actions you can take right away. Just like a tree's roots, these actions feed your larger goals.

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 25/11/2025

In this step, connect different items that go together or feed into the same result. This can be any combination of the different categories, so don't hold back. If you're paper starts looking like a spider's web of lines and connections, you are doing it right! (8/14)

A sorted list of a small number of long-term, mid-term, and short-term goals with arrows connecting goals in the same group.
Including:
Group 1: Swap drinking pop for water, and do a long run
Group 2: Save money and buy a house
Group 3: Win a Nobel Prize, Buy a house

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 25/11/2025

On the one end, you should have the most actionable steps: Clear, defined and doable in the short-term. On the other should be pie-in-the-sky dreams: moonshot projects with vague, but exhilarating opportunity. And in the middle should be items that feel feasible, but require repeated action (6/14)

A sorted list of a small number of long-term, mid-term, and short-term goals, including:
Long-term: Win a Nobel Prize, Buy a house
Mid-term: Do a long run, save money
Short-term: swap drinking pop for water

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 25/11/2025

If your mind is anything like mine, that paper is an exciting type of chaos; overwhelming, but filled with opportunity. It can feel like a relief to get it all out of your head, and this is why brain dumps can be a good stress management tool in their own right… but we're not done yet (4/14)

Example: An unsorted list of a small number of long-term, mid-term, and short-term goals, including: Win a Nobel Prize, Buy a house, Do a long run, save money, swap drinking pop for water

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 25/11/2025

First things first though, identifying the goals! It's so easy to get stuck going from crisis to crisis that we can't stop to figure out where we want to go. So, as the first step, brain dump what you'd like to accomplish or what drives you. No judgment, just get it all out in one place (3/14)

An overwhelming cramped page of text with hundreds of ideas, projects, and goals written down

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 25/11/2025

Goals can be really hard for many of us with ADHD. We can struggle to connect short-term actions to long-term results, struggle to sort our rich internal world into which even are goals, or struggle to even remember the goals we do have. …so, I made a thing to try to help (🧵)

A collage of the 5 pages of the worksheet, with the title page full size, and the other four pages 1/4 size.

For a downloadable version, follow the link at the end of this thread.

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 17/11/2025

Daily struggle by AceAngell on reddit www.reddit.com/user/AceAnge...

Two panel comic. First panel, a girl excited announces "Okay~ I just took my meds, time to be productiv-"
Second panel, two hours later: the same girl sitting in a chair, feeling locked in. "Just one more TikTok..."

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 12/11/2025

Finally, Cognitive Flexibility. When things go sideways, cognitive flexibility is the executive function that allows us to adapt and carry on. At its core, cognitive flexibility is essentially being able to think about things in different ways, often at the same time, and make connections

A faded circle in the centre reads, with four beneath it. One reads "Cognitive Flexibility" the rest are faded and see-through

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 12/11/2025

Working Memory. When things pop out of the head, it is generally working memory that's going wrong. This happens to everyone to some degree, but for ADHD'ers it's so frequent and so impactful that it can cause real havoc in our lives.

A faded circle in the centre reads, with four beneath it. One reads "Working Memory" the rest are faded and see-through

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 12/11/2025

Attention Regulation Getting knocked off course by distractions is a major issue for ADHD'ers, and attention regulation is the executive function that's gone wrong to cause this. Attention regulation is our ability to choose which distractions we attend to

A faded circle in the centre reads, with four beneath it. One reads "Attention Regulation" the rest are faded and see-through

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 12/11/2025

Inhibition When inhibition goes wrong, the results are impulsivity. Everyone has impulses or urges. These happen first, and when they do, inhibition is meant to fire up to stop us from acting rashly. That… isn't what happens for ADHD'ers (or bipolar folks in mania) a lot of the time

A faded circle in the centre reads, with four beneath it. One reads "Inhibition" the rest are faded and see-through

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 12/11/2025

Executive dysfunction is a core component of ADHD and often involved in autism, depression, bipolar, and OCD. It's a big barrier with widely ranging impacts, from struggles getting started to being unable to stop, from memory issues to indecision. But, what exactly is executive dysfunction? 🧵

A circle in the centre reads "executive functioning" with four faded, see-through circles below that.

