New Tea With Alice Podcast: Solo New Year Ep

Thankyou! This is fab

So late to the party, but I just listened to this and there's so many things I'd love to discuss about it that I nearly went back and took notes. But then to hear you say that you have a fundamental lack of integrity because you deliver for others what you won't for yourself... it broke my heart a little, because I know that feeling all too well, but I know for myself now that it's not a fair thing for me to beat myself up about. I say that because you're describing the life experience of many people with ADHD, myself included. I'm not trying to diagnose you, or invalidate your feelings, and I'm not offended, but in case you were interested and also for others listening I wanted to write this note about ADHD as an example where it's not a fundamental flaw in the person to need these motivation tools. It is how our brains are wired and using these tools is no more shameful than a person using a wheelchair. Brains scans show that ADHD brains physically develop in identifiably different ways to typical brains, and that results in fun stuff like this: Typical brains give the owner of the brain a little dopamine high for completing even the simplest of tasks. You want to go for a run, you'll get a little hit of "yay go me" just standing up, then again getting your socks out of the drawer, etc. ADHD brains physically don't feel that little hit so it takes something bigger to start the small boring tasks that lead to the bigger stuff getting done. Deadline panic adrenaline is THE go-to we've all used to get through pre-diagnosis. Even after diagnosis and treatment, body-doubling (asking someone to run with you, really just having someone do any task even a different task at the same time as you) and accountability (deadlines from someone else) are two highly recommended motivation tools for ADHD-ers from professionals. A starter for the science: https://chadd.org/about-adhd/the-science-of-adhd/ I could go on (sooooo much...) but instead... THANK YOU for The Last Post. Not many people could have produced something with so much quality so consistently especially through 2020 and I was slightly teary for the last daily one. I feel lucky to have been able to listen to it in real time (more or less) and I'm so glad to hear you're proud of it cause it's fucking amazing. P.S. please can we have "At the bottom of the well, no matter how deep you dig or how dry you think it is, there's always half a glass of water" on a mug?

Peta Thames

Thankyou! That’s so kind. Welcome aboard!

FWIW, this was the episode that made me get off my butt and start using currency to express my appreciation for your work, Alice! I felt a lot of both empathy and sympathy with the not-starting-things-because-I'm-afraid-I-wont-finish-them neurosis, and that monologue has -- at least in the short term -- gotten me moving a little and into some actually doing. Cheers!

great ep :) It might not be about integrity! Have you heard of Gretchen Rubin? you sound similar to me and would come up as obliger, she has advice! https://quiz.gretchenrubin.com/ I found it helpful for understanding a bit more about how other people are too. some of the other types come across to me as not caring about others as much (which is not true when I ask them if the care type thing)

Thankyou!

That is inspiring indeed, actually

I'm not sure if this will help you inspire yourself to write that book you talked about... but a year and a half ago I forced myself to either start writing a book that I had been visualizing/thinking about since I was a teen... start writing, or stop thinking about it. I was getting near 40 and thought it was pretty lame that I spent over half my life carrying around thoughts and ideas that I was doing nothing with. So... I started writing, and haven't stopped. I track my progress one week at a time, not comparing how much between, but just as a reminder that I AM progressing. I don't focus on making it perfect the first time (the reason I'd stopped and restarted in the past), but just get it down on paper while the thought is in my head and make it better later. I know I've put down some garbage words, but I've also put down some great words. It's turned into something that's made me so happy, and that's been incentive enough for me to keep going.

Meagan

This was really great. Last Post was one of my favorite parts of every day last year and was especially helpful during the really rough March - May of last year and introduced me to a lot of amazing funny people. It also inspired me to attempt posting a daily drawing, which I started in February and managed to go 300 (of my planned 366) before just needing to stop. Anyway, I just made this about me. That’s rude. Seriously this was so honest and truthful about the creative and artistic process and really necessary to hear. Thank you!

Kevin Peterson

This is the first time that I think I've heard someone muse as to whether they should address the "root of the problem" of their procrastination or simply engage in a "functional effective" approach to fixing it. I had no idea there was a difference. Is there really a deep root cause to procrastination? I've always thought procrastination was the default. My psychology professor back in undergrad always said that if you want to address it, you have to reward yourself for doing tasks you otherwise want to put off. I've been meaning to give that approach a try, but keep putting it off. Anyway, your musings are a delight and I imagine I'll be listening to many more.

Thankyou for helping me make it possible

Thanks Rachel!

Thanks!

Bah! Thankyou so much!

Thank you. Really appreciate your solo talking to a wall eps. some of my favourite TWA. Just S.S.P ing. Mighty Alice Fraser continues to be Awesome. Creating a steady supply of thoughtful, Funny and strong content.

Joe

This was great!

Really enjoyed this. So much of what you say resonates with me. Particularly enjoyed your musings about TLP - a great achievement and one of the best things about 2020 xx

Thank you for what you do!

Michelangelo Grigni