The Black Sheep Playground
By Megan Kierstead
The Black Sheep PlaygroundOct 25, 2023
How to get to the root cause of procrastination | Ep 20
In this episode, I'm giving you a behind-the-scenes look into my process for debugging sticky and gnarly procrastination issues by running you through a case study: my personal struggle in regularly releasing podcast episodes.
Yup, we are getting meta, folks.
You definitely should listen to this episode if you have something that you want to do, but you don't do it, especially if you don't know why the struggle persists or what to do about it.
Embracing your unique brand of awesome with Chi-ka Harada | Ep 19
In this episode, I'm talking with one of my clients, Chi-ka Harada - a disability and body-positivity advocate, coach, fashion designer and entrepreneur. She shares her journey to self-acceptance as a human with disabilities, learning to work with her unique nervous system, and the transformative effects of fashion as a confidence-building tool. She's an incredible example of what's possible if you learn to love yourself, in all the facets of who you are.
- Coaching case study: You get a detailed, concrete case study of how to take coaching and apply it like woah. We go into detail about how Chi-ka took some coaching around tests to entirely to reshape her relationship to studying. This is gold.
- Trauma vs ADHD: We also explore how ADHD and trauma manifest in similar ways, and what tools you can use to work with your nervous system, regardless of the labels you use.
- Creating inclusivity: Chi-ka shares how her personal experiences of feeling left out due to disabilities motivated her to create a sense of community and acceptance in her work, and why her nipple pasty business is one her biggest tools for self-love.
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About my guest: Chi-ka Harada is a person's with disabilties that has figured out a way to feel hellllla confident in her body
As a multi dimensional fashion designer, life coach & disability advocate she enjoys using multiple different mediums to help her people shift!
You can find her on Instagram @lilcheekybb for all your body love needs and her super cute and adorable nipple pasties @lilcheekybits
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Get all the details on the Black Sheep Playground, my coaching program for neurospicy innovators. It changed Chi-ka's life and it will definitely change yours!
AuDHD: Navigating the Intersection of Autism and ADHD with Mattia Maurée | Episode 18
In this episode of the Black Sheep Playground podcast, I'm chatting with Mattia Maurée composer, poet, AuDHD coach and hypnotist. Mattia discusses their personal journey of living with both autism and ADHD. We delve into the overlap between these neurotypes, the impact of demand avoidance, and the difficulties faced in conforming to productivity culture and late-stage capitalism.
What we cover...
- Intersection of Autism and ADHD: Mattia shares their experience living with both autism and ADHD, and the tension of needing both structure AND freedom.
- Demand Avoidance: You know that feeling of resistance when something is asked of you? That's demand avoidance, and it's a huge part of living as an AuDHDer. We get into how it feels, and ways to work with your brain even when it's resisting you.
- Communal Support: Neurodivergent folks need communal support, perhaps more than neurotypical folks. We get into how late-stage capitalism has isolated us, and why being neurodivergent in a highly individualist society is extra, super difficult.
- Redefining Systems: How do we exist in as autistic and ADHD individuals in a world that often lacks understanding and support? It's tough, and society needs to change.
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Mattia Maurée is a composer, poet, AuDHD coach and hypnotist. They help neurodivergent creatives & entrepreneurs who want to build a life around their true genius, but still struggle with the day-to-day.
You can find them here: http://mattiamauree.com/
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Mattia references my super awesome newsletter, which you should definitely sign up for if you haven't yet! https://megankierstead.ck.page/4bce4c2b72
Using the Kimmy Principle to do almost anything, no matter how much you hate it | Ep 17
Even the most resistant brain can do things for 10 seconds at a time.
Discover how breaking down tasks and challenges into manageable 10-second increments (inspired by the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) can help you overcome resistance, make progress, and achieve your goals. I dive into the science for why this approach works, and you'll get practical advice on how to use this idea for yourself.
Learn how breaking tasks into 10-second increments can boost your motivation and help you accomplish things you absolutely hate.
Discover how simple actions like washing one dish between activities or writing a single sentence of an email can build momentum.
I discuss how micro-wins are actually better for dopamine than big goals.