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 28/10/2025

Me: I can't. I've tried and it doesn't work for me My ADHD coach: (*) Has anyone ever taught you how to? Me: ...no... actually. Them: Why don't we start there Me: *shocked pikachu face*

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 27/10/2025

I woke up this morning to find that last night I started to write a post... This is how far I got before I got distracted: "I know that f" Well done me. 🎉

Bluesky posting box with "I know that f" followed by NOTHING

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 04/10/2025

ADHD'ers: Yes~ I can definitely do that. I don't think I have anything going on. Our calendar:

A very busy google calendar, colour-coded with multiple overlapping events

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 18/09/2025

I've been away touching grass in multiple national and provincial parks for the last 10 days. In that time, I'm sure that nothing of political or social consequence happened right? ...right? Instead of sharing the news, let's share photos from our last mini-adventures! Here's some of mine

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 14/08/2025

Nothing feels as good as climbing out of ADHD crisis mode alive and (mostly) in one piece. ...it's too bad it's almost always followed by massive existential crisis from understimulation and lack of urgency...

Arya Stark stepping out from rumble, fire, and ash: alive.

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 14/07/2025

The air has turned into poisonous pea soup again :(

Screenshot from Weather Canada's Air Quality Index showing both an air quality warning and a reading of 10+ or Very High Risk

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 07/07/2025

Our back deck is the adopted home of this beauty: A Mourning Cloak butterfly, emerging from it's chrysalis and waiting for it's wings to set

Mourning Cloak Butterfly, shortly after emerging from it's chrysalis, waiting for it's wings to set

Mourning cloak butterfly chrysalis, two days earlier

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 10/06/2025

Executive dysfunction got me in trouble again :( I don't have to do all of it to make progress. I don't have to do all of it to make progress. I don't have to do all of it to make progress. I don't have to do all of it to make progress. I don't have to do all of it to make progress.

Bart Simpson, in detention again, writing lines of "I don't have to do all of it to make progress."

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 27/05/2025

Of course, exactly where one Zone ends and another begins is going to be different from person to person, and what we need and the skills that work are going to be different as well. So remember: These Zones aren't set in stone. Adapt them to fit you! Here's a blank version to help with that:

Worksheet Page 4. It has the Five Zones: Regroup, Stop, Watch, Slow, and Go!, with blank space to fill-in examples of emotions you associate with each zone and your needs in that Zone

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 27/05/2025

The final Zone (Go!) probably needs the least explanation. This Zone is for times when we're feeling chill, calm, focused, curious, or engaged, and the goal for this Zone is to capture the moment and enjoy yourself. Note: This Zone is not the goal!

Zone 5) Go! I am happy, calm, at peace, curious, or accomplished. I need to Enjoy the moment by, for example, following the dopamine, pursuing a goal, or doing preventative self-care

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 27/05/2025

The fourth Zone (Slow) describes times when we just can't get moving. We might be feeling sad, bored, understimulated, sick, or dissociated; but progress, movement, and sometimes even thinking feels like it takes more effort.

Zone 4) Slow. I am understimulated, bored, sick, tired, sad, or depressed. I need to give myself kindness by, for example, consulting my dopa-menu, stimming, stretching, accepting slow progress.

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 27/05/2025

The next Zone (Watch) is for times that we're feeling off kilter. We might be feeling confused, stressed, nervous, lonely, slightly dissociated, or on edge. Emotions in this Zone can be sneaky, lowering our defenses or threatening to spiral towards other Zones

Zone 3) Watch. I am stressed, worried, anxious, on edge, or lonely. I need to stabilize my mood by, for example, doing a body scan meditation, slow/gentle movement, or practicing opposite action.

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 27/05/2025

The second Zone (Stop) is for times when we're feeling very heightened, threatened, or on edge. Usually this feels like having a lot (or even too much) energy and like we could spiral out of control. This can include feeling angry, panicky, scared, or extremely stressed.

Zone 2) Stop. I am angry, impulsive, scared, or panicky. I need to bring my energy back down by, for example, box breathing, cold exposure, or intense movement.

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 27/05/2025

The first Zone (Regroup) describes times when we're in distress and just need to weather the storm. These emotions can feel out of control, overwhelmingly powerful, or completely consuming, and fighting against them rarely works. Examples include meltdowns, mania, panic attacks, fury, etc

Zone 1) Regroup. I am melting down, furious, livid, in acute panic, or manic. I need to weather the storm, for example doing a grounding exercise, distraction, or retreating to a safe place.

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 27/05/2025

Rather than having to identify the exact emotion, the goal is to figure out which Zone of emotion we're in. These Zones group emotions into larger buckets based on the type of emotion, how it feels in our body, and (most importantly) what we need when we're experiencing them

The 5 Zones from the worksheet: Re-group, Stop, Watch, Slow, and Go!

