What if your “disorder” is actually part of your Divine design?
I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult—but I’ve lived with its symptoms since childhood.
As a kid, I was labeled “gifted” and placed in special enrichment programs. For an hour a day, I was immersed in hands-on, creative, project-based learning. But the rest of the time, I struggled to stay focused in a system that didn’t reflect the way I naturally learn, feel, and think.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was subconsciously studying my parents, my older brother, and orhers around me learning how to mask and fit in.
When I finally received the ADHD diagnosis, it brought some clarity. But I also found myself using clinical language to define myself.
Then during a conversation with my daughter, she asked, “Why would you label yourself with words like ‘deficit’ and ‘disorder’? You’re creative. You have a lot of ideas. It’s a gift.”
She was right.
That moment changed the way I speak about myself. And slowly, it helped me embrace my design.
I structure my life around nurturing both my mind and soul:
I walk on the beach several times a week.
I paint most days (abstract, intuitive art).
I journal in the mornings and write about my experiences.
I pay attention to dreams and messages—sometimes while awake—that are often meant for others.
I study Torah and Kabbalah, connecting my Jewish soul and Divine wisdom.
ADHD is a way of moving through the world that’s more creative and sensitive to the unseen.
And yes, it can be hard. But it can also be holy.
If you’re navigating life with a different kind of mind or soul, here are a few truths I’ve learned:
Reframe your “flaws” as G-d-given gifts.
Learn to hear your inner voice.
Trust your intuition—dreams, ideas, and nudges can be Divine.
Stop comparing your path to others
Surround yourself with people and practices that nourish you.
Ask Hashem to show you how to use your light.
We weren’t made to fit in.
We were made to illuminate.
Has anyone in your life helped you reframe how you see yourself?
Man and Woman: How to Live and Love
Leadership and Receptivity: A Torah Foundation for Shalom Bayit Shalom Bayit is not built only on communication skills or shared values. Judaism teaches that peace in the home depends on clear roles, grounded leadership, and willing trust — emotionally, materially, and physically. In Torah language, this structure is called mashpia and mekabel — one who…
Finding My Voice: A Writer’s Journey
By Mindy Morasha Rubenstein I began this journey as a writer before I knew exactly what I was writing about. I was the “lost child” in my family, growing up in chaos, and I didn’t know how to rescue others — but I did know I had a voice. I would later discover that writing…
The Hidden Abuse No One Talks About
I don’t have any bruises or scars, so you’d never know. What actually constitutes emotional or financial abuse can be so subtle. For nearly three decades, I’ve lived in a nearly constant state of confusion, moving between being triggered by emotional abandonment and wondering if I was the one who was crazy. Maybe at times…
Neuroscience, Neshama & the Art of Jewish Healing
Refuat HaNefesh v’HaGuf — Healing the Soul and the Body רְפוּאַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְהַגוּף There are days when my body feels like it is carrying all the stories I never told.The exhaustion that lingers even after sleep. The sudden overwhelm that makes me forget what I was doing. The emotions that rise like waves. Living with…
Yom Kippur: Science & Spirit
higher purpose Yom Kippur is called the holiest day of the year. But what does holy really mean? In Hebrew, the word is קֹדֶשׁ (kodesh), from the root קדש which means “set apart.” Something holy is separated from the ordinary so it can be dedicated to a higher purpose. Shabbat is holy because it is…
Many Rooms, One Jewish Woman
“For this mitzvah which I gift you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it far away. It is not in heaven… But the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may do it.” (Devarim 30:11–14) The “word” is Torah, truth, and G-d’s light…
Rosh Hashanah Is Not the Real New Year
Here in Eretz Yisrael, as the heavy heat of summer finally eases, you can feel the season shifting. The nights cool, the air softens, and the earth prepares for rain. Grapes and figs have been harvested, the balance of the equinox arrives, and a new moon rises in the autumn sky. This is not the…
Reframing Rosh Hashanah: From Judgment to Renewal
For women in recovery, the language of guilt and judgment is familiar — and often toxic. But real healing doesn’t come from shame. It comes from connecting with a Higher Power and living from our higher self. That’s the essence of recovery, and it can also be the essence of this season if we choose…
Apples, Honey, and the Feminine Breath of Life
Rosh Hashanah begins with food that is also prayer. We dip apples into honey, we bake round challot, we place pomegranates on the table. These are not just traditions but symbols of what we long for in the year ahead. The word that threads through it all is חיים – Chayim – Life. Why Apples…
Mindy Morasha 