The Kimmy Principle can be applied to any area of your life where resistance arises, so it's the best.
By consistently practicing the Kimmy principle, you develop a stronger sense of self-trust. Each 10-second task completed reinforces your belief in your capabilities, empowering you to take on bigger challenges and embrace a growth mindset.
How to experience way more pleasure as a neurodivergent human with sex coach Danielle Savory | Ep 16
This week's episode is brought to you by my friend, fabulous coaching colleague, and neurospicy human, Danielle Savory. Danielle is a brilliant sex coach (and neuroscientist!) who helps women how to lead with pleasure and have better sex, though all genders will get a lot out of the episode.
I asked Danielle to join me because I don't hear a lot of dopamine-driven educators talk about how having a different nervous system configuration affects our relationship with pleasure and sex. Because it does. Hello, distractable mind!
We get into things like...
- How to make your environment pleasure-friendly (especially when you are highly sensitive)
- Creating a physical anchor to give your busy brain something to return to
- Why scheduling sex and time for pleasure can actually be a good thing that you might actually love (I hear your resistance! We talk about it, I promise).
- The role pleasure can play as a barometer for how your life is going (and sexy metrics! all the sexy metrics!)
- How death can improve your sex life (yes, really).
If you want to learn more about Danielle's work (because of course you do), you can pop over to her website or Instagram, AND she has a fabulous podcast, It's My Pleasure.
The dopamine hangover: why you feel so terrible after hitting a big goal | Ep 15
In this episode, you'll learn the science of why you feel awful after hitting a big goal, no matter how positive your thoughts or mindset. Spoiler: it's all comes because of our favorite neurotransmitter, dopamine.
The 3 skills you need to intuitively manage your time like a pro | Ep 14
Did you know that you don't have to plan out your week or day ahead of time? And that you can intuitively decide what you want to do in the moment, and still be a badass who hits their goals AND rests like a cat on a warm laptop?
In this episode, I outline the three skills you need to truly live in the moment and fill your life with big, unstructured blocks of time that enable creative exploration. This approach is particularly powerful for ADHD nervous systems that rebel under too many constrictions.
How to play with desire to actually get your ADHD brain into bed | Ep 13
6 weeks of Behavior Change Bootcamp for Black Sheep Brains kicks off the week of March 13. Click here to join us!
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We all know sleep is important and is essentially the secret to life, the universe, and everything, so why do some of us regularly stay up binging a new TV show or mindlessly watching cute cat videos? We know that we're going to feel like crap tomorrow, but yet, we remain firmly planted on the couch and sleep-deprived.
I see this as one most common causes of sleep issues in ADHD folks, and this episode goes into depth about exactly why so many of us struggle to go to bed early enough to get a decent night of sleep.
You'll learn...
- Why revenge bedtime procrastination happens (and why this tends to be a particular common issue for dopamine-driven humans);
- Why many recommended tools tend to fail for humans with executive dysfunction;
- How to start going to bed by asking the one question to ask that will uncover exactly why you aren't.
How to use piles to make sense of chaos | Episode 12
In this episode, I’ll teach you how to use my very favorite pile sorting technique to make overwhelming mountains of “uggggghhh” into manageable tidbits you can wrap your brain around. It’s a universal approach that organizes anything. But it’s especially useful for those of you who struggle to keep your physical space from descending into chaos.
Disclaimer: This post is intended to be a general guide, not a replacement for professional medical advice. I am not a medical professional. If you have any medical concerns, please consult a doctor immediately.
Join the Black Sheep Playground to learn how to work and build a business while embracing every facet of your unique, brilliant brain.
11 - How To Be More Productive
So let's talk about productivity, consistency, discipline, all of these words that are bandied about. I'm not a productivity expert, but I do know terrible productivity. What's yours?
I feel like so much of what we're doing these days with productivity is about trying to find the silver bullet, a shortcut to being more productive, and it's just not there. Because no productivity hack, tip, trick app is going to fix a dopamine problem.
Here’s what you’ll get out of this episode :
- natural motivation
- willpower
- … and SO much more
Disclaimer: This post is intended to be a general guide, not a replacement for professional medical advice. I am not a medical professional. If you have any medical concerns, please consult a doctor immediately.