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 27/05/2025

Emotional regulation is hard. It's especially hard when you have ADHD, BPD, autism, or other neurodivergent conditions that create executive function barriers, flash emotions, or struggles to even identify what the emotion we're feeling is in the first place. So I made something to help (🧵)

Worksheet Page 1
Box 1) Pause. Notice that you need to check in with yourself
Box 2) Reflect. Consult the chart and meet yourself where you're at
Box 3) Act. Try one or more suggested actions. Even if you don't feel like it, it can still help

Worksheet 2: The Chart.
Zone 1) Regroup. I am melting down, furious, livid, in acute panic, or manic. I need to weather the storm, for example doing a grounding exercise, distraction, or retreating to a safe place.

Zone 2) Stop. I am angry, impulsive, scared, or panicky. I need to bring my energy back down by, for example, box breathing, cold exposure, or intense movement.

Zone 3) Watch. I am stressed, worried, anxious, on edge, or lonely. I need to stabilize my mood by, for example, doing a body scan meditation, slow/gentle movement, or practicing opposite action.

Zone 4) Slow. I am understimulated, bored, sick, tired, sad, or depressed. I need to give myself kindness by, for example, consulting my dopa-menu, stimming, stretching, accepting slow progress.

Zone 5) Go! I am happy, calm, at peace, curious, or accomplished. I need to Enjoy the moment by, for example, following the dopamine, pursuing a goal, or doing preventative self-care

Worksheet 3: The Flowchart.

I am melting down, furious, livid, in acute panic, or manic. This means I'm in the Regroup Zone. I need to weather the storm by, for example doing a grounding exercise, distraction, or retreating to a safe place.

I am angry, impulsive, scared, or panicky, so I'm in the Stop Zone. I need to bring my energy back down by, for example, box breathing, cold exposure, or intense movement.

If I am stressed, worried, anxious, on edge, or lonely, then I must be in the Watch Zone. I need to stabilize my mood by, for example, doing a body scan meditation, slow/gentle movement, or practicing opposite action.

When I am understimulated, bored, sick, tired, sad, or depressed, I'm in the Slow Zone. I need to give myself kindness by, for example, consulting my dopa-menu, stimming, stretching, accepting slow progress.

When I am happy, calm, at peace, curious, or accomplished, I'm in the Go Zone! I need to Enjoy the moment by, for example, following the dopamine, pursuing a goal, or doing preventative self-care

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 25/05/2025

I think I've got the draft done now. I'm so excited! I'm gonna properly post the worksheet and thread soon! For now, what do y'all know about Zones of Regulation? :D

A teaser for a coming Zones of Regulation worksheet. Four pages, slightly purple with geometric blocks around key words. There's clearly writing but it isn't meant to be readable... yet

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 19/04/2025

For folks who don't want to download:

A note on Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria…
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is an American diagnosis, but it isn’t given in the UK list of diagnoses. RSD includes being sensitive to rejection, and feeling an intense level of emotional pain when thinking that there has been a rejection.

Whilst in recent years many people have associated RSD with ADHD, it is not thought that people experience RSD as a symptom of ADHD. However, we’ve just seen that people who experience ADHD are more likely to have had more experiences of rejection and criticism throughout their lives because of their ADHD symptoms. In addition, we know that people with ADHD usually tend to feel emotions more intensely than others. It therefore makes sense that people with ADHD might identify with the definition of RSD, but it won’t be given as a diagnosis in the UK.

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 13/04/2025

7) Yes, yes, yes, yes! This section (attached below) is such an important aspect of this entire conversation. In my opinion, this is more important than the focus on the empirical, objective evidence for ADHD. I want an article about this, especially from a critical psychological perspective please

Sonuga-Barke goes further, arguing that the entire decades-long quest for a biomarker has been “a red herring” for the field. He understands his colleagues’ desire to find airtight evidence for the biological nature of A.D.H.D. that could help them defend the diagnosis against those who would dismiss it altogether. “In the field, we’re so frightened that people will say it doesn’t exist,” he says. “That this is just bad parenting, from the right, or this is just a product of our postindustrial society, from the left. We have to double down because we’re terrified of what will happen to the kids who can’t get the meds. We’ve seen the impact they can have on people’s lives.”

But the reality, he says, is that “there literally is no natural cutting point where you could say, ‘This person has got A.D.H.D., and this person hasn’t got it.’ Those decisions are to some extent arbitrary. That doesn’t mean that the suffering associated with A.D.H.D. is imaginary, it just means it’s on a continuum. And that is the conundrum — the empirical crisis — for A.D.H.D.”

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Structured Success @structuredsuccess.ca · 28/12/2024

Me, battling with my ADHD executive dysfunction: Come on, let's get up and do something, anything. On 3, okay? 1, 2, 2 and a quarter... 2 and a half... My dog one of my biggest supporters:

My dog, Korra, sound asleep on my lap 30-seconds after climbing on top of me

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