Join the Black Sheep Playground to learn how to work and build a business while embracing every facet of your unique, brilliant brain.
10. How to Stress Less Part 1: WTF is stress anyway?
This episode is going to focus primarily on what's happening with stress, and how to recognize when stress is happening in your mind. I want to give you a slightly different lens of looking at stress as not entirely a bad thing, something that can be absolutely useful to take advantage of.
Throughout this episode, I want to make sure you understand the underlying mechanisms happening, so that you can adapt the tools for yourself. Because by understanding what's actually going on, you'll be able to take some of the stuff I'm recommending and adapt it for yourself. #Mindfulness
Here’s what you’ll get out of this episode :
- learn what's actually happening
- learn how to deal with it from the lens of having a neurodivergent brain.
- how to manage it
- how to engage with it
- how to look at it
- … and SO much more
Disclaimer: This post is intended to be a general guide, not a replacement for professional medical advice. I am not a medical professional. If you have any medical concerns, please consult a doctor immediately.
Join the Black Sheep Playground to learn how to work and build a business while embracing every facet of your unique, brilliant brain.
9. How The Unconscious Mind Shapes Everything You Do
Nervous System: The thing that makes you eat cake for breakfast and then cry at the end of your favorite show.
That's right, we're talking about your nervous system today on the show!
You've probably heard that the brain is responsible for making decisions, but have you ever considered how the brain is actually doing this?
This episode will talk about:
- how neurobiological things that are happening in the background (unconscious stuff) affect our conscious decisions
- how to strategically set up your behavior to make your life easier
- why the unconscious parts of our brain are incredibly more powerful than the conscious one.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. If you have any medical concerns, please consult a doctor immediately.
Join the Black Sheep Playground to learn how to work and build a business while embracing every facet of your unique, brilliant brain.
8. Dopamine, Food & You
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter. It's a chemical messenger and it's responsible for motivation and reward. In this episode we are going to talk about it's role in eating, we're going to cover why we eat, how dopamine impacts our eating behaviors and vice versa.
Disclaimer: This post is intended to be a general guide, not a replacement for professional medical advice. I am not a medical professional. If you have any medical concerns, please consult a doctor immediately.
Join the Black Sheep Playground to learn how to work and build a business while embracing every facet of your unique, brilliant brain.
7. Eating Without Shame
So, how do you explain the feeling of being so hungry that you just have to eat? Or the feeling when you’re already full and eating more? Or the way you eat because it feels good to do something right?
If you're struggling to eat right, know that you're not alone. Learn how to handle your food emotions and make healthy eating easier. There is no one size fits all when it comes to eating and self-care. Learn what works for you.
My good friend and fellow coach, Paige Bowman joined me for an incredible conversation about EATING and everything you need to know about it.
Here’s what you’ll get out of this episode:
- What is emotional eating.
- Using eating as a tool for comfort.
- Eating when bored.
- Eating and the dopamine-driven brain.
- How to make eating easier.
- Figuring out what food are good for you.
… and SO much more
Paige Bowman is a Master Certified Life and Weight Loss Coach who waves her ND flag high! She helps smart, driven coaches who haven't figured weight loss out yet turn eating and feeling their emotions from complicated to simple. She is the creator and host of the podcast, Weight Loss for Life Coaches, where she drops a weekly podcast to help make weight loss simple. She loves nerding out on all things eating, food, weight loss and also on all things Marvel, Star Wars, and Sci-fi books!
Disclaimer: This post is intended to be a general guide, not a replacement for professional medical advice. I am not a medical professional. If you have any medical concerns, please consult a doctor immediately.
Join the Black Sheep Playground to learn how to work and build a business while embracing every facet of your unique, brilliant brain.
6. Why Eating Feels So Damn Difficult
Talking about why food is such a pain in the ass for many of us.
SPOILER ALERT: This episode will make it easier for you.
Do you know it's easier to make good decisions about food earlier in the day than by the end of it?
In this episode, I discuss...
- What and how much to eat
- When to eat
- Acquiring and preparing food
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. If you have any medical concerns, please consult a doctor immediately.
Join the Black Sheep Playground to learn how to work and build a business while embracing every facet of your unique, brilliant brain.
5. What Everyone Should Know About Mental Diagnoses And Labels
ADHD is a label we give a cluster of behaviors. The label isn't objective, magical, OR without issues.
Did you know that homosexuality was considered a psychiatric disorder by the medical establishment until the 1970s? YUP.
So, if you're considering undergoing evaluation for#adhd, make sure you give this episode a listen.
In this episode, I discuss...
-The three reasons you might want to pursue a medical diagnosis for ADHD (and why you don't have to!)
-Why we should view the DSM and psychiatric diagnoses with a critical eye
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. If you have any medical concerns, please consult a doctor immediately.
Join the Black Sheep Playground to learn how to work and build a business while embracing every facet of your unique, brilliant brain.
4. Burning down the toxic capitalist business paradigm w/ Melanie Childers
You can create a successful, sustainable, soul-inspiring business and it doesn't have to be built on a capitalist framework. That shit is ready to burn to the ground, and you don’t have to burn yourself out following toxic dude-bro tactics.
My good friend and fellow coach, Melanie Childers joined me for an incredible conversation about doing business in a whole new, liberation-focused paradigm.
Here’s what you’ll get out of this episode:
- Why venture capitalism and dude-bro entrepreneurship create burn out
- How we are burning down the capitalist framework to create a liberation-focused biz framework + what that looks like
- How chronic illness & ADHD work to our advantages
- How to take time off & actually rest while doing it
… and SO much more
Melanie is a multi-6 figure biz coach for feminist entrepreneurs and F bomb enthusiast. She's fucking up hustle culture and helping feminist entrepreneurs create businesses that feel energizing so they can give back in big ways without burning out. Melanie is a genius at coaching on bringing your Bad Bitch vibe (Megan Thee Stallion, anyone?) to your peeps to have them losing their shit in the audience, buying whatever you're selling.
Podcast: The Bad Bitch Entrepreneur
3. Less is more: questioning productivity culture
We take it for granted nowadays that we should be more productive...more efficient...more disciplined. Have you ever questioned that? Have you ever thought about what your life would look like if you did way, way less?
I give you three easily doable ideas for how to practically do less in your life, so you can create more space for the things that matter to you.
2. Five Tips for Finishing Big Projects with an ADHD Brain
In April 2022, I launched the Black Sheep Playground, my community for neurodivergent rebels. It was 6 months in the making. For someone with an ADHD brain, the idea that I would stick to anything for 6 months would have seemed impossible not that long ago.
But, because I have studied myself and my nervous system so deeply, I have figured out how and when I am willing to work on things long-term.
I want to give you my top tips for how to do big things, even when you have an ADHD brain or what I call "ooo, shiny" syndrome.
If you have stories about being fickle or not finishing things, this episode is for you.
Here's what you'll learn...
- How dopamine is going to either keep you on track...or take you way off the rails.
- Getting to a bone-deep "WHY" that will keep you engaged even when things feel awful.
- Why making a detailed plan is not only unnecessary, but will often keep you from reaching the finish line.
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Join the Black Sheep Playground to learn how to work and build a business while embracing every facet of your unique, brilliant brain.
1. Why Being a Weirdo Outsider is Awesome
If you ever have felt like being a weirdo outsider is a curse, I want to make a case for its utility, especially if you want to do big things. Whether you are ADHD, chronically ill, disabled, neurodivergent, or anything else that creates "otherness", you can provide a completely unique perspective that is sorely needed in a world plagued by wicked problems.
I discuss...
- The importance of creating your own rules if you're a Black Sheep
- The origin of the colloquialism, "Black Sheep" and its connection to conformity and capitalism
- How the allegory of Plato's Cave can help us understand the value of being a weirdo outsider
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If you want to learn how to work and build a business while embracing every facet of your unique, brilliant brain, you should come join my program, the Black Sheep Playground. You’ll learn how to create your own template of success, without hustle, pressure, or guilt, and you’ll do it by having way more fun.